As someone who attended the 8th Congressional District debate, I was disappointed by Tommy Sowers. Remarkably, for someone who campaigns on his military background, he again refused to take a stand on the war on terror. When asked directly, he disagreed with Obama's Afghan policy, but did not offer alternatives. As an Iraq war veteran myself, I find it amazing he is unable to answer these questions. He was also wobbly on other issues: for and against Obamacare, unwilling to say who would get his vote for speaker of the House, vague on the expiring Bush tax cuts and allegedly pro-life but for the abortion funding allowed in Obama's health care law. I really don't think Sowers' donors from the west and east coasts believe he is a conservative Democrat; certainly voters in the 8th District will realize this, too. Our congresswoman, Jo Ann Emerson, is the only candidate in this race with the real conservative values and experience necessary to stand up to President Obama and his fellow liberals.

WAYNE BOWEN, 2577 Cobblestone Court, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701