Midwest Voices

Yael T. Abouhalkah

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Love him or hate him politically, former Missouri Governor and U.S. Senator John Ashcroft had a keen mind for how government works.

I always enjoyed talking to the longtime Republican when he visited The Star’s Editorial Board. He promoted the conservative issues with a well-informed zest.

So, yes, it’s disappointing to see Ashcroft go slumming and put out a last-minute endorsement of Vicky Hartzler for the 4th District congressional seat now held by Democrat Ike Skelton.

As Ashcroft undoubtedly knows, Hartzler doesn’t have the qualifications to be a great spokeswoman for the Republican Party, should she win on Tuesday.

Indeed, as I’ve heard now from not one but two local leading conservatives in the last two weeks, Hartzler doesn’t have much to say when asked about the issues. Instead, she relies on simple-minded talking points - cut taxes, cut waste, stop Obamacare - without knowing what she could actually do to improve America.

But those die-hard conservatives are just telling me what I already know, based on Hartzler’s disastrous appearance before the Editorial Board recently.

And yes, it’s now up to the voters of the 4th District, whether they want to retain the wily but tired-acting Skelton, or replace him with the unqualified Hartzler.

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