Missouri Republican House candidate Thomas Christopher Ross has withdrawn from the November election after being charged with allegedly conspiring to plant cocaine and Adderall on his Republican primary opponent, setting up a rapid change in the race for House District 161.
Ross, 37, of Joplin, formally withdrew his name from the November ballot after signing a petition requesting removal from the race. Jasper County Presiding Judge Dean Dankelson subsequently signed the order approving the withdrawal, making his exit from the election official.
The Jasper County Republican Central Committee then unanimously selected Louise Secker, the woman Ross defeated in the Aug. 4 Republican primary by 33 votes, to replace him as the Republican nominee. The committee said it will work with Secker and election officials to complete the remaining steps required to place her name on the November ballot.
Federal Charges and Alleged Drug-Planting Scheme
Federal prosecutors charged Ross with one count of conspiracy to distribute a Schedule I or II controlled substance. The charge stems from allegations that Ross recruited his former campaign manager to plant drugs on Secker in an effort to implicate her in a false drug-possession case.
According to federal court documents, the campaign manager contacted Joplin police in July and told investigators that Ross had provided him with a black nylon glove containing a small amount of white powder and a capsule. Authorities later identified the powder as cocaine and the capsule as amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, commonly known as Adderall.
Investigators allege Ross instructed the campaign manager to place the drugs inside Secker’s purse or vehicle while Ross was out of state. The campaign manager instead cooperated with authorities, and the FBI later equipped him with a recording device during a meeting with Ross, according to the criminal complaint.
Prosecutors say text messages and the recorded conversation provided additional evidence of the alleged scheme.
Ross narrowly defeated Secker in the Republican primary, winning by 33 votes. He was then scheduled to face Democrat Aaron Metzger in the November general election.
Republican Party Moves to Replace Ross
The Missouri Republican Party and Jasper County Republican leaders called on Ross to withdraw shortly after news of the federal charge became public.
Missouri Republican Party Chairman Peter Kinder described the allegations as serious and urged Ross to step aside. The Jasper County Republican Central Committee also called for his withdrawal while emphasizing that he remained entitled to due process.
After Ross formally withdrew, the district’s Republican nominating committee met and unanimously chose Secker as the replacement nominee.
The committee said Secker had demonstrated a commitment to the district and that it was grateful she agreed to step forward after losing the primary by just 33 votes.
The change must still go through the required election procedures before Secker’s name is finalized on the November ballot. The deadline for the replacement process is Sept. 8, according to local election officials.
Legal Case Continues
Ross’s withdrawal from the campaign does not resolve the federal criminal case against him. The conspiracy charge remains pending, and prosecutors must prove the allegations in court.
Ross has not publicly commented on the allegations, and his federal public defender has not indicated how he intends to plead. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case now leaves House District 161 with a dramatically different Republican nominee only weeks before the Nov. 3 general election. Secker, the candidate Ross narrowly defeated in the primary, is now positioned to seek the Republican nomination in the general election against Metzger.
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