Hindsight is 20/20.  Unfortunately, we have to learn life's valuable lessons without the benefit of hindsight and only hope to learn from it.  I decided to seek the Republican nomination for State Representative this past primary season with a socially conservative, pro-working, middle-class agenda.  And while the Huntington County Republican Party was socially conservative, I think, the leadership did not want to hear about a pro-working, middle-class platform.  I assumed the Huntington County Republican Party would be open and accepting of a fresh new face to the party, a newcomer to town if you will.  I now know what happens when you assume.  While there was much acceptance for me by many members of the party, the party leadership took every opportunity, by actions and words, to let me know I was not welcome in their Republican Party.  They would have no part of debate on the important issues facing Huntington County, instead they chose personal attacks over debate on the issues.  The middle-class dies while the Republican Party sleeps.  So, where is a socially conservative, anti-special interest, pro-working, middle-class person to call home?

I approach Ken Zuk, Huntington County Democrat Chairperson, very much afraid of the "liberal " stigma attached to his national party.  Our conversation lead me to conclude that Mr. Zuk had a home for the old "Reagan Democrat" or "Blue Dog Democrat" in the Huntington County Democrat Party.  The social conservative, middle-class voter that left the Democrats for the Republican Party under President Ronald Reagan; the same ones going back to the Democrat Party because the Republican Party has become the party of special interest groups.  I cannot and will not reconcile my pro-life, social conservative values with the "liberal" wing of the party, but I will be a voice for the dying middle-class, a voice that the Huntington County Republican Party leadership tried to silence.  And I will now be that voice in the Huntington County Democrat Party.

5,193, the number of voters in the Democrat Primary in Huntington County and more votes cast than in the Republican primary.  While there may be many reasons for this; the fact remains those Democrat Primary voters will have no voice in who there State Representative, County Commissioner, County Council person or County Treasurer will be because there was no candidate in the Democrat Primary for those positions.  Positions that represent the government closest to the people.  Until now!

After much thought and consideration, and prodding, I have decided to give those 5,193 Democrat Primary voters and Huntington County voters in general a voice in who their who their next County Councilman will be.  There are many problems facing Huntington County:  one of the states highest unemployment rates, budget shortfalls, good paying factory jobs leaving the county, a tax and spend County Council, as labeled by a recent Herald-Press article, and  a one party system that has bought us to this crucial point in time.  I am a socially conservative, pro-middle class "Reagan Democrat" ready to be your voice on the county council.  I am asking for your vote for County Council.