RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Mo.—Former Missouri State Sen. Bob Onder formally launched his campaign in the Republican primary for Lt. Governor Monday, weeks after he signaled his interest in the race in a Missouri Ethics Commission filing.

Onder, who represented western St. Charles County in the state House and later the Senate, joins a field that includes State Sen. Holly Rehder, House Speaker Dean Plocher, Franklin County Clerk Tim Baker and Paul Berry III, a former candidate for St. Louis County Executive and Congress.

The field of Democrats in the race includes Assistant Minority Floor Leader Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, and Anastasia Syes, of St. Louis County.

At a news conference in a Richmond Heights hotel meeting room, Onder, a Pro-Life conservative, railed against the Republican majorities in power in Jefferson City which he said haven’t done enough to stop illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking and China’s ability to buy Missouri farmland. He criticized the fact that legislation passed in the 2023 session banning transgender medical interventions for children had a four-year sunset clause instead of being permanent, and objected to the Senate’s vote to remove language that would have stripped out state funding for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 

Under state law, the Lt. Governor serves as governor if the governor is absent from the state or is disabled and becomes governor if the governor dies,is convicted, impeached or otherwise resigns. The position presides over the Senate and votes in case of ties and also sits on a handful of state boards and commissions.

“When I’m Lt. Governor we will continue to protect life. We will continue to protect the second amendment, we will defund Planned Parenthood and DEI. We will protect Missourians wallets by cutting taxes and spending and we’ll get communist China out of Missouri,” Onder said, acknowledging that while the post would allow him to “exert leadership…there’s no question the Lt. Governor cannot do it alone so as Lt. Governor I will work with the legislature, with my colleagues and with the governor’s office to move Missouri forward and make our state great again.”

Onder said Monday that he does not support a pair of bills pre-filed for the 2024 legislative session which would open some women up to the potential for homicide charges in the event they had an abortion.

“Mainstream pro-life groups have never advocated punishing women who seek abortion with homicide or any other crime because we believe, I believe that women are as much a victim of the abortion industrial complex as are the unborn children,” he said.

Onder is the latest member of the now-defunct Missouri Senate Conservative Caucus to seek statewide office in 2024, joining State Sen. Bill Eigel (governor), State Sen. Denny Hoskins (Secretary of State), and State Sen. Andrew Koening (Treasurer).

Official filing for Missouri’s Aug. 6, 2024 primaries opens Feb. 27.