News-Leader endorses Harpool

KYTV's Children's Hour is a remnant of the past and today, the Springfield News-Leader suggested that the program's long-time host Aunt Norma Champion also be relegated to memory.
The newspaper endorsed Sen. Champion's challenger, former Rep. Doug Harpool, for 30th District State Senate:

Champion has been a loyal Republican senator who follows Gov. Matt Blunt's lead. She has stepped up for Springfield, such as this year when she helped defeat a pension bill that would have had devastating effects on the city's future revenue. But Champion has not become a leader in the Senate, not in the way we believe Harpool would. She doesn't have a handle on the issues like Harpool does. We were disappointed she refused to debate her opponent. "I didn't see any advantage to a debate for me," she told the News-Leader editorial board. The advantage should have been for voters to see and hear the candidates side by side.

If they had, we're sure that most would agree with us that while Champion is a wonderful person who has served her district well, Harpool is more qualified to represent the district in the Senate.