Republican candidate Thomas Ross was arrested on Wednesday, 3 September 2026, in connection with a Missouri House race. Prosecutors accuse Mr Ross of attempting to frame his primary opponent, Louise Secker, for cocaine possession.
Court documents allege that in June, Mr Ross gave his former campaign manager, identified as “CS”, a bag containing cocaine and Adderall. The two reportedly planned for the former manager to hide the drugs in Ms Secker’s purse or vehicle.
Authorities state that on 21 June, Mr Ross texted his staffer asking for an update on the plot, using “substance” as a euphemism for narcotics. The former manager replied that they had been trying to find an opportunity to plant the drugs.
The Joplin police department alerted the FBI on 30 July to a public corruption matter. The following day, the FBI provided the former manager with a covert recording device, which was used to tape a conversation with Mr Ross. During this conversation, Mr Ross reportedly told the manager, “If you can pull it off … pull it off,” when offered to call in an anonymous tip about drugs in Ms Secker’s car.
Mr Ross has been charged with conspiring to distribute a controlled substance. It is unclear if the former manager will also face criminal charges. Mr Ross defeated Ms Secker in the Republican primary for House District 161 by 33 votes in August.
Missouri Republican party chair Peter Kinder has called on Mr Ross to withdraw from the race, stating that the circumstances of his arrest are “serious and deeply troubling.”