REPUBLICAN RANCHER FILES FOR CONGRESS

CABOOL -- Earl Durnell believes career politicians have failed to come up with solutions to the nation's pressing problems. As a result, he says, the country has been in a state of decline for the last few years.

To reverse that decline, Durnell believes it's time congressmen be replaced. So he will challenge U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson in the August Republican primary.

"If you go back the last 10 to 12 years or longer, and compare the profile of the nation at that time and the profile of the nation today, it is really something that concerns me," Durnell said Wednesday. "My concern for some time, and it has intensified in the last year, has been the profile of our nation as it pertains to the economy, education, the environment, and to the agriculture sector.

"I have voted for Bill Emerson; he has been my congressman. I have a high regard for Bill Emerson. But I feel the incumbents in office, both on the Democratic side and the Republican side, need to be challenged this time, especially the career politicians who have been on the scene the last 10 to 12 years. They have been a part of, or an accessory to, this decline."

Durnell, 56, who has a beef cattle ranch near Cabool, in the corner of Howell County on the western side of the 8th Congressional District, filed this week in Jefferson City. This is Durnell's first bid for public office and he is the first candidate to enter the 1992 congressional race from the 8th District.

Emerson, who is serving his sixth term, plans to seek re-election this year but has not yet filed. This marks the first time since Emerson was elected to Congress that he has been challenged in the primary.

The first time Emerson ran, in 1980, he easily defeated James Weir of Jefferson County in the primary.

Durnell is married and has six children ranging in ages from 12 to 35. He is a native of the Cabool area and has been active in school issues, in the Kiwanis Club, and in the Baptist church, where he teaches Sunday school.

Durnell said the nation is "in a crisis situation at the moment." He said the primary issue is the economy and jobs.

"The primary reason I am running is just my concern for our nation, especially over the next 10 to 12 years as we go into the 21st century," he said.

One issue Durnell said he is especially concerned about is trade imbalance. "You can't have industrialized nations of the world playing by two different rules," he said. "If we keep our markets open, we have to insist other countries keep their markets open."

But to really correct the trade imbalance on a long-term basis, Durnell contended the nation's educational system needs to be strengthened so people are better trained in the jobs they hold.

In dealing with the economy, Durnell said Congress and the president should avoid a "quick fix."

"The nation is crying out for a long-term plan to correct the situation, not some quick-fix plan that is short term like a tax cut. People are looking to Washington, to Bill Emerson, to President Bush for leadership; and at the moment, I don't see it there. Both parties are failing."

Durnell said there is an abundance of capable people in the country who could provide solutions to pressing problems, but the deck is stacked in favor of incumbents.

"A person like myself, or someone who has the ideas and solutions, their chance of winning is so remote, you have a lot of people who just don't run," said Durnell.

"Also, I think people are so disenchanted with our congressmen that they simply don't want to vote."

Durnell said limiting congressional tenure to 12 years would keep Congress healthy and close to the people, assuring a continuing influx of new ideas.

He said Emerson is part of the problem. "I feel he has been on the scene, and if he had the ideas and the solutions they should have surfaced by now. I feel I have some ideas and solutions that need to be aired and would be good for our country."

The challenger admitted he faces an uphill battle, and without a lot of campaign money he'll have to travel the district pushing his ideas and hoping people will identify with him.

"I know he's pretty popular as a congressman, but I believe if I have a way of reaching people they will be receptive to my ideas," said Durnell. "I feel like I have a chance. A lot depends on the way President Bush and Congress and the Republican side handles itself the next few weeks.

"This election this time is not cut and dried. There is a different concern and a different feel across the country right now."