A political scandal has emerged in Missouri following the arrest of Thomas Ross, a Republican candidate for the statehouse in Joplin. He has been charged by federal authorities in a plot to plant drugs, specifically cocaine, on his primary opponent. The allegations have prompted strong reactions within the Missouri GOP, with party officials, including chair Peter Kinder, urging Ross to withdraw from the race. Multiple sources report that the Jasper County Republican Central Committee has also called for his resignation from the state representative campaign amidst the serious accusations.