Q&A with Jeff Wisdom, Republican candidate for Congress

Q:  As a brand new Congressman, how do you plan to make southwest Missouri’s voice heard in a body of 435 people?
A: A freshman member of Congress is only going to have so much power and so much of a voice. To be very vocal, you have to build on the experiences that have defined you as a person. Myself - I'm a veteran. There are lots of veterans in this district. So I can be an advocate for them. I'm also an economist. I know what we need to do to create jobs and fix the economy. So I'm hoping that my colleagues in Congress will look to me for ideas as we move forward in building policy for the future.

Q: What’s the most important issue facing the Ozarks and the nation?  How do you intend to address it as a Congressman?
A: The most important issue facing the entire country - not just southwest Missouri - is how to stimulate the economy. The approach that the current administration has taken has not worked. We're still seeing an unemployment rate right at the 10 percent mark. We're starting to see some growth in gross domestic product, but I believe that's going to be short-term. What we have to do is a lay a foundation where the private sector can create long-term propersity for job growth. The government can only create jobs for a short period of time for stimulus projects and then those jobs go away.

Q: How do you plan to cut through the bitterness and rancor of Capitol Hill so it’s not more of the same old debate?
A: Americans don't want gridlock. They want Democrats and Republicans to work together. I will be a member of Congress that can work with the other side. I will never compromise my conservative principles and values. I look to Reagan as an example. Reagan, as presdient, governed as a conservative president - a Republican president. He got his agenda passed through a very liberal, Democratic Congress. He worked hand-in-hand with Tip O'Neil to work in the best interests of the country. I want to be that type of Congressman in Washington, D.C.

Q: What makes you the right person for this job?
A: I'm real. I'm not all about the money. I'm not a career politician. I have vast experience in the economy. I'm a veteran. I can be an advocate for military families, veterans issues. I also believe in the system. I want to make it work. I want to do the right thing for America. I feel I can be a very strong advocate for southwest Missouri if given the opportunity.

Learn more about Jeff Wisdom's campaign at his website.