News
Editorial: We recommend Mark Mantovani for St. Louis County executive
October 22nd, 2022
Something isn’t right in St. Louis County government, and it hasn’t been right for quite some time — even before the pandemic threw local politics into turmoil. Hopes were high that the demise of corrupt former County Executive Steve Stenger would fix the dysfunction, but the backroom wheeling and dealing, coupled with front-room sniping and snarling, has only helped perpetuate the divisiveness. Democratic County Executive Sam Page, for all his claims to have been a victim of a crazy pandemic political culture, has been a major contributor to the dysfunction he says he’s trying to end.
It’s time for new leadership — and that’s a big ask of St. Louis County voters after three uninterrupted decades of Democratic rule in the county executive’s office.
Voters on Nov. 8 will see a familiar name on the ballot: Mark Mantovani. He narrowly lost to Stenger in the 2018 race for the Democratic nomination but now is running as a moderate — repeat, moderate — Republican. Mantovani oozes reasonableness. His plain-speaking, calm, pragmatic approach to issues is exactly what the county needs to restore confidence and put a stop to the ridiculous bickering between the incumbent administration and the County Council. We recommend Mantovani for St. Louis County executive.