The Onder Accountability Grid

"Bob Onder Said It. Then He Voted Against It." — Words are cheap. Votes are permanent.
101–107 — Bob Onder Said It. Then He Voted Against It. Existing record — verified roll call votes
101
Onder Said
"Committed to economic liberty… opposes market distortions." — Club for Growth endorsement, 2024
Onder Did
Voted to keep tariffs that raise prices for Missouri consumers and close export markets for Missouri farmers — the textbook definition of a government-imposed market distortion.
He said he opposes market distortions. Tariffs are market distortions. He voted to keep them.
Hurts Farmers
102
Onder Said
Sits on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government. Ran as a constitutional conservative who believes in the 10th Amendment and state sovereignty.
Onder Did
Voted to require Missouri to hand over complete, unredacted voter registration lists — including private Social Security and driver’s license numbers — to the federal government. Stayed silent as the DOJ sued states to compel surrender of citizens’ private voter data.
He said he believes in limited government. Then he voted to make Washington the boss of Missouri’s elections.
Undermines Constitution
103
Onder Said
"Recognizes the economic threats posed by the national debt and advocates for a Balanced Budget Amendment… champions fiscal responsibility." — Club for Growth, 2024
Onder Did
Voted for a spending bill and called it "a huge win for the American people." The nonpartisan CBO calculated it adds $3.4 trillion to the deficit — $4.1 trillion including interest. Conservative senators Ron Johnson and Rand Paul called it a "debt bomb." Onder: silent.
He said he wants a balanced budget. Then he celebrated adding $3.4 trillion to the deficit.
Increases Deficit
104
Onder Said
Campaigned on representing rural Missouri, family farmers, and small business owners.
Onder Did
Voted for a bill that expanded subsidies for large industrial farm operations and cut $186 billion from programs that flow directly to small farmers, rural economies, and farmers markets. Missouri loses $356M in SNAP in 2026 alone.
He said he’d fight for family farmers. His vote rewarded millionaire absentee landlords instead.
Hurts Farmers
105
Onder Said
Nothing. He has been completely silent while Washington gutted the agencies Missouri farmers depend on.
Onder Did
Stood silent as more than 20,000 USDA employees left in 2025 — a 27% workforce reduction. NRCS lost 2,400 staff (21% of its workforce). During the government shutdown Onder helped trigger, all FSA farm loan activity was halted. Missouri farmers are among the largest users of FSA guaranteed loans in the country. Source: official USDA report, KCUR/NPR, Feb. 2026.
He said he’d fight for Missouri farmers. He stayed silent while Washington fired the people who process their farm loans.
Hurts Farmers
106
Onder Said
Bob Onder — YES vote on HR 1 — July 3, 2025
Voted for HR 1 and called it a win. Has said nothing publicly about what the bill costs Missouri in penalties and lost funding.
$294M Missouri is already spending $294M just to try to avoid the penalty
$1.2B Federal penalty if Missouri fails to meet HR 1 standards — see footnote
$356M SNAP food aid slashed — Missouri families & farmers
  Missouri rural hospitals face closure as Medicaid funding is cut
Onder Did
Voted YES on HR 1. Missouri is now racing to avoid a $1.2B federal penalty — already forced to spend $294M just to try.
“These investments are to avoid putting the state in bankruptcy territory.”
— DSS Director Jess Bax, Missouri House Budget Committee, January 2026
The penalty Missouri is racing to avoid: $1.2B
How the $1.2B penalty is calculated
HR 1 requires Missouri to get its Medicaid error rate below 3% by October 2029 or face a federal clawback of $1.2B. Missouri’s rate was 35.3% in 2019 — the last federal audit. Republican Rep. Darin Chappell, who chairs the House appropriations subcommittee on social services, confirmed it: “We cannot afford a $1.2 billion clawback in three years.” — Missouri Independent, Mar. 5, 2026
Sources: The Beacon (Meg Cunningham, Feb. 10, 2026) · Missouri Independent (Jan. 28 & Mar. 5, 2026) · Missouri DSS HR 1 Legislative Briefing (mydss.mo.gov) · CBO
One vote. Missouri is already spending $294 million just to avoid a potential $1.2B penalty.
Hurts Missouri Taxpayers
107
Onder Said
"Families faced uncertainty about their SNAP benefits. It was long past time to act." — Congressman Onder, November 2025, after the shutdown finally ended
Onder Did
Supported the spending approach that triggered the longest government shutdown in American history. For 43 days: 42 million Americans on SNAP received no food assistance. Missouri farmers waited for FSA checks during peak harvest as China bought zero U.S. soybeans. Then Onder noticed.
He said he cared about Missouri families losing SNAP benefits. His votes helped cause the shutdown that cut them off.
Expands Government Reach
201–206 — Constitutional Violations — Congress Is a Co-Equal Branch He sits on the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government. He said nothing.
201
Onder Said
Sits on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government. Ran as a constitutional conservative. Claims to support an independent, apolitical military.
Onder Did
Said nothing as 21 generals were fired or forced out. Said nothing as all three military branch Judge Advocates General — the Army’s, Navy’s, and Air Force’s top lawyers — were fired in a single night with no explanation. Said nothing when the Army Chief of Staff was fired during active U.S. combat operations against Iran on April 2, 2026. Five former defense secretaries, including Republicans, called it “reckless.” Senator Lindsey Graham, a 30-year JAG himself, raised alarms. Source: AEI (conservative), Apr. 2026.
21 generals fired. All three military lawyers fired in one night. Army Chief fired during active war. Five Republican defense secretaries called it reckless. Onder: nothing.
Silence on National Security
202
Onder Said
Campaigned on law and order, protecting Missouri families from crime, and fighting the fentanyl epidemic. Sits on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government.
Onder Did
Said nothing as 5,500+ DOJ lawyers and prosecutors left in 2025 — no precedent in modern history. The result, documented by ProPublica using 20 years of federal data: 23,000 criminal cases dropped in 6 months. Nearly 5,000 federal drug cases abandoned — 45% above any prior administration. The entire unit building cases against fentanyl chemical suppliers in India and China was ordered to stop. 28-year DOJ veteran Joseph Gerbasi: "All of the building blocks of what would become successful prosecutions were pulled out." Trump’s own D.C. U.S. Attorney admitted needing 90 more prosecutors just to function.
They said Make America Safe Again. They fired the prosecutors. The fentanyl cases were killed. Onder — Constitution subcommittee — said nothing.
Endangers Public Safety
203
Onder Said
In his own March 2026 newsletter: "Americans deserve elections they can trust… That’s why the SAVE America Act is so critical. This legislation is critical to protecting the integrity of our elections."
Onder Did
Voted to strip state control of elections using a fraud crisis he never showed voters the data for. Heritage Foundation — the most conservative research organization in America — has documented only 100 instances of noncitizen voter fraud since 2000, out of 1.5 billion ballots cast. That is 0.000007%. Bob Onder is a physician and an attorney. He can read data. He chose not to show it to you.
He’s a doctor. He knows how to read data. Here’s what the data actually says: 0.000007%.
Election Integrity Fraud
204
Onder Said
Runs as a free-market constitutional conservative opposing government overreach. Sits on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government.
Onder Did
As Missouri State Senator, led passage of SB 739 (2020) requiring companies to sign a written pledge that they are not boycotting Israel in order to receive Missouri state contracts over $100,000. Federal courts have blocked similar laws in other states as First Amendment violations — unconstitutional compelled political speech as a condition of commerce.
He says government shouldn’t overreach into private decisions. Then he required businesses to sign a political oath to work in Missouri.
Free Market Hypocrisy
205
Onder Said
Campaigned as a fighter for Missouri farmers and rural communities. Pledged to use his time in Washington to address Missouri’s most pressing needs.
Onder Did
On July 23, 2025 — as Missouri farmers faced an estimated $524 million in soybean market losses and China was approaching a total purchasing blackout — Onder introduced H.R. 4715: a bill to rename the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts the "Donald J. Trump Center for the Performing Arts." He is the sole author. It is in the congressional record. Source: Congress.gov, GovTrack.
While Missouri farmers couldn’t sell a bushel to China, your congressman introduced a bill to rename a Washington D.C. arts center. July 23, 2025. Congressional record.
Misplaced Priorities
206
Onder Said
Campaigned as a dedicated fighter for Missouri who would show up every day and fight for the people of the 3rd District.
Onder Did
Missed 17 of 470 roll call votes from January 2025 to March 2026 — a 3.6% miss rate. The median among all currently serving representatives is 2.1%. Bob Onder missed votes at nearly double the median rate in his very first year in Congress. Source: GovTrack.us.
He said he’d show up and fight. In his first year, he missed votes at nearly double the median rate.
Not Showing Up
301–307 — Economic Harm — Missouri Families and Farmers Pay the Price Dollar figures from USDA, CBO, ASA, Yale Budget Lab, KFF, SSA, and BLS
301
Onder Said
Campaigns as a fighter for Missouri working families, small business owners, and self-employed Missourians.
Onder Did
Voted for H.R. 6703 which excluded an extension of ACA premium tax credits. On January 8, 2026, 17 Republicans crossed party lines (230–196) to extend those credits for three years. Onder was not one of them. Result: 417,000 Missourians on marketplace plans saw premiums jump an average of 114% in 2026. Ages 50–64 saw 75–90% increases — the worst-hit group nationally — exactly the demographic that defines St. Charles County.
  • A 60-year-old couple at $85,000 income: premiums up $22,600 per year — a quarter of their income
  • A family of four at $45,000: from $0/month to $134/month overnight
  • Self-employed, contractors, small business owners — the people with no employer plan — hit hardest
Source: KFF premium analysis; Missouri Independent, Nov. 2025; ABC News, Jan. 8, 2026.
417,000 Missourians saw their health insurance premiums double. 17 Republicans crossed party lines to fix it. Onder stayed with leadership.
Hurts St. Charles Families
302
Onder Said
"Committed to economic liberty… opposes market distortions." — Club for Growth endorsement, 2024
Onder Did
Voted AYE on Roll Call 94 to block all tariff-disapproval resolutions and NAY on Roll Call 65 to keep Canada tariffs. The cost to every Missouri household:
  • Yale Budget Lab (April 8, 2026): tariffs cost the average U.S. household $780–$1,338 in 2025 dollars
  • St. Louis CPI (BLS, Feb. 2026): household furnishings +8.6%, apparel +6.0%
  • Midwest CPI (BLS, Mar. 2026): energy +11.3%, electricity +6.4%
Every family in his district pays these higher prices whether they know it or not.
Tariffs cost your family up to $1,338 this year in higher prices. He voted for them. He called himself a free-market conservative.
Costs Every Household
303
Onder Said
Called H.R. 1 "a huge win for the American people." Has made zero public statements about protecting Social Security solvency. Has introduced zero legislation on the trust fund shortfall.
Onder Did
Voted for H.R. 1, which according to the Tax Policy Center drains an additional $170 billion from the Social Security trust fund by 2034. The SSA’s own 2025 Trustees Report projects the OASI trust fund will be depleted by 2033 — at which point benefits are automatically cut 23% with no further vote required. The typical retired couple could face an $18,100-per-year benefit cut. Sources: SSA 2025 Trustees Report; Tax Policy Center; Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
He called adding $3.4 trillion to the deficit “a huge win.” SSA actuaries say his vote moved Social Security’s insolvency date closer. He hasn’t said a word about it.
Hurts Retirees
304
Onder Said
Free-market conservative who supports Missouri agriculture and the right of farmers to compete in global markets.
Onder Did
Voted to maintain the tariffs that drove China to buy zero U.S. soybeans in September and October 2025 — peak Missouri harvest — for the first time since November 2018. Missouri farmers without grain storage had no choice but to sell:
$8.65Cash elevator price per bushel at harvest
$12.05Cost of production per bushel (ASA)
$3.40Guaranteed loss on every single bushel — no ability to wait
When China finally agreed to resume buying, the commitment was just 12 million metric tons — vs. the 5-year average of 29 million. A 59% collapse. Sources: ASA; ING Think; farmdoc daily, Univ. of Illinois, Nov. 2025.
Straight math. Missouri farmers without storage had no choice. Every bushel sold at harvest was a guaranteed $3.40 loss. His tariff votes did this.
Hurts Farmers
305
Onder Said
Nothing. Zero statements on the collapse of USDA staffing. Zero legislation. Zero hearings requested.
Onder Did
Stayed silent as official USDA records document:
  • 20,000+ USDA employees left between January and June 2025 — a 27% workforce reduction by year-end
  • NRCS lost 2,400 staff (21% of its workforce) — the people who help Missouri farmers with conservation programs
  • During the shutdown Onder helped trigger, all FSA farm loan activity was halted — processing, closing, and signing off on guaranteed loans
  • Missouri farmers are among the largest users of FSA guaranteed loans over $500,000 in the entire country
Source: Official USDA report, KCUR/NPR, Feb. 2026; DTN, Oct. 1, 2025.
More than 20,000 USDA employees gone. The agency shrank 27% in one year. Farm loan officers fired. Bob Onder said nothing.
Ignores MO Farmers
306
Onder Said
Campaigned on championing Missouri farmers and agricultural exports. Claimed to support the University of Missouri and Missouri agribusiness.
Onder Did
Voted AYE on H.R. 4 (Roll Calls 168 and 203) — rescinding $9.4 billion including the Feed the Future program. Feed the Future funds University of Missouri agricultural research and Missouri’s agribusiness export development — the exact program needed to find alternative buyers as China stopped purchasing U.S. soybeans. A Senate amendment to preserve these funds was defeated 48–51. Onder eliminated the tool Missouri needed at the worst possible moment. Sources: clerk.house.gov; congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4.
He cut the exact program Missouri needed to find new buyers — at the exact moment China stopped buying.
Hurts Farmers
307
Onder Said
Campaigns as a fighter for working Missourians, small business owners, and the families of the 3rd District.
Onder Did
Estimated net worth: approximately $17.9 million — placing him in the top 75 wealthiest members of Congress. His own health insurance is paid by federal employee benefits — taxpayer funded. While 417,000 Missourians saw their premiums double, his household budget was unaffected. While Missouri families paid $780–$1,338 more per year in tariff costs, his household budget was unaffected. He voted for H.R. 1 which added $3.4 trillion to the deficit while cutting SNAP and Medicaid from working families. Source: Quiver Quantitative public financial disclosures; FEC committee C00870238.
His net worth: $17.9 million. His health insurance: paid by taxpayers. He votes to cut benefits for working families. His own are protected.
Lacks Constituent Empathy
401–403 — Character — Who He Really Is His own words. His own record. No commentary needed.
401
Onder Said
"It’s Groundhog Day today. We cannot solve these problems by just sending the same politicians back to D.C." — Bob Onder, announcing his congressional campaign, 2024
Onder Did
Said this after 16 years as a professional politician, while announcing his run for the same congressional seat he lost in 2008. His complete office-seeking record:
  • 2006 — Missouri House
  • 2008 — U.S. Congress — lost
  • 2014 — Missouri Senate
  • 2018 — Missouri Senate reelection
  • 2022 — Considered St. Charles County Executive — withdrew
  • 2023 — Announced Lieutenant Governor race — withdrew
  • 2024 — U.S. Congress — same seat he lost in 2008
Sources: Missouri Independent, Dec. 2023; STLPR, Feb. 2024; Wikipedia.
He called sending the same politicians back a problem. Then he ran for the same seat he lost 16 years ago — after 18 years in politics.
Career Politician
402
Onder Said
"Public service is not supposed to be our pathway job into a lucrative lobbying job." — Bob Onder, Missouri Senate, sponsoring ethics legislation requiring a cooling-off period before legislators became lobbyists
Onder Did
Spent 18 years cycling through public offices — each one a platform to seek the next. Missouri House → Congress (lost) → Missouri Senate → County Executive consideration (withdrew) → Lieutenant Governor announcement (withdrew) → Congress. He has been a professional politician since 2006. By his own stated standard, how is that different from using public service as a pathway? Source: Wikipedia — Bob Onder ethics reform section.
His words: “Public service is not supposed to be a pathway job.” His record: 18 years using each office as a platform for the next one.
Self-Contradiction
403
Onder Said
"750,000 Americans went without paychecks. Our TSA agents worked without pay. Families faced uncertainty about their SNAP benefits. It was long past time to act." — Congressman Onder’s own press release, November 13, 2025, after the shutdown finally ended
Onder Did
Voted AYE on Roll Call 281 (September 19, 2025) — the continuing resolution that triggered the longest government shutdown in American history. For 43 days, 42 million Americans on SNAP received no food assistance, Missouri farmers waited for FSA checks during peak harvest, and TSA agents worked without pay. Then he voted to end it. Then he issued a press release describing the harm — in his own words — as if he had nothing to do with it. He described the harm perfectly. He helped cause it. Then he took a bow. Sources: clerk.house.gov RC 281; clerk.house.gov RC 285; onder.house.gov press release.
His own press release describes the harm. His own votes helped cause it. He caused it. Then he claimed credit for ending it.
Character Failure