A St. Charles County state lawmaker is joining the crowded Republican field to succeed U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer.
State Rep. Justin Hicks of Lake Saint Louis announced Monday he鈥檚 jumping into the race to represent Missouri鈥檚 3rd Congressional District, which includes portions of the St. Louis metro area and Mid-Missouri. Hicks, an attorney, was first elected in 2022 to represent Missouri鈥檚 108th District, which takes in most of Lake St. Louis.
鈥淲e have career politicians that are up there who are more focused on getting the next soundbite rather than actually having real solutions,鈥� Hicks said. 鈥淎nd it kind of leaves the American people to where we have to actually deal with the consequences. And we see that in the rising crime rates, the inflation rates that are going on, the lagging educational standards and the danger at the border. And we really need somebody in Congress that actually knows how to fix it.鈥�
Hicks serves on the House鈥檚 Judiciary, Crime Prevention and Public Safety, and General Laws committees. This year, he introduced bills allowing the governor to appoint a special prosecutor in a county or municipality where the officeholder 鈥渇ailed to execute his or her assigned duty or is unable to faithfully or competently execute such duties.鈥� He鈥檚 also pushed legislation to allow charter schools in St. Charles County.
鈥淢issouri also deserves somebody who's a fresh face in politics, and also a conservative voice that is not going to go up there and create more issues,鈥� Hicks said.
Hicks said he鈥檚 in favor of U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley鈥檚 bill that would provide restitution for St. Louis-area residents who became sickened due to radioactive waste exposure. He also said he would support certain immigration policies that former President Donald Trump championed, including that required people seeking asylum to stay in Mexico until a scheduled court date.
鈥淲e're all immigrants at one point or another in our history, and that's what this country is really founded on,鈥� said Hicks, noting that his grandfather came to America from Italy. 鈥淏ut there is a lawful way to come into the country.鈥�
He also said he supports providing aid to Israel as it continues its military campaign in Gaza 鈥渢o ensure that the region stays stable.鈥�
鈥淚 view aid in situations like this as a way to help bolster other countries without having to go spill American blood,鈥� Hicks said.
Hicks joins seven other GOP candidates in the Republican-dominated district: state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, former state Sens. Bob Onder and Kurt Schaefer, O鈥橣allon resident Arnie Dienoff, Fenton resident Brandon Wilkinson, De Soto resident Kyle Bone and Arnold resident Chad Bicknell.
Unlike Coleman, who can run without giving up her Senate seat, Hicks is forgoing up to six years in the House to run for Congress.
鈥淢y skills are best used up in Congress,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t's really about what I'm doing to serve the people of Missouri, it's not about myself.鈥�
