Bob Onder Bio
Robert Frank Onder Jr., widely known as Bob Onder, is an American politician, attorney, and physician serving as the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s 3rd congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he has built a career that combines medical practice, legal training, and years of legislative service at both the state and federal levels. Before his election to Congress, he represented the 2nd District in the Missouri Senate from 2015 to 2023 and earlier served a single term in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2007 to 2008.
Trained as a physician specializing in allergy and asthma care, Onder holds both a medical degree and a law degree, a rare combination that has shaped his approach to health care and regulatory policy. His work in the Missouri General Assembly earned him a reputation as a conservative legislator focused on tort reform, abortion restrictions, pro-Israel policy, and limits on labor union power.
Early Life and Background
Robert Frank Onder Jr. was born on January 6, 1962, in St. Louis, Missouri. He grew up in the St. Louis area and attended St. Louis University High School, from which he graduated in 1980. His upbringing in Missouri would later influence both his professional and political life, grounding him in the conservative traditions of the region.
Onder pursued his undergraduate education at Washington University in St. Louis, where he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. Demonstrating an early commitment to public service, he continued his studies at Washington University School of Medicine, earning his medical degree and eventually specializing in allergy and asthma care. He later returned to academia to earn a Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law, completing a unique three-degree path that prepared him for careers in medicine, law, and elected office.
Path to US Politics
Onder’s entry into politics came in 2006, when he was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives to represent his local district. His single two-year term, from 2007 to 2008, was marked by his interest in conservative policy issues, including immigration enforcement and informed consent requirements for abortion. During that term, he authored and sponsored HB 1549, which prohibited the creation of sanctuary cities in Missouri and required public agencies to verify the legal status of immigrants before providing social services. The bill was signed into law by Governor Matt Blunt.
In 2008, Onder left the state legislature to seek the Republican nomination for Missouri’s 9th congressional district, where incumbent Kenny Hulshof was retiring. He earned the endorsement of the Club for Growth for his free-market voting record but ultimately lost the primary to Blaine Luetkemeyer. Following this setback, Onder returned to his medical and legal practice before re-entering politics in 2014, when he ran successfully for the Missouri Senate’s 2nd District seat representing the St. Charles area. With no Democratic challenger, his Republican primary victory was tantamount to election.
Bob Onder Career
Early Career (2007-2014)
During his single term in the Missouri House of Representatives, Onder built a record as a fiscal conservative focused on immigration, health care regulation, and protections for religious and pro-life causes. His HB 1549, signed into law in 2008, established Missouri as a state opposed to sanctuary policies and required contractors to verify the legal status of workers. He also sponsored legislation to strengthen informed consent requirements before abortion, a bill that passed the Missouri House 112-33 but died after a filibuster in the State Senate.
After losing the 2008 Republican primary for Missouri’s 9th congressional district to Blaine Luetkemeyer, Onder stepped back from elected office to focus on his medical and legal work. He continued practicing as an allergy and asthma specialist while maintaining an active interest in conservative policy. His return to public office came in 2014 with his successful run for the Missouri Senate.
Breakthrough (2015-2018)
In his first year in the Missouri Senate, Onder was elected to Senate leadership as Assistant Majority Floor Leader. He went on to chair the General Laws Committee beginning in 2017, while serving as Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence. He was also a founding member of the Missouri Senate’s Conservative Caucus, an organization focused on regulatory reform, tort reform, health care reform, abortion, and gun rights.
Onder’s legislative record expanded quickly. He played a leading role in sponsoring SB 739, which precluded Missourians from state contracts if they participated in boycotts against Israel, a bill signed by Governor Mike Parson. In 2016, he introduced Senate Joint Resolution 39, a constitutional amendment protecting wedding industry businesses that refused to serve LGBTQIA+ couples, which passed the Senate but failed in the House. He was also a vocal supporter of HB 1562, which expanded the crime of sex trafficking to include the advertisement of minors for prostitution or pornography. His anti-abortion legislative work included the original drafting of what became Senate Bill 5, imposing unannounced inspections on reproductive health clinics and signed by Governor Eric Greitens, as well as his support of the 2019 Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act, which banned abortion at eight weeks of pregnancy and was signed by Governor Parson.
Onder also championed right-to-work legislation, authored SB 182 banning union-only project labor agreements, and handled HB 1413, a landmark public union transparency bill. He handled HB 130 to create a regulatory framework for transportation network companies, which passed both chambers by wide margins and was signed by Governor Greitens. In 2018, he won reelection to a second term in the Missouri Senate, defeating his Democratic challenger.
Republican Era (2019-2025)
Onder’s second Senate term was defined by continued conservative policy work. He introduced legislation to deregulate the Missouri economy by raising the threshold for mandatory vehicle inspections to cars ten years or older with 150,000 miles. He worked to defeat a proposed HMO tax in 2019, arguing it conflicted with his promises to fight rising health care costs and oppose tax increases. In 2020, he introduced SB 560 to grant state licensing reciprocity to nonresident military spouses, a bill aimed at supporting military families relocating to Missouri.
He also pushed for legislation allowing concealed carry permit holders to bring firearms onto public transit, citing safety concerns. In 2022, Onder initially announced a campaign for Saint Charles County Executive but withdrew from the Republican primary on June 7, 2022. He later announced a run for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri in 2024 before withdrawing again to pursue Missouri’s 3rd congressional district seat, following incumbent Blaine Luetkemeyer’s decision not to seek reelection. After defeating six opponents to win the Republican nomination, Onder won the general election against Democrat Bethany Mann, beginning his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Onder’s signature legislative achievements are SB 739, the anti-boycott Israel bill, and SB 5, which imposed strict regulations on reproductive health clinics. His successful handling of HB 1413, the public union transparency law, and his leadership in passing the Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act cemented his reputation as a leading conservative voice in Jefferson City. His 2024 election to the U.S. House marked the culmination of nearly two decades of political work, beginning with his 2006 entry into the Missouri House.
Bob Onder Career Wins
Bob Onder has built a record of electoral and legislative victories over nearly two decades in Missouri politics. He won his first election to the Missouri House in 2006, secured his Missouri Senate seat in 2014, won reelection to the Senate in 2018, and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024. His legislative wins include multiple bills signed into law, spanning immigration, anti-abortion policy, union regulation, and pro-Israel contracting.
U.S. Politics Highlights
Onder has won four major elections: the 2006 Missouri House race, the 2014 Missouri Senate Republican primary, the 2018 Missouri Senate general election, and the 2024 general election for Missouri’s 3rd congressional district. His most recent victory came against Democrat Bethany Mann, following a competitive Republican primary in which he defeated six opponents.
Other Wins and Achievements
Beyond electoral wins, Onder has passed several significant bills into law, including Missouri’s anti-sanctuary city law, Senate Bill 5 on reproductive health clinic regulations, the Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act, the anti-BDS contracting law SB 739, and the public union transparency bill HB 1413. He was also selected as a delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention as part of the Missouri delegation supporting Donald Trump.
Bob Onder Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Bob Onder is married to Allison Onder, and together they have six children. He is a practicing Roman Catholic. In recent years, Onder has also obtained his pilot’s license, reflecting his continued interest in new pursuits outside of politics and medicine.
Personal Life
Beyond his political and medical careers, Onder remains closely connected to his family in the St. Louis area. His combined background in medicine, law, and public service has shaped both his policy priorities and his personal life, with his faith and family serving as central pillars of his identity.