	Schnelting has prior experience as a legislative assistant in the Missouri House of Representatives. In 2016, he ran in the Republican primary for the 65th house district, though lost to Tom Hannegan. Republican incumbent Kathie Conway was term-limited in 2018 from serving again in the 104th district. Schnelting ran unopposed in the August 2018 primary, then defeated Democrat Peggy Sherwin in the November general election.