ST. LOUIS—With a little more than two weeks left to file for the August 6 primary, the race for the third congressional district seat now held by the retiring Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer is growing. State Rep. Justin Hicks, R-Lake St. Louis announced his candidacy Monday morning.

Hicks is in his first term in the General Assembly after being elected in 2022. He’s an Army veteran who also was an assistant attorney general for the State of Missouri.

Seven candidates have already filed to run in the GOP primary for the seat, including former State Sen. Bob Onder, also from the Lake St. Louis area, State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold and former State Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia. Former Boone County Clerk Taylor Burks announced for the race but suspended his campaign after Schaefer filed. The district stretches from Cooper County through south central Missouri and into parts of St. Charles County and Jefferson County in the St. Louis region.

Bethany Mann, who ran against Luetkemeyer in the 2022 general election and Andrew Daly, who ran unsuccessfully in the 2022 primary are the Democrats who have filed so far.

The filing deadline is March 26.