Seven Republicans, two Democrats and Vienna Libertarian nominee Jordan Rowden hope to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-St. Elizabeth) in November. One of the seven Republicans, State Rep. Justin Hicks (R-Lake St. Louis), has suspended his campaign. Former Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee chair Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia) is one of the seven Republicans running, and he joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri.” Senator Schaefer tells listeners that he likes the unity he’s seeing on television at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and hopes it sticks. He’s focusing on the southern border and the economy as he campaigns. Schaefer’s top primary rival is former State Sen. Bob Onder (R-Lake St. Louis), who has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump. Onder’s theme has been he’ll make DC listen, but Schaefer says no one listened to Onder when he served in the Missouri Senate in Jefferson City. Senator Schaefer also emphasizes the importance of oversight on Capitol Hill, noting the critical role he played in the Moberly Mamtek investigation at the Statehouse. Former Mamtek chief executive officer Bruce Cole was paroled from prison in 2018. Cole pleaded guilty in September 2014 to one count of theft and two counts of securities fraud, and he was sentenced to seven years in state prison. Prosecutors say Cole scammed investors out of millions of dollars involving a failed artificial sweetener plant in Moberly. Former Senator Schaefer blasted Cole this morning on “Wake Up”, and he also criticized then-Governor Jay Nixon (D) for what he calls a lack of due diligence involving Mamtek. The seven GOP primary candidates on the August ballot are Schaefer, former Sen. Onder, Rep. Hicks (his name is still on the ballot), Arnie Dienoff of O’Fallon, Chad Bicknell of Arnold, Kyle Bone of DeSoto and Bruce Bowman of Jefferson City. The two Democrats running are Wentzville’s Bethany Mann and Andrew Daly of Fulton. The sprawling district includes Columbia south of Broadway, Ashland, Jefferson City, Boonville, Fulton, California, Wentzville and O’Fallon: