Billy Long Continues to Separate Himself From Roy Blunt In CD7 Race

The Springfield Business Journal published an interview with Seventh Congressional District candidate Billy Long today in which Long continues to differentiate himself from Roy Blunt’s record (1) as a career politician and (2) prolific earmarker.From that interview:

[Q:] Why did you decide to enter politics as a Republican candidate for Roy Blunt's U.S. House seat?

[A:] ...The reason I wanted to run [for Congress in 1996] is the same reason I'm running now. The system was set up to send community leaders and businesspeople to D.C. to do the business of the country, stay a few years and come home. Right now, more than half of our congressmen have spent more than half of their adult lives in one political office or another, and it's just not working...

[Q:] As a political candidate, you signed the FreedomWorks Earmarks Pledge, which works to combat wasteful earmarks. Why?

[A:] Earmarks, to me have gotten totally out of hand....

Blunt, age 59, was first elected in 1972 as the Greene County clerk, and served in that office for the next 12 years. He was then elected to be Secretary of State in 1984, and served in that office through 1992. He’s been in Congress since 1997.