From The Missouri Record:

Why did you decide to run for State Representative?

I always had a very serious interest in political affairs and public service.  While I was overseas I saw the direct consequences of policy decisions and saw the outcome of politics.  For instance, [there were] missions where we should have had helicopters but the helicopters were in Iraq.  The decision of whether to go to Iraq was in some ways politically driven and definitely affected my mission in Afghanistan.  I came home and looked at a similar process at the state level on health care, education and environmental policy.  And so I decided to become a part of the solution.

I am interested in how one concludes that he alone is the best person to serve in the State House.  How did you come to that conclusion?

I don’t know.  Good question.  I suppose just like anyone else who applies for a job, especially if you know the other applicant.  At some point it comes down to confidence in your abilities and I felt confident that my background and my philosophy fit the district.

Tell me about that background.

I suppose that the greatest influence on me in terms of my professional background and my political philosophy is probably my time in the military.  It is a defining experience in a lot of ways.  I tend to be someone who takes very seriously the idea of carrying through on promises.  If you ask anybody on my staff, I am sure that they’d say I am fair but at the same time people understand that if they tell me they are going to do something I expect them to do it.

For instance, one of the big motivating factors from a policy perspective for me was the state Medicaid cuts in 2005.  I view that in many ways the same as a lot of Democrats: I believe in the idea of extending health care to people who are working and aren’t making enough to provide it for themselves.  I believe in trying to help them reach their potential.  As a military person I feel like we made a promise to those people that if they worked and they had a job and they were trying to do the right thing that we would give them some support.  I feel like [the previous legislature] broke that promise.

Describe your political philosophy.

I’m not sure.  I’m not real good with labels.  I see myself as progressive but I don’t see myself as extreme.

Does anyone ever see themselves as extreme?

I’ve seen some people in the State House who will definitely say, “Yeah, I’m pretty far out there,” and they are proud of it.  I am center-left and then the question is how far off the center am I?  I don’t really feel like I am very far off the center at all.  But you make a good point.  Who ever really knows?

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