I received a letter from lifelong politician Dave Pagel, asking for my support in his run for State Senate to replace Senator John Proos in Southwest Michigan’s 21st District. In the letter, he states that he is a “true conservative.” The claim is almost laughable and put simply – it’s just not true.

Last week, conservative economic group Americans for Prosperity, rated Mr. Pagel as the most liberal Republican State Representative in the entire state of Michigan. Mr. Pagel has consistently voted against core conservative values.

In the last two years alone, he voted against reducing the income tax, voted against saving the school employee retirement system, and publicly stated he would neither support, nor vote for Donald Trump as the Republican nominee versus Hillary Clinton. Multiple Lansing news services have consistently rated him one of the most liberal representatives in the Michigan House, more liberal then even some Democrats!

I am tired of politicians who only claim to be conservative to win elections, but get to Lansing and vote like liberals. We in southwest Michigan have come to expect a certain caliber of leadership that Mr. Pagel falls well short of meeting.

Six years in Lansing has put him out of touch with our community and out of touch with our conservative values.

We cannot afford to send a liberal to Lansing as our next State Senator.

Dave Muellen

Benton Harbor