Coverage dated September 2, 2026 to September 4, 2026

Missouri candidate charged with trying to plant drugs on opponent drops out

Headline from KSN Wichita, on the newest of 2 developments

The head of the Jasper County Republican Party traveled to the jail where Thomas Ross is being held to get the paperwork signed.

KSN Wichita's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Developments in this update

2 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. Missouri GOP House candidate accused of trying to plant drugs on opponent

    Headline from WFLA ·

  2. Newest

    Missouri candidate charged with trying to plant drugs on opponent drops out

    Headline from KSN Wichita ·

Reports & sources

38 articles, oldest first.

  1. Four States Home Page

    EXCLUSIVE: Candidate Thomas Ross accused of attempting to plant drugs on opponent (opens Four States Home Page)

    Published

    Four States Home Page's feed description

    Joplin political candidate Thomas Ross faced federal charges for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after allegedly asking his campaign manager to plant cocaine and Adderall on opponent Louise Secker.

  2. Phl17

    Missouri GOP House candidate accused of trying to plant drugs on opponent (opens Phl17)

    Published

    Phl17's feed description

    "If you can pull it off. .. pull it off."

  3. FOX 2 St. Louis

    Joplin candidate accused of trying to plant drugs on opponent (opens FOX 2 St. Louis)

    Published

    FOX 2 St. Louis's feed description

    Joplin political candidate Thomas Ross faced federal charges for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after allegedly asking his campaign manager to plant cocaine and Adderall on opponent Louise Secker.

  4. St. Louis Post-Dispatch

    Missouri House candidate charged in plot to plant drugs on Republican primary opponent (opens St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

    Published

    St. Louis Post-Dispatch's feed description

    A Republican legislative candidate in Joplin plotted to plant cocaine and Adderall on his primary opponent in an effort to derail her campaign, federal prosecutors allege.

  5. WCBD News 2

    Missouri candidate charged with trying to plant cocaine on his political rival (opens WCBD News 2)

    Published

    WCBD News 2's feed description

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A candidate for the Missouri House made an initial court appearance Thursday on a federal drug charge accusing him of trying to plant cocaine and Adderall on his Republican primary opponent. Thomas Ross, 37, is charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

  6. The Hill

    Missouri House candidate charged in alleged plot to plant cocaine on opponent (opens The Hill)

    Published

    The Hill's feed description

    A Republican candidate for the Missouri House is facing federal charges after prosecutors say he orchestrated a plot to plant drugs, including cocaine, on his primary opponent in the lead up to the August election.

  7. CBS News

    Missouri House candidate accused of conspiring to plant cocaine on opponent (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    Thomas Ross allegedly tried to get his campaign manager to plant cocaine and Adderall on his opponent, federal prosecutors in Missouri said.

  8. Washington Examiner

    Missouri House candidate plotted to stash cocaine in rival’s purse, FBI says (opens Washington Examiner)

    Published

    Washington Examiner's feed description

    A Republican candidate running for Missouri’s House is facing federal drug charges after he attempted to plant cocaine and Adderall on his primary opponent. Thomas Ross, 37, appeared in court on Thursday on one charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

  9. New York Post

    Missouri House candidate accused of trying to plant cocaine on primary opponent (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    The drug-planting plot would be an “extreme egg in the face” said Ross, according to the FBI document.

  10. Fox News

    GOP candidate gets busted trying to plant drugs on his political rival (opens Fox News)

    Published

    Fox News's feed description

    Thomas Ross allegedly conspired to plant cocaine and Adderall in his Republican rival's purse, but his campaign manager wore a wire for the FBI.

  11. NBC News

    Missouri candidate wanted campaign manager to plant cocaine in opponent’s car, authorities say (opens NBC News)

    Published

    NBC News's feed description

    A candidate for the Missouri state House is accused of trying to plant cocaine and Adderall on a political rival.

  12. The Guardian

    Missouri state legislative candidate accused of trying to plant cocaine on opponent (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    Republican candidate Thomas Ross and his former campaign manager devised a plan to stash drugs in their opponent Louise Secker’s purse or vehicle A Missouri House race has been rocked by the Wednesday arrest of Republican candidate Thomas Ross, whom prosecutors accuse of attempting to frame his prim…

  13. Newsweek

    Who Is Thomas Ross? Republican Charged With Trying To Plant Drugs On Opponent (opens Newsweek)

    Published

    Newsweek's feed description

    Missouri Republican Thomas Ross is accused of asking a campaign aide to plant cocaine on his primary opponent.

  14. BizPac Review

    GOP candidate arrested on wild charge of plotting to plant cocaine on primary challenger (opens BizPac Review)

    Published

    BizPac Review's feed description

    For too many, the quest for power drives political ambitions, but few candidates would go so far as to hatch a plan to plant drugs on an […]

  15. Above The Law

    Nominee Charged With Plotting To Plant Cocaine On His Primary Opponent (opens Above The Law)

    Published

    Above The Law's feed description

    20-year federal drug conspiracy charge, a campaign manager wearing a wire, and a ballot deadline that expires the day before the detention hearing.

  16. Breitbart News

    Missouri GOP State House Candidate Charged with Trying to Plant Cocaine and Adderall on Primary Opponent (opens Breitbart News)

    Published

    Breitbart News's feed description

    A candidate for the Missouri legislature has been charged with trying to plant cocaine on his Republican primary opponent.

  17. NOTUS

    Missouri Republican Accused of Trying to Plant Cocaine on His Primary Opponent (opens NOTUS)

    Published

    NOTUS's feed description

    Thomas Ross, 37, was charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

  18. ABC News

    State GOP candidate allegedly tried to plant drugs on primary opponent: Investigators (opens ABC News)

    Published

    ABC News's feed description

    A GOP candidate for a Missouri State House seat was hit with a federal charge after he allegedly tried to plant drugs on his primary opponent, federal prosecutors said.

  19. KSN Wichita

    Missouri candidate charged with trying to plant drugs on opponent drops out (opens KSN Wichita)

    Published

    KSN Wichita's feed description

    The head of the Jasper County Republican Party traveled to the jail where Thomas Ross is being held to get the paperwork signed.

  20. Townhall

  21. Conservative Review

    Republican arrested for allegedly telling campaign manager to PLANT DRUGS on primary opponent (opens Conservative Review)

    Published

    Conservative Review's feed description

    The Republican Party of Missouri is calling on a state candidate to step down after he was arrested for allegedly trying to plant drugs on an opponent. 37-year-old Thomas Christopher Ross was arrested on Wednesday on a federal charge of conspiring to distribute a controlled substance.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.