Republican launches bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Cori Bush

ST. LOUIS -- A St. Louis businessman who has twice ran unsuccessfully for mayor is now a candidate for Congress.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Republican Andrew Jones announced Tuesday he will seek the 1st District seat occupied by first-term Democrat Cori Bush.

Jones is vice president of business development and marketing for Southwestern Electric Cooperative. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2017 and earlier this year.

Jones said in a news release families "are struggling under the weight of inflation and out of control prices." He also cited concerns about crime and "a chronic underperforming education system."

If Jones wins the August primary, he'll face long odds in November 2022 -- the district includes St. Louis and parts of St. Louis County is overwhelmingly Democratic.

One Democrat, Earl Childress, has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission indicating he'll challenge Bush. Childress, on his website, says he is a pastor and economic rights leader who is running as a moderate.