In results that left Republican jaws hanging throughout the St. Louis-based 2nd District, a just-completed YouGov poll found Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., trailing her Democratic opponent — and badly.
Liberal Democrat State Sen. Jill Schupp leads Wagner by a strong 51%-42% district wide, YouGov found. These figures are a striking contrast to the Missouri Scout poll in late September, which found Schupp and Wagner in a dead heat (49% each).
St. Louis area Republicans such as former State GOP Chairman John Hancock agree the early decision of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to target Wagner has been key to her presently precarious position.
The St. Louis County-based 2nd District has elected a Republican to the House for all but two of the past 34 years. In 2016, Donald Trump carried the 2nd by roughly 10 percentage points — about half of his winning margin statewide.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.