Keith Richardson, Republican Candidate for Congress
5th Congressional District
Announcement Text – As Delivered
For Immediate Release: 02.04.08

“For a long time now I’ve been concerned about the future of our Country – as a husband, as a dad, as a new granddad, as a pastor – and even for many years before that as a courtroom lawyer – helping ordinary people defend themselves against lawsuit abuse. In all this time, I’ve watched America’s culture drift far away from solid traditions and values that made us great.

And in all my adult life, I’ve been speaking out on the issues and causes that really demand a principled response – something deeper than a made for TV sound bite.

Here’s what I mean.

I believe that from time to time we’re all called upon to make a choice – we either run the other way when duty calls – or we run toward the challenge with an unshakable sense of purpose and responsibility.

When a president commits troops to defend liberty and human dignity – we don’t have the luxury of keeping our flags and our opinions to ourselves. It’s our duty to rally on the side of courage-filled, young men and women wherever they’re called to serve.

When Congress raises taxes to levels that make it almost impossible for families and businesses to balance a checkbook – when they put the burden of debt for new and expanded government programs on future generations – we, the parents and grandparents of this generation – have the moral responsibility to speak up, and call our leaders to account.

When government grows every year without thought to whether billion dollar spending sprees solve problems or make them worse, common sense and conscience calls each of us to respond – to make our voices heard.

And when the real foundations of our communities – marriage, family and respect for life itself – become open to someone’s social experiment – erasing the legal definition of marriage as the “union of one man and one woman,” or failing to provide legal protection to unborn children – there’s simply no way we can pass on the responsibility to be the voice for commonsense and decency.

There is a time to speak out, and there is a time to act.

There is a time when people leave what’s comfortable and familiar and safe, and charge into an arena where braver men and women have failed – because we just don’t have a choice. Duty calls, and it’s wrong to turn a deaf ear.

So after a great deal of soul searching, the support of my incredible wife and kids, and the blessing of our church family, I’ve decided to run for the House of Representatives for the 5th Congressional District.

You see it’s just not enough to shine the spotlight on the problems. We need to set about the hard work of actually fixing them. I don’t believe that any one man, acting alone, can change the way Washington does business, or clean up the mess that’s been left to us. But I believe that if we band together, and work together, and raise our voices together, we can once again have a government of statesmen – people focused on the country our kids and grandkids will inherit years from now – far beyond the next election.

That’s why I’m running for Congress.

Now I believe that public service is a temporary trust – it should never be a career choice or a way of life. If I’m fortunate enough to be elected to Congress, I plan to come back to my life’s work outside the Capitol – you won’t find me trolling the halls as a lobbyist or spokesman for any special interest group.

Look, I can’t think of a more unsettling thought than leaving everything I know and love to go to Washington. I’ve never held political ambitions. Never.

But I’m not ready to face my kids down at some point down the road and say to them, “I knew that my life’s work and experience equipped me to serve – I saw the need and knew how to help – but when the day came to stand up – I sat down. I gave up.

A generation of veteran heroes – people like my dad – they didn’t give up. Neither can we. That’s why I’m in this race.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be talking more specifically about real solutions to our very real problems. And I’ll be listening, too, on my website, and at kitchen tables all over this beautiful, rural Pennsylvania district.

I think it was President Reagan who said, “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” So that’s where my campaign begins. And I can’t think of a better place to get to work fixing some of America’s toughest problems.

I’m Keith Richardson, and I’m looking forward to meeting you before April 22.”

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