This is a copy of a letter that I wrote to be published in my local newspapers, only to find out that the newspapers have decide they are no longer going to print candidate letters.   The reason I was given is that the publishers think that not printing them will increase ad revenue as people who want to express their support will buy ads.  It has been sent to the Des Moines Register and the Sioux City Journal in hopes that they will publish it before the election.

I think this policy change will cause less information to be shared with voters.  People are going to think twice about spending money to run an ad for a candidate, and a lot fewer people will participate.  Issues will not be discussed and the differences between candidates will not be expressed. 

What are your thoughts on my local papers not publishing candidate letters? Do you think that letters to the editor are an effective way to communicate with voters?  Any other thoughts?

This is to introduce you to Mike Denklau, who is running to retire Steve King Rep. 5th District Iowa.

Mike has a web site at Denklau for Congress. It does a good job of laying out his view and who he is and what he believes in and wants to do to help Iowans in these trying times.

He also has an entry on Act Blue. Here is the address to his act blue page, http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/23238.

I will do my best to answer your questions in the comments, I have been volunteering for Mike for several months, and he is a young, energetic, intelligent, man who I believe will do a very good job of representing Western Iowa.