JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Republican Party today called on Kay Barnes and the Democrat Party to repudiate Congressman Pete Stark’s deplorable comments about our armed forces.

"Pete Stark’s insensitive and disrespectful comments about our commander and chief and our military are an outrage and an embarrassment," said Paul Sloca, communications director for the Missouri Republican Party. "Democrat Party leadership needs to stop grandstanding for their narrow, liberal base and make clear that this kind of attack is unacceptable."

During a recent speech on the House floor, Stark, a Democrat from California, said American soldiers were being sent “to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the president’s amusement.”

Throughout Barnes’ campaign, she has been heavily dependent on campaign contributions funneled to her by Democrat groups, such as the National Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee and ActBlue, a fundraising network for liberal Democrat activists. 

"Kay Barnes should immediately denounce Pete Stark’s comments and make clear to her liberal Democrat donors that insulting our troops’ sacrifices is simply appalling," Sloca said. "Kay Barnes, a neophyte to Missouri’s 6th District, should know that Stark’s behavior is out-of-step with Northwest Missouri’s strong tradition of supporting our men and women in uniform.”