Democrats Dennis Oglesby and Megan Rezabek are running for U.S. Congress in the Aug. 4 primary election to represent Missouri's 3rd Congressional District.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face the winner of the Republican primary between five candidates, as well as Libertarian Leonard Steinman, who is running unopposed in the primary, in the November general election.
Dennis Oglesby has lived in the district for about 20 years and currently lives in Warrenton. He has had a career in the print and promotional products industry for 16 years, starting as a union laborer and working his way up to upper management.
"I believe our government should be run like a not-for-profit business," he said. "It needs to be sensible, we need to have a strong budget and we need to ensure that we're providing for the welfare of our citizens."
Oglesby is chair of the Warren County Democrats. As a volunteer and community activist, he said, he decided to run for Congress to represent the working class.
"I understand what their struggles are and understand what their needs are, and I actually have heart and compassion, and I truly represent the people I want to serve," he said.
Oglesby said his friends and family frequently tell him their voices are not being heard, and the people who represent them in Washington, D.C., don't understand their struggles.
"I thought the only way for us to have representation for the working class, somebody who experiences what they've been through, is for someone to step up and run."
Oglesby sent a survey to constituents at the beginning of his campaign, and the overwhelming response was that health care needs to be improved, he said.
"Health care costs continue to rise, and our incomes are not rising to keep pace," he said. "I would work hard for a health care-for-all system that is phased and supported and will ensure that costs will reduce overall. Simultaneously, I will fight for wages that people can truly live off of."
Oglesby also said he wants to boost infrastructures, expand broadband internet access for rural citizens and add more hospitals to the district.
"We need to protect our world for the generations in the future," he said.
The News Tribune attempted to reach Megan Rezabek but did not receive a response.