JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A Ballwin Alderman and former legislative assistant to Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Talent is announcing his intentions to run for the 98th district in the House of Representatives in Missouri.
Shamed Dogan (pronounced, SHA-med) was previously a candidate for a House seat during 2008 and came second in a three-way primary. He tells The Missouri Times that his experience since losing during 2008, like getting elected to the position of Alderman, has given him more experience in the public arena and will propel him to a win.
Dogan is pro-life, which he says was “a major factor,” in becoming a Republican, favors lower taxes and supports smaller government, not unlike many of his colleges. Dogan is an adamant supporter of Second Amendment rights, dating back to his teenage years.
“So, my high school actually had a riflery team,” Dogan says. “I wasn’t very good at basketball, but we had a range and everything in the basement. So I joined up and always did pretty well. Obviously I’m a supporter of our second amendment rights.”
A Yale graduate in Political Science and Philosophy, Dogan spent time in the office of Sen. Jim Talent as a legislative assistant on immigration, Second Amendment issues, transportation and more.
Dogan will be running against at least one other challenger. Rea Scharnhorst, wife of current 98th District Rep. Dwight Scharnhorst, has already declared her intentions to run for her seat when he husband leaves during 2014 to run for the Senate. Rea Scharnhorst is currently on Dwight’s staff, but Dogan doesn’t see her position as an advantage.
“I know a lot of constituents in this area that aren’t comfortable with the idea that she is just going to try to take this seat over when her husband leaves,” Dogan says. “Voters around here don’t like the idea of something like this just being passed off like a family heirloom or something.”
Dogan says his past loss and his uphill battle against Dwight and Rea Scharnhorst are not going to stop him from winning the seat.
“Missouri politics is sort of funny in that almost everyone who is successful right now lost a few times along the way,” Dogan says. “I think losing is a moment that can be educational, and I’ve learned from that, and I can win this and I will.”
Collin Reischman was the Managing Editor for The Missouri Times, and a graduate of Webster University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
