Democratic U.S. Reps. Wesley Bell of St. Louis and Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City won reelection Tuesday, while Democrat Fred Wellman defeated Republican incumbent Ann Wagner in Missouri’s closely watched 2nd Congressional District.
Wellman’s victory flips a congressional seat Wagner has held since 2013 and marks a major political breakthrough for Democrats in the St. Louis suburbs.
In the 1st Congressional District, Bell won a second term, defeating Republican Paul Berry. Bell had 82.8% of the vote to Berry’s 13.5%, with an estimated 54% counted when the results were updated.
Cleaver also secured another term in the Kansas City-based 5th Congressional District, defeating Republican Rick Brattin. Cleaver had 72.9% of the vote to Brattin’s 24.9%.
Republicans, meanwhile, won several other Missouri congressional races.
Mark Alford won reelection in the 4th District, defeating Democrat Jordan Herrera. Republican Chris Stigall won the 6th District, defeating Democrat Josh Smead, while Republican incumbent Jason Smith won another term in the 8th District.
Two other Republican incumbents were leading in races that had not been called. Bob Onder held a 53.2% to 44.1% advantage over Democrat Bethany Mann in the 3rd District, while Eric Burlison led Democrat Missi Hesketh 63.9% to 33.8% in the 7th District.
Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.