ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Paul Berry, the Republican nominee for St. Louis County Executive, is hoping to ride a wave of momentum brought on by COVID and take the seat away from incumbent Sam Page.
Paul Berry, the great-nephew of Chuck Berry, is trying to become the first Republican St. Louis County Executive in almost 30 years.
Berry lost in 2018 against Steve Stenger but now says Page’s lack of leadership during COVID has opened the door for him.
“He has never signed the front of a paycheck,” Berry said. “He doesn’t understand the struggle of businessmen and he’s not making decisions based upon his own idea without a date.”
Berry, a small business owner, says Page is running around town acting like a COVID specialist without regard for the entire county.
Berry says his biggest concern is the economic crisis coming our way in the county because of COVID. He believes our future is eCommerce.
“We have rivers, we have rail, every highway that comes through here and we have an under-utilized airport,” Berry said. “Why aren’t we positioning ourselves today and during the whole term of COVID or Page’s term? He is not focused on economic development.”
Berry also doesn’t like the way civil unrest has been handled in the county.
“I’m the biggest advocate in making sure police reform happens but you don’t do it by defunding police, especially when you have a 19 percent increase in violent crime,” he said. “Instead of creating leadership and talking to protestors and law enforcement and figuring out a way we can move forward, he sits back and people protest and he says it’s not his job.”
Berry thinks he has a great shot of winning the election, referring to Cori Bush’s upset over Rep. Lacy Clay in the Democratic primary.
