Summary
Current Position: US Representative of MO District 2 since 2003
Affiliation: Republican
District: eastern portion of the state, primarily consisting of the suburbs south and west of St. Louis, including Arnold, Town and Country, Wildwood, Chesterfield, and Oakville.
Upcoming Election:
Ann Wagner was the United States Ambassador to Luxembourg from 2005 to 2009. After college, she worked in the private sector and held management positions at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City and Ralston Purina in St. Louis.
Her district, based in St. Louis County, is heavily suburban and the state’s wealthiest. It includes most of St. Louis’s southern and western suburbs as well as some of the northern exurbs in St. Charles County and the northern part of Jefferson County. Before her diplomatic post, Wagner chaired the Missouri Republican Party from 1999 until 2005; she co-chaired the Republican National Committee for four years, starting in 2001.
OnAir Post: Ann Wagner MO-02
News
About
Ann Wagner’s career is both deep and broad in service to her hometown, state and nation with over 30 years of work in the private sector, community and public service, and the political arena.
The 2nd District has always been home for Ann. It is where she and her husband of over thirty years, Ray, grew up, went to school, raised their children, work, volunteer, and go to church. This community has given her extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.
At an early age, Ann started working in the family business, a retail carpet store called Carpetime in Manchester. Working beside her parents she learned the value of a dollar, a strong work ethic, honesty, integrity, and that government should stay off the backs and out of the way of hard-working Americans trying to make a living.
Ann then took that experience to the University of Missouri-Columbia and received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Logistics. After college, Ann went to work in the private sector and held management positions at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City and Ralston Purina in St. Louis.
Ann’s most important jobs, however, have always been as a wife, mother, and now grandmother. Ann and Ray have three children: Raymond, an Army Captain who recently welcomed his first child, Isabella, into the world with his wife Julia; Stephen, a Client Services Manager for a St. Louis area financial management company; and Mary Ruth, a recent college graduate who moved back to the 2nd District and is working as a Business Development Coordinator.
Ann Wagner’s public service began at the grassroots level. She served for nine years as a local committeewoman in Lafayette Township and went on to Chair the Missouri Republican Party, delivering historic Republican gains. She also served as Co-Chairman of the Republican National Committee during the first term of President George W. Bush.
In 2005, following nomination by President Bush and confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Ann was sworn in as the 19th U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. She served as U.S. Ambassador for four years before returning to her home in Ballwin, Missouri.
Ann then decided to put her own name on the ballot and won her first Congressional race with over 60% of the vote, receiving more votes that election cycle than any other Republican Congressional candidate in Missouri. She took office in January of 2013 and was selected by both her freshman and sophomore class to be their representative on the Elected Leadership Committee.
As your representative from the 2nd District, Congresswoman Wagner serves on both the House Financial Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee. She has worked tirelessly to demand transparency and accountability from federal regulators, while continuing to investigate waste, fraud, and abuse. During her time in Congress, Representative Wagner has been committed to regulatory reform, authoring bills such as the Retail Investor Protection Act which protects access to retirement savings for middle class families.
Ann has made combating sex trafficking and online exploitation of women and children major legislative priorities. She authored the SAVE Act, which amended the Federal criminal code to allow prosecutions of those who knowingly advertise sex slavery, along with the Put Trafficking Victims First Act and the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA). FOSTA became law in April of 2018 and is the most significant anti-trafficking law Congress has passed in nearly 20 years, finally giving local, state, and federal prosecutors the tools they need to hold websites accountable when they profit from the sale of sex trafficking victims.
Personal
Full Name: Ann Wagner
Gender: Female
Family: Husband: Ray; 3 Children: Raymond, Stephen, Mary Ruth
Birth Date: 09/13/1962
Birth Place: St. Louis, MO
Home City: Ballwin, MO
Religion: Catholic
Source: Vote Smart
Education
BSBA, Logistics, University of Missouri at Columbia, 1984
Political Experience
Representative, United States House of Representatives, District 2, 2012-present
Senior Deputy Whip, United States House of Representatives, present
Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Missouri, District 2, 2018, 2020, 2022
Professional Experience
Former Employee, Carpetime
Former Manager, Hallmark Cards
Former Manager, Ralston Purina
United States Ambassador, Luxembourg, 2005-2010
Offices
Washington DC Office
2350 Rayburn Office Building
Washington, DC 20515Phone: (202) 225-1621
Washington, MO Office
516 Jefferson Street
Washington, MO 63090Phone: (636) 231-1001
Ballwin District Office
301 Sovereign Court
Suite 201
Ballwin, MO 63011Phone: (636) 779-5449
Contact
Email: Government Page
Web Links
Politics
Source: none
Finances
Source: Vote Smart
New Legislation
Learn more about legislation sponsored and co-sponsored by Congresswoman Wagner.
Issues
Source: Government page
Budgeting is the most basic responsibility of any institution, whether it is for a family, a business, or government.
One of the primary responsibilities of the United States government is to provide for the common defense, as established in the Constitution.
Across the Second District and our nation, the economy and jobs remain the top concerns for American families.
The St.
Due to the ongoing development of our domestic resources, the United States is closer to becoming energy independent.
As a former United States Ambassador, I saw firsthand what strong ties with our allies and partners mean to an enhanced national security, free and fair trade, the protection of American interests
Maintaining our nation’s roads, bridges, railways, waterways, and runways is critical to economic prosperity and global competitiveness.
As a proud Army mom and the daughter of a Korean War veteran, I hold the men and women who serve in our great nation’s armed forces in the highest regard.
I have the distinct privilege of serving on the United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services, which oversees the nation’s financial industry including banking, insur
America has one of the most generous immigration systems in the entire world.
Protecting the unborn is one of my most precious duties as a member of Congress.
As a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, the individual right to own a gun is very important to me.
More Information
Services
Source: Government page
District
Source: Wikipedia
Missouri’s second congressional district is in the eastern portion of the state, primarily consisting of the suburbs south and west of St. Louis, including Arnold, Town and Country, Wildwood, Chesterfield, and Oakville.[3] The district includes all of Franklin County and portions of St. Louis, St. Charles, and Warren counties.[4] Following redistricting in 2010, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the district now included more Democratic-leaning voters than it had its 2001–2010 boundaries, but still leaned Republican as a whole.[5] The latest U.S. Census Electorate Profile for the 2nd congressional district estimates there are 581,131 citizens of voting age living in 293,984 households.[6] A primarily suburban district, MO-02 is the wealthiest of Missouri’s congressional districts.[3]
Its current representative is Republican Ann Wagner. Wagner faced Democrat Jill Schupp and Libertarian Martin Schulte in the 2020 general election.[7]
Wikipedia
Ann Louise Wagner (née Trousdale, September 13, 1962) is an American politician and former diplomat serving as the U.S. representative for Missouri’s 2nd congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, she was the United States ambassador to Luxembourg from 2005 to 2009.
Her district, based in St. Louis County, is heavily suburban and the state’s wealthiest. It includes most of St. Louis‘s southern and western suburbs as well as some of the northern exurbs in St. Charles County and the northern part of Jefferson County. Before her diplomatic post, Wagner chaired the Missouri Republican Party from 1999 until 2005; she co-chaired the Republican National Committee for four years, starting in 2001. She is generally regarded as being part of the moderate bloc of her party.[3][4][5]
Early life and education
Wagner was born and raised in St. Louis. Her parents owned two carpet stores where she worked growing up.[6] She attended Cor Jesu Academy, a private Catholic all-girls school in South County, and graduated from the University of Missouri in 1984 with a BSBA from the business school with an emphasis in logistics.[7][8] After college, she worked in the private sector and held management positions at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City and Ralston Purina in St. Louis.[9]
Career
1990s
Wagner entered Republican politics in 1990, heading the GOP’s efforts during the decennial redistricting of Missouri. In 1992, she was state director of President George H. W. Bush‘s unsuccessful reelection campaign.[10]
2000s
Missouri GOP
Wagner was elected to her first term of office as chair of the Missouri Republican Party in 1999, becoming the first woman to occupy the position.[11] Her most notable achievement in that role came during her second two-year term, when she oversaw the party’s taking majority control of both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly, winning the Senate in a 2001 special election and the House in the 2002 general election, the first time this had been seen in over 40 years. During her third term, the party held its majorities in both chambers and also took the governor’s seat for the first time in 12 years with Matt Blunt‘s election in 2004, giving the GOP complete control of state government for the first time since 1921. Her six years as chairperson witnessed George W. Bush carry Missouri in both of his presidential bids and also saw the Republican Party win a majority of the state’s congressional delegation.
National campaigning
In 2001, Wagner took office as a co-chair of the Republican National Committee and helped preside over the 2004 Republican National Convention. In this position, she took a strong role in directing the development of the Winning Women initiative, whose aim was to improve the GOP’s image with women and demonstrate the relevance of its platform to them. Her work with the committee took her to 48 states. In January 2005, she left her role as co-chair after one term.
In 2004, Wagner was a fundraising “ranger” for President George W. Bush.[6]
U.S. ambassadorship
On February 20, 2005, Wagner was elected to a fourth term as chair of the Missouri Republican Party. On May 16, Bush nominated her as United States ambassador to Luxembourg. On July 16, 2005, she was confirmed in the post by a voice vote in the United States Senate, after which Senator Jim Talent said she was “a considerate woman, whose character and abilities uniquely qualify her to represent our nation.”[12]
On August 1, she was sworn in as Ambassador by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the Harry S Truman Building.[13]
2010s
2010 U.S. Senate election
After returning from Luxembourg, Wagner served as chair of Roy Blunt‘s 2010 U.S. Senate campaign. Blunt defeated Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, 54%–41%.
2011 RNC chair election
On November 29, 2010, Wagner sent a video message to the committee members of the Republican National Committee announcing she was running for RNC chair.[14] The election was held in January 2011,[15] and Wagner conceded after the sixth round after receiving 17 votes.[16] Wisconsin Republican Party chair Reince Priebus won.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2012
Wagner announced her candidacy for Missouri’s 2nd congressional district after incumbent Representative Todd Akin announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate. Wagner was endorsed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, and the anti-abortion women’s group the Susan B. Anthony List. She won the four-way Republican primary—the de facto election given the lack of support for Democratic nominee Glenn Koenen[17]—with 66% of the vote.[18] In November, she won the general election by 23 points.[19]
Wagner is the third Republican woman elected to Congress from Missouri (after Jo Ann Emerson and Vicky Hartzler), and the second who was not elected as a stand-in for her husband (after Hartzler; Emerson was originally elected to finish out the term of her late husband, Bill Emerson).
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ann Wagner | 236,971 | 60.08 | |
| Democratic | Glenn Koenen | 146,272 | 37.08 | |
| Libertarian | Bill Slantz | 9,193 | 2.33 | |
| Constitution | Anatol Zorikova | 2,012 | 0.51 | |
| Total votes | 394,448 | 100.00 | ||
2014
In her first bid for reelection, Wagner ran unopposed in the Republican primary and easily won the general election, increasing her margin of victory from 2012.[20]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ann Wagner | 148,191 | 64.12 | |
| Democratic | Arthur Lieber | 75,384 | 32.62 | |
| Libertarian | Bill Slantz | 7,542 | 3.26 | |
| Total votes | 231,117 | 100.00 | ||
2016
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ann Wagner | 241,954 | 58.54 | |
| Democratic | Bill Otto | 155,689 | 37.67 | |
| Libertarian | Jim Higgins | 11,758 | 2.84 | |
| Green | David Justus Arnold | 3,895 | 0.94 | |
| Total votes | 413,296 | 100.00 | ||
2018
Wagner had a closer-than-expected race against Democratic attorney Cort VanOstran, but prevailed with 51.2% of the vote to VanOstran’s 47.2%. It was only the third time since 1986 that a Democrat had managed even 40% of the vote in this district.[22]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ann Wagner | 192,477 | 51.2 | |
| Democratic | Cort VanOstran | 177,611 | 47.2 | |
| Libertarian | Tony Kirk | 4,229 | 1.1 | |
| Green | David Arnold | 1,740 | 0.5 | |
| Independent | Ken Newhouse (write-in) | 9 | 0.0 | |
| Total votes | 376,066 | 100.00 | ||
2020
Wagner was considered potentially vulnerable due to the surprisingly close margin in 2018 and President Donald Trump‘s unpopularity in suburban areas. State senator Jill Schupp, whose state senate district covers much of the St. Louis County portion of the congressional district, won the Democratic nomination unopposed.
By the fall of 2020, The Cook Political Report listed the race as a toss-up.[23] Wagner defeated Schupp by just over six percentage points. At the same time, Trump carried the 2nd by only 115 votes, a marked turnabout from his 11-point win in 2016.[24] It was the closest that a Democratic presidential nominee had come to carrying the district since it lost its share of St. Louis after the 1980 census.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ann Wagner | 233,157 | 51.9 | |
| Democratic | Jill Schupp | 204,540 | 45.5 | |
| Libertarian | Martin Schulte | 11,647 | 2.6 | |
| Write-in | 4 | 0.0 | ||
| Total votes | 449,348 | 100.00 | ||
2022
Wagner was reelected in 2022, defeating Trish Gunby.[25]
Tenure
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In 2016, Wagner made headlines by withdrawing her endorsement for the GOP nominee for president, Donald Trump.[26] Wagner’s position on Trump changed several times since her initial endorsement in September; in October she withdrew her support and called on Trump to step down, but in November walked that statement back and voiced her intention to vote for Trump.[27][28][29]
On May 4, 2017, Wagner voted for the American Health Care Act, which would have repealed Obamacare.[30][31]
In December 2020, Wagner was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court attacking election procedures in four states, all won by Joe Biden, in the 2020 United States presidential election. Wagner did not join other congressional Republicans in objecting to the certification of the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count.[32]
On July 19, 2022, Wagner and 46 other Republican Representatives voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, which would codify the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.[33]
Legislation sponsored
The following is an incomplete list of legislation Wagner has sponsored:
- Retail Investor Protection Act (H.R. 2374; 113th Congress) – a bill that would delay the Department of Labor’s regulations on when a financial advisor must be considered a fiduciary.
- Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation Act of 2014 (H.R. 4225; 113th Congress) – a bill that would prohibit knowingly benefiting financially from, receiving anything of value from, or distributing advertising that offers a commercial sex act in a manner that violates federal criminal code prohibitions against sex trafficking of children or of any person by force, fraud, or coercion.[34] The bill would make it a felony to post prostitution ads online.[35] Wagner said that Congress was “taking steps towards ending what I would call modern-day slavery.”[35] She argued that her bill had been reviewed by the Justice Department in an attempt to ensure that it did not violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution‘s guarantee of the right to free speech,[35] that the House had not passed any legislation on human trafficking in 13 years, and that “our efforts to combat sex trafficking need to be updated to match the problem as it stands today.”[36]
- Retail Investor Protection Act (HR 1090; 114th Congress)—a revised version of legislation Wagner sponsored that would delay the DOL’s regulations regarding fiduciary advisors that passed the House on October 27, 2015, by a vote of 245–186.[37]
Committee assignments
For the 118th Congress:[38]
Caucus memberships
- Republican Study Committee[39]
- Congressional Constitution Caucus[40]
- Congressional Coalition on Adoption[41]
Personal life
Ann is married to Ray Wagner Jr., a former director of the Missouri Department of Revenue and the Illinois Department of Revenue. They live in Ballwin, a western suburb of St. Louis. They have three children.[42]
Ann’s mother-in-law was Loretto Wagner, a noted anti-abortion activist.[43]
Wagner is Roman Catholic.[44]
See also
References
- ^ “17 Jan 1999, Page 27 – St. Louis Post-Dispatch at”. Newspapers.com. 1999-01-17. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
- ^ “Eckelkamp Named Vice Chairman Of Missouri Republican Party”. The Missourian. 27 July 2005. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
- ^ Gerber, Cameron (2021-04-26). “Wagner on possible US Senate run: ‘We’re taking a look at it’“. The Missouri Times. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
- ^ “New book details tense call between Trump and moderate Republicans ahead of first impeachment”. NBC News. 2022-10-12. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
- ^ “Ann Wagner”. Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
- ^ a b Wagman, Jake (January 11, 2011). “Ann Wagner makes strong bid to head GOP”. STLtoday.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ “Missouri Congresswoman Ann Wagner”. wnep.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Ryan, Monica (29 September 2020). “Your ballot: Ann Wagner in the Missouri District 2 US congressional race”. FOX 2. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Desloge, Rick (April 3, 2005). “Ann Wagner has the winning touch”. www.bizjournals.com. St. Louis Business Journal. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Wagman, Jake (April 26, 2011). “Ann Wagner moves toward Congressional run”. STLtoday.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Beard, Sterling (17 June 2013). “Rep. Wagner seeks to strengthen female voice in Republican Party”. TheHill. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ “Wagner confirmed as ambassador to Luxembourg”. www.bizjournals.com. St. Louis Business Journal. June 17, 2005. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ “Wagner confirmed as ambassador to Luxembourg”. St. Louis Business Journal. June 17, 2005. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
- ^ Blake, Aaron (November 29, 2010). “Wagner launches bid for RNC chair”. Washington Post. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
- ^ “Maria Cino Officially Enters Race For RNC Chair – ABC News”. Blogs.abcnews.com. 2010-12-11. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
- ^ “Wagner out of the race to lead RNC | Elections live”. Stltoday.com. 2011-01-14. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
- ^ “In 2nd District, GOP has a 100-fold spending advantage | Metro | stltoday.com”. www.stltoday.com. 21 October 2012. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
- ^ “MO District 2 – R Primary Race – Aug 07, 2012”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
- ^ “MO District 2 Race – Nov 06, 2012”. Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
- ^ “Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District elections, 2014”. Ballotpedia. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ “Secretary of State: Elections”.
- ^ “Missouri Election Results: Second House District”. The New York Times. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Wasserman, David (October 8, 2020). “October House Overview: Democrats Poised to Expand Majority”. Cook Political Report.
- ^ Singer, Jeff (February 12, 2021). “This suburban St. Louis district hosted one of the closest presidential contests we’ve ever seen”. Daily Kos.
- ^ Schmid, Eric (November 8, 2022). “Ann Wagner wins reelection to U.S. Congress — along with Bush, Luetkemeyer, Graves, Smith”. NPR.
- ^ Glueck, Katie (October 8, 2016). “Republican women are done with Trump”. Politico. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
- ^ “Entire Missouri Republican Congressional Delegation and All Republican Statewide Nominees Officially Endorse Donald Trump for President”. SEMO Times. September 28, 2016. Archived from the original on 18 November 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
- ^ Raasch, Chuck (October 8, 2016). “Reps. Ann Wagner, Rodney Davis withdraw support, urge Trump to pull out of race”. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
- ^ Raasch, Chuck (November 3, 2016). “Ann Wagner, who last month withdrew Trump endorsement, now says she will vote for GOP nominee”. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
- ^ Aisch, Gregor (2017-05-04). “How Every Member Voted on the House Health Care Bill”. The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
- ^ “Ann Wagner Gleefully Cackles ‘Freedom!’ While Gutting Affordable Care Act”. Riverfront Times. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
- ^ Benchaabane, Nassim (January 4, 2021). “U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner breaks with other Missouri Republicans contesting election results”. STLtoday.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Schnell, Mychael (July 19, 2022). “These are the 47 House Republicans who voted for a bill protecting marriage equality”. The Hill. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ “H.R. 4225 – Summary”. United States Congress. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ^ a b c Zagier, Alan Scher (13 March 2014). “Wagner promotes bill to shut down online sex ads”. The Washington Times. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ^ “Not for Sale: The SAVE Act”. House Office of Ann Wagner. 2014-02-27. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ^ Ann, Wagner (2015-10-28). “Actions – H.R.1090 – 114th Congress (2015-2016): Retail Investor Protection Act”. www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
- ^ “Ann Wagner”. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
- ^ “Member List”. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ “Members”. Congressional Constitution Caucus. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ “Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute”.
- ^ Peterson, Deb (July 16, 2009). “Ann Wagner returns home after four years as U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg”. STLtoday.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ “Loretto Wagner, longtime St. Louis-area anti-abortion activist, dies.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- ^ Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress
External links
- Congresswoman Ann Wagner official U.S. House website
- Ann Wagner for Congress
- Ann Wagner at Curlie
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
| Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | |
|---|---|
| Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | |
| People | |
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| Other | |
Wikipedia
Ann Louise Wagner (née Trousdale, September 13, 1962) is an American politician and former diplomat serving as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 2nd congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, she was the United States ambassador to Luxembourg from 2005 to 2009.
Her district, based in St. Louis County, is heavily suburban and the state's wealthiest. It includes most of St. Louis's southern and western suburbs as well as some of the northern exurbs in St. Charles County and the northern part of Jefferson County. Before her diplomatic post, Wagner chaired the Missouri Republican Party from 1999 until 2005; she co-chaired the Republican National Committee for four years, starting in 2001. She is generally regarded as being part of the moderate bloc of her party.[3][4][5]
Early life and education
Wagner was born and raised in St. Louis. Her parents owned two carpet stores where she worked growing up.[6] She attended Cor Jesu Academy, a private Catholic all-girls school in South County, and graduated from the University of Missouri in 1984 with a BSBA from the business school with an emphasis in logistics.[7][8] After college, she worked in the private sector and held management positions at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City and Ralston Purina in St. Louis.[9]
Career
1990s
Wagner entered Republican politics in 1990, heading the GOP's efforts during the decennial redistricting of Missouri. In 1992, she was state director of President George H. W. Bush's unsuccessful reelection campaign.[10]
2000s
Missouri GOP
Wagner was elected to her first term of office as chair of the Missouri Republican Party in 1999, becoming the first woman to occupy the position.[11] Her most notable achievement in that role came during her second two-year term, when she oversaw the party's taking majority control of both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly, winning the Senate in a 2001 special election and the House in the 2002 general election, the first time this had been seen in over 40 years. During her third term, the party held its majorities in both chambers and also took the governor's seat for the first time in 12 years with Matt Blunt's election in 2004, giving the GOP complete control of state government for the first time since 1921. Her six years as chairperson witnessed George W. Bush carry Missouri in both of his presidential bids and also saw the Republican Party win a majority of the state's congressional delegation.
National campaigning
In 2001, Wagner took office as a co-chair of the Republican National Committee and helped preside over the 2004 Republican National Convention. In this position, she took a strong role in directing the development of the Winning Women initiative, whose aim was to improve the GOP's image with women and demonstrate the relevance of its platform to them. Her work with the committee took her to 48 states. In January 2005, she left her role as co-chair after one term.
In 2004, Wagner was a fundraising "ranger" for President George W. Bush.[6]
U.S. ambassadorship
On February 20, 2005, Wagner was elected to a fourth term as chair of the Missouri Republican Party. On May 16, Bush nominated her as United States ambassador to Luxembourg. On July 16, 2005, she was confirmed in the post by a voice vote in the United States Senate, after which Senator Jim Talent said she was "a considerate woman, whose character and abilities uniquely qualify her to represent our nation."[12]
On August 1, she was sworn in as Ambassador by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the Harry S Truman Building.[13]
2010s
2010 U.S. Senate election
After returning from Luxembourg, Wagner served as chair of Roy Blunt's 2010 U.S. Senate campaign. Blunt defeated Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, 54%–41%.
2011 RNC chair election
On November 29, 2010, Wagner sent a video message to the committee members of the Republican National Committee announcing she was running for RNC chair.[14] The election was held in January 2011,[15] and Wagner conceded after the sixth round after receiving 17 votes.[16] Wisconsin Republican Party chair Reince Priebus won.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2012
Wagner announced her candidacy for Missouri's 2nd congressional district after incumbent Representative Todd Akin announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate. Wagner was endorsed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, and the anti-abortion women's group the Susan B. Anthony List. She won the four-way Republican primary—the de facto election given the lack of support for Democratic nominee Glenn Koenen[17]—with 66% of the vote.[18] In November, she won the general election by 23 points.[19]
Wagner is the third Republican woman elected to Congress from Missouri (after Jo Ann Emerson and Vicky Hartzler), and the second who was not elected as a stand-in for her husband (after Hartzler; Emerson was originally elected to finish out the term of her late husband, Bill Emerson).
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ann Wagner | 236,971 | 60.08 | |
| Democratic | Glenn Koenen | 146,272 | 37.08 | |
| Libertarian | Bill Slantz | 9,193 | 2.33 | |
| Constitution | Anatol Zorikova | 2,012 | 0.51 | |
| Total votes | 394,448 | 100.00 | ||
2014
In her first bid for reelection, Wagner ran unopposed in the Republican primary and easily won the general election, increasing her margin of victory from 2012.[20]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ann Wagner | 148,191 | 64.12 | |
| Democratic | Arthur Lieber | 75,384 | 32.62 | |
| Libertarian | Bill Slantz | 7,542 | 3.26 | |
| Total votes | 231,117 | 100.00 | ||
2016
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ann Wagner | 241,954 | 58.54 | |
| Democratic | Bill Otto | 155,689 | 37.67 | |
| Libertarian | Jim Higgins | 11,758 | 2.84 | |
| Green | David Justus Arnold | 3,895 | 0.94 | |
| Total votes | 413,296 | 100.00 | ||
2018
Wagner had a closer-than-expected race against Democratic attorney Cort VanOstran, but prevailed with 51.2% of the vote to VanOstran's 47.2%. It was only the third time since 1986 that a Democrat had managed even 40% of the vote in this district.[22]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ann Wagner | 192,477 | 51.2 | |
| Democratic | Cort VanOstran | 177,611 | 47.2 | |
| Libertarian | Tony Kirk | 4,229 | 1.1 | |
| Green | David Arnold | 1,740 | 0.5 | |
| Independent | Ken Newhouse (write-in) | 9 | 0.0 | |
| Total votes | 376,066 | 100.00 | ||
2020
Wagner was considered potentially vulnerable due to the surprisingly close margin in 2018 and President Donald Trump's unpopularity in suburban areas. State senator Jill Schupp, whose state senate district covers much of the St. Louis County portion of the congressional district, won the Democratic nomination unopposed.
By the fall of 2020, The Cook Political Report listed the race as a toss-up.[23] Wagner defeated Schupp by just over six percentage points. At the same time, Trump carried the 2nd by only 115 votes, a marked turnabout from his 11-point win in 2016.[24] It was the closest that a Democratic presidential nominee had come to carrying the district since it lost its share of St. Louis after the 1980 census.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ann Wagner | 233,157 | 51.9 | |
| Democratic | Jill Schupp | 204,540 | 45.5 | |
| Libertarian | Martin Schulte | 11,647 | 2.6 | |
| Write-in | 4 | 0.0 | ||
| Total votes | 449,348 | 100.00 | ||
2022
Wagner was reelected in 2022, defeating Trish Gunby.[25]
Tenure
In 2016, Wagner made headlines by withdrawing her endorsement for the GOP nominee for president, Donald Trump.[26] Wagner's position on Trump changed several times since her initial endorsement in September; in October she withdrew her support and called on Trump to step down, but in November walked that statement back and voiced her intention to vote for Trump.[27][28][29]
On May 4, 2017, Wagner voted for the American Health Care Act, which would have repealed Obamacare.[30][31]
In December 2020, Wagner was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court attacking election procedures in four states, all won by Joe Biden, in the 2020 United States presidential election. Wagner did not join other congressional Republicans in objecting to the certification of the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count.[32]
On July 19, 2022, Wagner and 46 other Republican Representatives voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, which would codify the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.[33]
Legislation sponsored
The following is an incomplete list of legislation Wagner has sponsored:
- Retail Investor Protection Act (H.R. 2374; 113th Congress) – a bill that would delay the Department of Labor's regulations on when a financial advisor must be considered a fiduciary.
- Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation Act of 2014 (H.R. 4225; 113th Congress) – a bill that would prohibit knowingly benefiting financially from, receiving anything of value from, or distributing advertising that offers a commercial sex act in a manner that violates federal criminal code prohibitions against sex trafficking of children or of any person by force, fraud, or coercion.[34] The bill would make it a felony to post prostitution ads online.[35] Wagner said that Congress was "taking steps towards ending what I would call modern-day slavery."[35] She argued that her bill had been reviewed by the Justice Department in an attempt to ensure that it did not violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution's guarantee of the right to free speech,[35] that the House had not passed any legislation on human trafficking in 13 years, and that "our efforts to combat sex trafficking need to be updated to match the problem as it stands today."[36]
- Retail Investor Protection Act (HR 1090; 114th Congress)—a revised version of legislation Wagner sponsored that would delay the DOL's regulations regarding fiduciary advisors that passed the House on October 27, 2015, by a vote of 245–186.[37]
Committee assignments
For the 118th Congress:[38]
Caucus memberships
- Republican Study Committee[39]
- Congressional Constitution Caucus[40]
- Congressional Coalition on Adoption[41]
Personal life
Ann is married to Ray Wagner Jr., a former director of the Missouri Department of Revenue and the Illinois Department of Revenue. They live in Ballwin, a western suburb of St. Louis. They have three children.[42]
Ann's mother-in-law was Loretto Wagner, a noted anti-abortion activist.[43]
Wagner is Roman Catholic.[44]
See also
References
- ^ "17 Jan 1999, Page 27 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch at". Newspapers.com. 1999-01-17. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
- ^ "Eckelkamp Named Vice Chairman Of Missouri Republican Party". The Missourian. 27 July 2005. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
- ^ Gerber, Cameron (2021-04-26). "Wagner on possible US Senate run: 'We're taking a look at it'". The Missouri Times. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
- ^ "New book details tense call between Trump and moderate Republicans ahead of first impeachment". NBC News. 2022-10-12. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
- ^ "Ann Wagner". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
- ^ a b Wagman, Jake (January 11, 2011). "Ann Wagner makes strong bid to head GOP". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ "Missouri Congresswoman Ann Wagner". wnep.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Ryan, Monica (29 September 2020). "Your ballot: Ann Wagner in the Missouri District 2 US congressional race". FOX 2. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Desloge, Rick (April 3, 2005). "Ann Wagner has the winning touch". www.bizjournals.com. St. Louis Business Journal. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Wagman, Jake (April 26, 2011). "Ann Wagner moves toward Congressional run". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Beard, Sterling (17 June 2013). "Rep. Wagner seeks to strengthen female voice in Republican Party". TheHill. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ "Wagner confirmed as ambassador to Luxembourg". www.bizjournals.com. St. Louis Business Journal. June 17, 2005. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ "Wagner confirmed as ambassador to Luxembourg". St. Louis Business Journal. June 17, 2005. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
- ^ Blake, Aaron (November 29, 2010). "Wagner launches bid for RNC chair". Washington Post. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
- ^ "Maria Cino Officially Enters Race For RNC Chair - ABC News". Blogs.abcnews.com. 2010-12-11. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
- ^ "Wagner out of the race to lead RNC | Elections live". Stltoday.com. 2011-01-14. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
- ^ "In 2nd District, GOP has a 100-fold spending advantage | Metro | stltoday.com". www.stltoday.com. 21 October 2012. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
- ^ "MO District 2 - R Primary Race - Aug 07, 2012". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
- ^ "MO District 2 Race - Nov 06, 2012". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
- ^ "Missouri's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2014". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ "Secretary of State: Elections".
- ^ "Missouri Election Results: Second House District". The New York Times. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Wasserman, David (October 8, 2020). "October House Overview: Democrats Poised to Expand Majority". Cook Political Report.
- ^ Singer, Jeff (February 12, 2021). "This suburban St. Louis district hosted one of the closest presidential contests we've ever seen". Daily Kos.
- ^ Schmid, Eric (November 8, 2022). "Ann Wagner wins reelection to U.S. Congress — along with Bush, Luetkemeyer, Graves, Smith". NPR.
- ^ Glueck, Katie (October 8, 2016). "Republican women are done with Trump". Politico. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
- ^ "Entire Missouri Republican Congressional Delegation and All Republican Statewide Nominees Officially Endorse Donald Trump for President". SEMO Times. September 28, 2016. Archived from the original on 18 November 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
- ^ Raasch, Chuck (October 8, 2016). "Reps. Ann Wagner, Rodney Davis withdraw support, urge Trump to pull out of race". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
- ^ Raasch, Chuck (November 3, 2016). "Ann Wagner, who last month withdrew Trump endorsement, now says she will vote for GOP nominee". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
- ^ Aisch, Gregor (2017-05-04). "How Every Member Voted on the House Health Care Bill". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
- ^ "Ann Wagner Gleefully Cackles 'Freedom!' While Gutting Affordable Care Act". Riverfront Times. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
- ^ Benchaabane, Nassim (January 4, 2021). "U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner breaks with other Missouri Republicans contesting election results". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Schnell, Mychael (July 19, 2022). "These are the 47 House Republicans who voted for a bill protecting marriage equality". The Hill. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ "H.R. 4225 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ^ a b c Zagier, Alan Scher (13 March 2014). "Wagner promotes bill to shut down online sex ads". The Washington Times. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ^ "Not for Sale: The SAVE Act". House Office of Ann Wagner. 2014-02-27. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ^ Ann, Wagner (2015-10-28). "Actions - H.R.1090 - 114th Congress (2015-2016): Retail Investor Protection Act". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
- ^ "Ann Wagner". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
- ^ "Member List". Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ "Members". Congressional Constitution Caucus. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ "Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute".
- ^ Peterson, Deb (July 16, 2009). "Ann Wagner returns home after four years as U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ "Loretto Wagner, longtime St. Louis-area anti-abortion activist, dies." St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- ^ Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress
External links
- Congresswoman Ann Wagner official U.S. House website
- Ann Wagner for Congress
- Ann Wagner at Curlie
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
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