Editorial Endorsements
Charles Karam For Congress
Democrats have a golden opportunity to select a strong candidate on August 8th to be their standard bearer against incumbent Congressman Todd Akin in the Fall. Charles Karam is an engaging, well qualified individual with a great family. But it is his strong stands on vital issues that set him apart from the incumbent.
Charles Karam (pronounced Care-um) is willing to stand up to the big money special interests, the high priced Washington lobbyists, big oil and big drug companies. He’s fighting for the issues of greatest importance to the working families and Seniors: the high price of gasoline squeezing the middle class, the need to stop illegal immigration, providing affordable health insurance and lower prescription costs and holding companies that stole billions of our tax dollars in Iraq responsible for war profiteering.
Charles main opponent in the Democratic Primary, Richard Lesh, is a Lindenwood University professor, who has had several business failures and whose wife is running for a State Representative seat at the same time. Lesh seems too far to the left to be a viable Democratic candidate. Karam is more moderate and has the strong support of organized labor.
Todd Akin has been the poster child of the Bush/Cheney Administration, being nothing more than a rubber stamp for the President. He’s voted against efforts to stop big oil from price gouging and against Americans being able to order cheaper prescription medications from Canada, even when those medicines were made in the United States to begin with. Akin is also clearly out-of-step with 2nd District voters on the issue of stem cell research and the tremendous promise of medical breakthroughs from continued scientific research.
People seem ready for a change in Washington. Charles Karam is the best choice of Democrats to carry that message and banner in November. The First Capitol News is proud to give Charles Karam our editorial endorsement.
Joe Koester For State Representative – 18th District
Joe Koester is the son of the late Sheriff Robert Koester, a man that served the people of St. Charles County for many years with honor and distinction. But Joe Koester is also a proven leader and thinker in his own right.
Joe Koester decided to run because of the special favors he saw the incumbent granting developers to the detriment of City taxpayers. The First Capitol News has since uncovered millions of dollars of special interest money being funneled through a local gentleman who works for Tom Dempsey. Joe Koester is committed to ending the influence of special interest money in Jefferson City.
Koester, a public school teacher, will also be a better advocate for the St. Charles School District which has suffered severe cutbacks and school closings despite Representative Dempsey holding a powerful Republican leadership position in Jefferson City.
Joe Koester also supports giving Seniors real tax relief and freezing reassessments for those over age 65. In the 18th District, Joe Koester is the best choice for a new direction and breath of fresh air in the State Capitol. The First Capitol news is proud to give our endorsement to Joe Koester for State Representative.
