Friday evening, I enjoyed meeting new friends and supporters at the home of Dan and Debbie Brownlee. A good-sized gathering braved a virtual whiteout to sit down and talk politics for a couple of hours. And our generous hosts put out quite a spread. Thank you, Dan and Debbie, for your hospitality, for your support, and for your generous contribution to the campaign.

As is customary for Table Talks, I took a few minutes to introduce myself and explain why I am seeking this office. Then it was time for questions and answers. One of the most poignant questions was somewhat personal, but extremely relevant, and so I thought I would share it with you, along with my response.

Debbie M. (not our host) asked me, “When in your life have you had to play the part of the ‘loyal opposition’?” If you have never heard that phrase, it is a way of asking, “When have you ever had to take a stand, even against your own friends or your own party?”

Now, THAT is a great question!

Before I give you my response, let me tell you why I think that question is so pertinent.

It’s easy to appear conservative compared to Nancy Pelosi or Hillary Clinton. It’s easy to stand your ground against earmarking or pork-barrel spending so long as it’s the other party doing it and your party is united against them. But what happens when the Speaker of the House or the President is from your own party? How do you stand against what your own party leadership favors and even participates in?

The only way to do that is to put principle above politics. One must be able to say, “I promised the people who sent me here I would not vote for bigger government and higher taxes, and I intend to keep that promise even if I stand alone.”

This is why, when choosing a Representative, character is so important. This is why I have limited my service to three terms, so that I will never have to be concerned about going along to get along, pleasing higher-ups in the party in order to get more advantageous appointments to more prestigious posts, etc. And this is why I have planned to be a citizen legislator, returning to my life’s work when those terms are done instead of trolling the halls of power as a lobbyist.

Alright, now for my answer. First, you should know that in my law school experience, I found myself often in a minority of one. I seemed to always be the one called upon to defend the conservative viewpoint, even against those who were my classmates and friends.

Then, too, I believe my experience as a pastor has equipped me well for the role of the “loyal opposition.” I have had to take principled stands and to lead churches to share a vision for doing things differently than they had been done in the past. That has often meant leading parishioners, people whom I loved, out of what was safe and familiar. That’s always uncomfortable. And it’s never easy.

But ease is not the issue, is it? A politician asks, “What is the easiest route?” A statesman asks, “What is the right thing?”