--- title: "Wellman vs. Wagner: 2026 Missouri’s 2nd District race" url: "https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-mo-02" updated: "2026-08-05" source: "Candidates' campaign sites and Ballotpedia, quoted verbatim" publisher: "Pluribus" --- # 2026 Missouri’s 2nd District race: Frederick Wellman (D) vs. Ann Wagner (R) Rating: Likely R · Election: November 3, 2026 · Ballot checked: October 9, 2026 · Positions captured: August 5, 2026 The 2026 general election matchup for Missouri's 2nd Congressional District features six-term Republican incumbent Ann Wagner against Democratic challenger and U.S. Army veteran Frederick Wellman. The race hinges on economic affordability, healthcare expansion, and constituent accountability versus conservative federal spending restraint, border security, and tax reform. ## Candidates - **Frederick Wellman** (Democrat) · [Campaign site](https://www.wellmanformo.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Frederick_Wellman) - **Ann Wagner** (Republican) · [Campaign site](https://annwagner.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ann_Wagner) ## Issues ### Healthcare & Prescription Drugs Salience: high Wellman supports introducing a public healthcare option and Medicare buy-in, whereas Wagner advocates repealing the Affordable Care Act in favor of free-market insurance competition. **Frederick Wellman:** Supports public option and Medicare buy-in Wellman advocates expanding healthcare access by creating a public option and allowing Missourians to buy into Medicare prior to age 65. He seeks to lower prescription drug costs by standing up to pharmaceutical corporations and preventing medical debt from impoverishing families. - Support creating a public healthcare option - Allow Missourians to buy into Medicare before turning 65 - Lower prescription drug prices by challenging pharmaceutical corporate profits > “I support expanding access through a public option and allowing Missourians to buy into Medicare before they turn 65.” > — Frederick Wellman, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Frederick_Wellman) **Ann Wagner:** Supports repealing ACA and free-market reform Wagner favors repealing the Affordable Care Act and substituting it with free-market principles to foster competition among health insurers. She argues that forced carrier competition will reduce healthcare costs while preserving individual consumer choice. - Repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) - Promote free-market competition among healthcare insurance carriers - Protect individual authority over personal healthcare decisions > “Simply put, Ann believes that we must repeal Obamacare.” > — Ann Wagner, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ann_Wagner) ### Cost of Living & Economy Salience: high Wellman prioritizes targeted economic relief for household expenses like childcare and housing, while Wagner focuses on broad tax cuts, spending reductions, and deregulation. **Frederick Wellman:** Lowering middle-class costs and boosting wages Wellman focuses on easing financial pressure on working families caused by rising costs for housing, childcare, healthcare, and groceries. He advocates economic policies that raise flat wages and prioritize working families over corporate special interests. - Target cost reductions in housing, groceries, and childcare - Expand access to good-paying jobs to address stagnant wage growth - Limit special interest influence in federal economic policymaking > “We must put working families first by lowering costs, expanding access to good-paying jobs, and making sure every family can afford the basics — not just to survive, but to thrive.” > — Frederick Wellman, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Frederick_Wellman) **Ann Wagner:** Cutting spending, taxes, and federal regulation Wagner emphasizes reducing the federal deficit through spending cuts, tax code simplification, and regulatory reduction. She signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and voted for key 2025 budget and reconciliation legislation under the Trump administration. - Overhaul and simplify the federal tax code to remove corporate loopholes - Deregulate business operations to foster job growth and market certainty - Voted Yea on the 2025 Reconciliation Act (H.R. 1) and Congressional Budget Resolution > “The bottom line: the federal government spends too much, taxes too much and regulates too much, and the resulting bureaucracy hurts job-creators and the middle class.” > — Ann Wagner, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ann_Wagner) ### Abortion & Reproductive Freedom Salience: high Wellman opposes political interference in reproductive healthcare decisions, whereas Wagner supports defunding Planned Parenthood and making abortion illegal. **Frederick Wellman:** Opposes government restrictions on reproductive decisions Wellman maintains that personal medical choices regarding reproductive health belong exclusively to patients, their families, and doctors. He opposes political interference and government overreach in private family medicine. - Keep medical and family planning choices free from political interference - Protect patient and doctor autonomy in reproductive health care > “Those decisions belong with families, patients, and their doctors, not politicians.” > — Frederick Wellman, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Frederick_Wellman) **Ann Wagner:** Opposes abortion and supports federal restrictions Wagner is a pro-life lawmaker who believes human life begins at conception. She supports federal prohibitions on abortion funding, defunding Planned Parenthood, and restricting abortion access, earning the endorsement of Missouri Right to Life PAC. - Maintain the Hyde Amendment barring federal funds for abortion - Defund Planned Parenthood and similar abortion providers - Endorsed by Missouri Right to Life PAC > “In Congress, she will fight for the day when abortion is not only illegal but unthinkable.” > — Ann Wagner, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ann_Wagner) ### Immigration & Border Security Salience: medium Wellman supports comprehensive immigration reform paired with border security, whereas Wagner focuses on strict border enforcement and mandatory documentary proof of citizenship for election registration. **Frederick Wellman:** Commonsense reform with secure border enforcement Wellman advocates for an immigration system centered on fairness, dignity, and economic opportunity while maintaining border security. He criticizes the current system as broken and costly, favoring commonsense fixes that allow hardworking immigrants to contribute. - Combine border security with commonsense system reforms - Create fair legal pathways that do not favor wealth or influence - Acknowledge the economic contributions of hardworking immigrants > “It is reasonable to expect a secure border, but our current system is broken, costly, and keeps hardworking people from contributing to our communities and economy.” > — Frederick Wellman, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Frederick_Wellman) **Ann Wagner:** Strict law enforcement and voter proof-of-citizenship Wagner stresses strict enforcement of existing immigration laws, border security, and ending unconstitutional executive actions. In 2025, she voted Yea on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections. - Voted Yea on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) to mandate proof of citizenship for voting - Supported the Executive Amnesty Prevention Act - Enforce existing border laws to prevent illegal border entry > “Ann believes we must enforce our existing laws, secure our borders and ensure the American people that we are keeping their families safe from dangerous criminals.” > — Ann Wagner, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ann_Wagner) ### Government Accountability & Democracy Salience: medium Wellman highlights constituent accessibility through open town halls, while Wagner focuses on statutory ethics measures like lobbying bans and voter eligibility requirements. **Frederick Wellman:** Promotes constituent accessibility and government transparency Wellman emphasizes constituent engagement, active leadership, and government accountability, drawing on his leadership experience with the Lincoln Project. He criticizes Wagner for failing to hold a single in-person public town hall during her 13 years in Congress. - Pledge regular town halls across the district to maintain public engagement - Leverage experience with democratic accountability organizations to reform government - Challenge incumbent lack of direct constituent interaction > “Did you know? Ann Wagner has never held a single town hall in her 13 years representing Missouri’s 2nd District?” > — Frederick Wellman, via [Campaign site](https://www.wellmanformo.com/) **Ann Wagner:** Supports ethical restrictions and voter proof-of-citizenship Wagner supports legislative integrity measures, including bans on insider trading by members of Congress and restrictions preventing former lawmakers from becoming lobbyists. She voted Yea on the SAVE Act to verify voter eligibility. - Support a full ban on congressional insider trading - Prevent lawmakers from immediately becoming lobbyists - Voted Yea on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) > “Ann also supports a full ban on insider trading and believes we need to prevent the revolving door policy of legislators becoming lobbyists.” > — Ann Wagner, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ann_Wagner) ### Social Security & Retirement Security Salience: medium **Frederick Wellman:** Protect Social Security, Medicare, and pensions Wellman pledges to defend Social Security, Medicare, and worker pensions against federal cuts. He emphasizes that seniors who spent a lifetime working should be able to retire with dignity without sacrificing housing or medicine. - Protect Social Security and Medicare benefit programs from federal cuts - Defend worker pensions and strengthen retirement security - Prevent seniors from facing trade-offs between healthcare and basic living expenses > “We must protect Social Security and Medicare, defend pensions, and strengthen retirement benefits so that those who built this country can live their final years with stability and respect.” > — Frederick Wellman, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Frederick_Wellman) **Ann Wagner:** No documented position in our sources ### Energy & Environment Salience: low **Frederick Wellman:** No documented position in our sources **Ann Wagner:** All-of-the-above energy independence and deregulation Wagner advocates an 'all-of-the-above' national energy strategy that encompasses clean coal, oil exploration, natural gas, wind, solar, and infrastructure like the Keystone XL pipeline. She opposes EPA regulations that she claims harm job growth and energy independence. - Support Keystone XL pipeline construction and domestic energy drilling - Utilize all energy sources including coal, natural gas, hydro, solar, and wind - Eliminate environmental regulations from agencies like the EPA > “Whether it is clean coal, exploration drilling, solar, wind, natural gas, hydro, or creating a new pipeline like Keystone XL, Ann believes we need to have a true “all-of-the-above” approach to transforming our energy policy.” > — Ann Wagner, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ann_Wagner) ### Guns & Second Amendment Salience: low **Frederick Wellman:** No documented position in our sources **Ann Wagner:** Protect Second Amendment rights against firearm bans Wagner is a defender of Second Amendment rights for law-abiding citizens, supporting gun ownership for self-defense and recreation. She supports Supreme Court rulings overturning gun bans and previously earned an endorsement from the NRA. - Defend firearm ownership for protection, hunting, and recreation - Support Supreme Court decisions striking down local firearm bans - Earned endorsement from the National Rifle Association > “Ann supports recent decisions by the United State Supreme Court to strike down various gun bans and pledges her support in continuing the fight to protect this fundamental right for all individuals.” > — Ann Wagner, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ann_Wagner) ## Polls and markets _Updated Oct 31._ - [Polymarket](https://polymarket.com/event/mo-02-house-election-winner) — MO-02 House Election Winner: Republicans 60.5%, Democrats 39.5% - [Kalshi](https://kalshi.com/events/KXHOUSERACE-MO02-26) — MO-02 House winner?: Ann Wagner 63.0%, Fred Wellman 37.0% - [Kalshi](https://kalshi.com/events/KXMOPRIMARY-02R26) — MO-02 Republican nominee?: Ann Wagner 99.0%, Brandon Wilkinson 5.0%, Peter A Pfeifer 1.0% - [Kalshi](https://kalshi.com/events/KXMOPRIMARY-02D26) — MO-02 Democratic nominee?: Fred Wellman 99.0%, Timothy D Bilash 1.0%, Nick Vivio 1.0% [View this race on 2026election.com](https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-mo-02)