O’FALLON, MO. — Dr. Bob Onder has converted the front half of his Lake St. Louis home into a full tilt campaign headquarters. Complete with handwritten motivational signs and the typical smattering of campaign literature and photos, the home serves as the base of operations in one of the most interesting primaries of the 2014 cycle.
In the 2nd Senatorial District — where Onder is running against Rep. Chuck Gatschenberger and former Rep. Vicki Schneider — there is no Democrat on the November ballot, making the August 5 primary victor the de-facto future senator from the O’Fallon and St. Charles areas.
Onder is a former state representative, like both of his opponents. His profile was raised in 2008, when he left the statehouse to run against Blaine Luetkemeyer and several other candidates to succeed Kenny Hulshof in Congress. Onder finished 2nd in the crowded primary, but didn’t swear off politics for good.
When it became clear the senate seat he lived in would become open, Onder threw in his hat and considerable name recognition into the fray. Onder is relying on voters to see him as the most socially conservative candidate on the ballot.
“One of my opponents called me a single issue candidate,” Onder said, referring to his stringent pro-life position. “If the single issue is to preserve and defend liberty under the constitution, then I plead guilty.”
Onder secured the Missouri Right to Life endorsement in his race early on before locking down Missouri Club for Growth, a fiscally conservative organization vocally battling Nixon on tax issues. Onder also likes to remind voters of his tough immigration bill from 2008, which he calls “the strongest in the country.”
“Both of my opponents voted for Obamacare exchanges,” Onder said. “One of them just voted for the largest tax increase in Missouri history. I think it’s clear I have the best record as an effective conservative leader.”
Onder’s staunch opposition to abortion and vocal involvement in stem cell research issues led some in his own party to worry whether he’d be able to work in the fluid, ever-compromising body of the Senate. But he says he’s the kind of man who can compromise.
“Of course I’m always, always going to be pro-life, but as they say, the devil is in the details,” Onder said. “If it becomes about deciding to maybe let one issue go so we can get another issue across the line, I’m not opposed to that. But it’s a session-by-session, bill-by-bill decision.”
In fact, the devil-in-the-details applies to basically every issue, Onder said. His staunch distaste for Obamacare aside, Onder says an appropriate overhaul and reform of the Medicaid system might just persuade fellow conservatives like him to favor expansion.
“Again, it’s the details,” Onder said. “If we could really overhaul it and then get the waivers associated with that overhaul and see some serious reform, I’d be open to the possibility of expanding eligibility.”
But it’s not all social issues for Onder. Recent tax fights are the just the beginning, and he says he’ll look closely at Missouri’s regulatory climate if elected to office. And while he agrees that there need to be lower taxes, he urged caution on some of the bills Nixon vetoed for criticism of being “giveaways.”
“I haven’t seen every bill,” Onder said. “But I think it’s important to lower the tax burden on everyone. It’s more logical to me to have a broad tax base with a low rate than to carve out these special breaks for some people and not for all. Let’s focus on lowering the burden across the board.”
Onder believes he can get large numbers of his supporters to the polls on primary day, which he says is key in a low turnout election. He’s hoping that some constituents will be inspired to come vote against the sales tax increase for transportation projects, or to come support Missouri’s so-called “Right-to-Farm” amendment.
The 19-year veteran of medicine and father of 6 is cautiously optimistic about his chances.
“I’ve been blessed by an outpouring of support from conservatives,” Onder said. “They recognize that I’m their candidate.”
Collin Reischman was the Managing Editor for The Missouri Times, and a graduate of Webster University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
