The decision early on by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to target Missouri’s Republican Rep. Ann Wagner for defeat is apparently a good one.
According to the most recent “Missouri Scout” poll, five-termer Wagner and Democratic State Sen. Jill Schupp are tied with 49 percent each.
The St. Louis County-based 2nd District has elected a Republican to the House for all but two of the last 34 years. But in recent years, this once-reliably Republican turf has become less reliable.
In 2016, Donald Trump carried the 2nd by roughly ten percentage points — about half of his winning margin statewide. Two years ago, voters in the 2nd re-elected the seemingly invincible Wagner by a small (4 percentage points) margin over first-time candidate Cort Van Ostren.
As a former ambassador to Luxembourg and onetime co-chairman of the Republican National Committee, Wagner is widely considered the consummate Republican insider.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.