Meet Cam McCarty

CAMPAIGN FOCUS

Authenticity - I won’t tell you what you want to hear. I’ll tell you what’s real — and I’ll own every decision I make.

Competence - I’ve worked in complex, high-pressure environments where failure wasn’t an option. St. Louis needs competent leadership who can make things happen, and hold everyone accountable. I’ll bring that same energy to the 8th Ward and the city of St. Louis.

Objectivity - No party bosses. No special interests. Just a commitment to the people who live, work, own businesses, and create art in this ward.

I live in Benton Park. I walk these streets, talk to our neighbors, and deal with the same broken systems you do. I’m not here to make speeches and look good in the news. I'm not pretty enough. I’m here to make a difference. I look at the other candidates' websites and all I see is fluff and buzzwords. They are all parroting the same things and they don't show any personality.

I'm not here for the Hollywood performance. I love this city and I care for it deeply. I am honored to be a civil servant for it. I'm your most relatable candidate and it will stay that way.

CAM'S BACKGROUND

I moved to St. Louis in 2017 when I moved into a spare bedroom in my buddy's apartment in Lafayette Square. I fell in love with everything the neighborhood had to offer. Soulard was a short walk away, and with so much to do we spent a lot of time there. It didn't take long for me to discover all the beautiful homes in Benton Park, so when I was looking to buy a house it only seemed natural to move here. I didn't want to be far from all the beautiful and lively action that our city provides.

The culture of this ward alone is enough to make anyone fall in love with St. Louis. I still run in Lafayette Square Park and eat at the best restaurants in the city. I frequent local Benton Park, Soulard, and Cherokee St. establishments, and of course all the sports stadiums Downtown weekly. I've built a life here. I've invested myself into the fabric of the community.

I've been a Wireless Network Consultant for 10+ years, managing wireless network infrastructure, cybersecurity, and critical communications systems. I am a natural problem solver. My career requires constant investigation to find the source of problems and then manufacture solutions for those problems. I juggle managing my own projects which includes logistics, scheduling, and planning. I write detailed standard operating procedures for specific tasks and work directly with local contractor teams to implement solutions. I literally get paid to analyze complex systems and procedures in order to make them better. The principle is all the same and directly transferable to city hall.

I've spent the last 4 years as the St. Louis City Libertarian Party Committeeman for Ward 8. I am very familiar with how the city functions — and how it doesn't.

I’m not a politician. I’m a technician. A tactician. I analyze systematically. I'm someone who actually shows up. I’ve led multimillion-dollar communications projects for hospitals right here in St. Louis. Now I want to bring that same mindset to City Hall: fix what’s broken, protect what works, and stop wasting people’s time and money. I’ve spent my entire career solving technical problems. That's what you'll get from me as Alderman for Ward 8. I'm authentic. I'm accountable. I'm fully transparent. I believe in financial responsibility, and social acceptance.

CAM'S MILITARY BACKGROUND

Having been in the Missouri Air National Guard for 17 years, I hold a Top Secret/SCI security clearance. I have loaded 2,000 pound bombs on the B2 bomber. I have participated in State Emergency Duty to facilitate the COVID-19 mass vaccination while working directly with FEMA and SEMA authorities, and trained for mass casualty events & flood duty. I have done two 6-month tours in support of the European Deterrence Initiative, where I was handpicked to be a member of a CSUAS task force. We built a system that could detect, identify, monitor, and take down small unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) to protect priority one assets on NATO installations, which got our team a nomination for the General Larry O. Spencer Innovation Award. During my second tour I was a Spectrum Manager for the USAFE and AFAFRICA theatres based at Ramstein Airbase where I approved and denied all requests for anything emitting electromagnetic frequencies, and worked directly with host countries to get radio frequency transmitting equipment to be used under their regulations. I also participated in "Cycle4STEM" where we raised over $20,000 to be awarded as scholarships to high school students focused on studying in STEM careers and to supply the high school with funding for their robotics class. I am currently an additional duty First Sergeant for my unit where I handle personnel issues, provide support to Airmen and their families, and help Airmen navigate various challenges while focusing on the well-being, readiness, and morale of our troops. I am a member of Enlisted Association National Guard U.S. and the Missouri National Guard Association.

Disclaimer: Neither the military information or photographs provided imply endorsement by the Department of Defense or the United States Air Force.

Trust. Teamwork. Innovation. Community. Collaboration. Leadership.

And most importantly...

Competence.

The truth is, I'm just a regular dude no different than anyone else who lives here. I love everything local to this city. I barbecue my pork steaks in Maul's. I put Red Hot Riplets seasoning on almost everything I eat. I patron all of these local businesses multiple times a week. I love to wake up to the smell of Anheuser Busch brewing beer every couple of weeks. I love all St. Louis sports.

I've traveled all over the states — throw a dart at the map and I've probably been there. I'll be the first to tell you there is nowhere else like this city. I will fight till my last breath to preserve the history and culture of it.

I am the guy who can get that done. My simple ask of you is to put your trust in something new. Something that breaks down the barriers of the typical landslide of BS politics this city has had to endure for decades. Put your trust in a wildcard. The worst that could happen is I shake things up at City Hall. After all, whatever they've been doing hasn't been working anyway. I am the GOLD standard candidate for this city — for this ward. So make a bold statement. Give me your trust and I will give you your city back.