Wagner loses to Wellman in Missouri House district

Former podcaster Fred Wellman (D) is projected to defeat incumbent Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) in a congressional district President Trump carried by nearly 8 points in 2024, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), The Hill’s election partner.

Wellman leads Wagner by about 7 points, with more than 95 percent of precincts reporting, per DDHQ.

Wagner has represented Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District for seven terms but faced trouble in an election cycle that put dozens of House Republicans on the defensive.

Wellman is an Army veteran and stated previously that recent legislative decisions have pushed him to enter the congressional race. Wellman also hosts “ On Democracy ” which is a MeidasTouch network podcast.

“When I decided to run for Congress it was driven by one thing: seeing so many people in my family and community struggling to survive while our representatives looked down at us as less than them,” he wrote on social media Tuesday.

The Democrat wrote that his three goals in Congress were to lower costs, fight corruption and end “the chaos in DC”

“We deserve better. Choose hope over division today,” he concluded.

His other campaign promises included lowering Medicare eligibility while also expanding coverage of the program.

Notably, Wagner outspent Wellman $5.7 million to $2.2 million, according to a Fox affiliate station , citing Federal Election Commission filings.

The win marks the first time Democrats have won the seat since 1990.