I promised G.T. my faithful prayer support in the months ahead, and especially if he should win the general election in November to become our next Congressman. I have learned in a new way the importance of the Biblical admonition to pray for those in authority. I hope you will join me in praying for his well-being, for his family, for sound judgment, and for God to be glorified through his service.

I have truly mixed emotions tonight. On a personal level, I am satisfied that I ran the best race I could run with the resources available to me. I did not compromise. I was true to the Lord I serve, true to my principles, true to my promises. I ran cleanly. I ran well. I have no personal regrets. None.

But having no personal regrets is not the same as having no regrets at all. You invested so much in this race. You gave your time, your energy, your money, your prayers. You gave me true friendship. You gave more than I could ever have imagined. I asked for more than I thought I had any right to ask, and yet you gave even more than I asked.

And so while I have no personal regrets, I do feel some sense of disappointment—for you. I think you deserved a win. And I wish that I could have delivered one—for you.

But that is not the providence that God has unfolded before us. And so it now becomes my prayer that you will be able to rest as happily as I do. God has spoken. He does all things well. I am content. I hope you will be, too.

I cannot begin to repay the kindnesses you have shown to me and to my family. And so I turn to God and ask that in my inability to properly thank or adequately reward you, He would take up my debt, and bless you for the good you’ve done.

My family joins me in saying, from the depths of our hearts, “Thank you.” May God be with you.

So many people have been asking me “How do you feel?” In truth, I feel so much that I hardly know where to begin. But let me try a few adjectives that ring true.

Calm – How sweet to know that my identity, my security, my destiny, do not hinge on tomorrow’s outcome. “I will both lay me down and sleep, for Thou, Lord, only makes me dwell in safety.”

Exhausted – Tired in the best possible way. It is the satisfaction of knowing I have left everything on the field.

Encouraged – For the longest time, it seemed so difficult to compete with the big money being thrown at this campaign. In the last few days, I have sensed a momentum shift that is remarkable.

Grateful – You have done so much more than anyone would ever have a right to ask. “Thank you” seems so inadequate, but please know it is from my heart.

Humbled – If I thought this were all about me, I can’t imagine the weight. Knowing that it is not at all about me, and yet being the one whose name is on the ballot, is one of the most humbling experiences of my life.

One more day for courage. Let’s cross the finish line together with joy.

Sola Deo Gloria.

Pastor Keith

It seems I was wrong. In recent days, I have seen and heard a barrage of negative ads that leave me profoundly saddened and personally disappointed. These ads are poisonous. Those who aspire to a seat in Congress, to become one of a small band privileged to help shape the direction and the moral climate of our society, should never stoop to such depths.

I had made my assumption that this campaign would stay clean based on two factors. First, I had been assured of this by the candidates themselves. I was specifically told that there had been a “handshake agreement” that no candidate would launch a negative campaign against another. I find it disconcerting that such a promise could not survive even the modest pressure of a primary campaign.

Perhaps more importantly, I have come to know these candidates. They seemed amiable. They come from well-respected families. They conducted themselves in such a way that I sincerely believed them to be above this kind of maneuvering and personal mudslinging.

With almost a week left in this primary race, I want to urge the candidates who are airing these harsh and demeaning ads to stop. I am asking that they withdraw these ads immediately. Morally, these ads are beneath the dignity of the office to which we each aspire. And politically, these ads represent the ugliest side of politics—the politics of fear, the politics of personal destruction—which we have all come to dread and despise.

To my fellow candidates, I would remind you that you have conducted yourselves with honor for the past three months. It’s not too late to return to that dignity. It would be sad and shameful for a race that began on the high road to end in the gutter.

Pastor Keith

814-758-3500

I spent the afternoon on the phone with reporters seeking comments on two situations.  One involved the politics of securing the incumbent’s endorsement.  The other was the first seriously negative TV and radio ads.

Here’s why I thought this time might be different.  First, I was promised that it was so.  These candidates made an open show that they had “a handshake agreement not to go negative.”  Oh well, so much for campaign promises, huh?  After all, if a candidate can’t keep his word even through the campaign, how can he be trusted to keep a single campaign promise?

But there’s another reason that I thought this race might be different, a reason that harkens back to the Cold War between the US and the USSR.  It’s called “mutually assured destruction” or “MAD” for short.  The idea during the Cold War was that neither side would launch a nuclear attack, because doing so would guarantee a response and escalate into all-out nuclear war in which everyone lost.

The same principles apply here.  Now that the first wave of negative ads is out, you know what comes next, right?  The nuclear response.  Charges and countercharges, innuendo and rumor, mudslinging and … well, you know.

I will tell you what I told the reporters.  This is the filthy side of politics we all hate.  We have built this campaign on personal integrity and putting principle over politics.  If voters are as sick to death of politics as usual, as I am, then they have a legitimate option on April 22.  They can vote for the one candidate who refused to get in the gutter from day one.

We’ll keep it clean.  We’ll deserve to win.  That way, people will know that I will serve in exactly the same way we’ve campaigned – with dignity and honor.

I hope you’ll sign up now so that in the closing days of this race, you can take an active part in a campaign you can be proud of.

Tonight’s meeting was enjoyable on a number of levels. First, it’s always great to be able to share my passion for the issues involved in this race. But even more enjoyable for me is to see others who share that passion. It’s fantastic to hear them share their concerns, their ideas, their personal stories.

As that was taking place tonight, I could sense the momentum shift. There was a moment when the question changed from, “What do you think about…” to “What can I do to help?” And when I set out the options for helping in the closing days, I found eager responses. I left tonight feeling as though I had been to a full-scale pep rally. At this stage of the campaign, just a bit road weary, that exhilaration is a welcomed fresh wind in my sails.

Can you sense the momentum shifting, too?

I hope we can count on you to stand strong in the closing days. There is so much to do. Why not call or e-mail and let’s figure out together how you can take part in this amazing moment.

But this race is still ongoing.  There is still more to do.  And we must finish well.

You’ve done so much.  Will you help me finish well?

Here are some things you can do:

1. Write a personal card or note to 10 friends or family members in the 5th District. Tell them you are supporting me and why, giving your own personal reasons.  Ask them to vote for courage on April 22.  (If you would like to know which of your neighbors are registered republicans, just e-mail the campaign).

2. Volunteer to help in the last days of the campaign, handing out cards in your area, or near polling places on election day.

If you can help in any of these ways, or think of another way to help, just contact us.

Thank you for your courage!

That’s how I began my closing remarks at tonight’s Candidates’ Forum in Franklin. It was a well-planned and well-attended event, which was broadcast live over PCN and will be rebroadcast several times over the next 10 days. If you get PCN, I hope you will take a look and ask your friends to do the same.

Well, back to the point. We’re approaching that time in the race when the politics is really emerging. The money. The maneuvering. The mudslinging. Everything I hate about politics and suspect that you do, too.

So if we all hate politics, why do we keep sending politicians to Washington? Why not send statesmen, people more concerned with the next generation than the next election?

I am proud that we have run a campaign of principle over politics. I’m proud of you, and grateful to you, for standing with me. Let’s stay the course. Let’s keep our principles, even as the politics ratchets up in the coming days. And on April 22, let’s turn out to support principles over politics.

We’re preparing for a massive grassroots effort in the days before the election. If you can help pass out cards or serve for a time at the polls, please let me know.

Once again, I believe the evening went very well. I had a number of people come up to me afterwards and pledge their support. I answered questions for an hour following the forum. It was, in every way, a successful evening.

I can’t help but juxtapose the success of last evening with the media blitz that’s taking place now and will intensify in the last two weeks. Two weeks out, here’s the situation. By shining in every forum, by outworking others on the ground, by getting more miles per gallon for every contribution, we’ve run an effective grassroots campaign on a modest budget.

The same certainly can’t be said of others. Three candidates come from very wealthy families. They have money, and they’re not afraid to spend it. With money, you can always buy an image. The challenge for us is to crack through the image that they have bought for themselves before April 22.

I need help to do that. I am asking you to contribute now, so that I can buy strategic radio spots and one mailer. I want to reach beyond the hundreds who have seen the substance at the forums to the thousands who may otherwise vote based solely on media-created image and name-recognition.

You know me. You know how awkward it is for me to ask. You know I would not do so if I had any other recourse. Nor would I ask if this were a lost cause, if I could not win on April 22. But the truth is, I can win. I believe I will win, if I can finish well and not be lost in the crowd as the media wars rage in these closing days.

To speak plainly, I need to raise $80,000 immediately for a 3-day mail and radio blitz.  We’re confident that $80,000 is enough to give the voters a real choice during the time when media coverage is the most intense. I am asking you to help, because you know me best.

Because one candidate has already tripped the “millionaire’s amendment” to the federal election laws, other candidates can now receive up to $6,900 from a single donor. Whether you can contribute that $6,900 or just $69, please know that I will be forever grateful for your help, and that our campaign will use every penny with the same conservative spending discipline that I want to take to Washington.

Time is short. If you will “Invest in Courage,” the time is now.

We met at Coal Oil Johnny’s, which is a marvelous slice of Americana in the aptly named Pleasantville. It was uplifting to watch a U.S. Congressman interact with everyday people. So many politicians go to Washington and lose touch. It was clear that 12 years in Washington hadn’t dulled his connection with the people he represents.

Rep. Peterson has had these face to face meetings with all of the candidates, I believe. Not only has he made his staff available, but he has made himself personally available. Why? He cares deeply that the next Congressman for the 5th District, whoever that may be, remains a champion for the people in this rural district and not allow the citizens to be short-changed by urban districts.

Looking back, that has been the hallmark of his years of public service. Whether it was fighting the ill-conceived plan to toll I-80, or working to insure quality rural healthcare, or developing plans that would allow the 5th District to tap our vast energy reserves and restore this region to economic health, Rep. Peterson has been “a man of the people.”

I hope that someday, the people of this district will consider me in the same light.

Tonight I attended the Clearfield County Council of Republican Women’s Lincoln Day dinner in Curwensville. I had the opportunity to speak to State Senator Don White, who was the keynote speaker. As he described his first race back in 2000, it sounded very familiar. “I was brand new to politics.” “No one gave me a chance of winning.” “I’d never wanted to be in politics before.” “I just thought things could be done better.” Everything he was saying sounded like my story. I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to add one other thing he said: “I came from out of nowhere to win.”

Ours isn’t the flashiest campaign. But this grass roots campaign is still my style. You’ve probably heard that one candidate has spent $1.2 million of his own money in this race, making it one of the most expensive congressional races in the nation. I’ll take our army of grass roots volunteers—I’ll take you—over that style of campaign any day. I’m amazed every day when I meet someone who says, “Oh, yes, someone from your campaign called me,” or “Someone knocked on my door.” Thank you for standing up in this Time for Courage.