I am no Paul Hackett, but I am running for Congress. I am not an Iraqi Veteran, but I am glad he was, because it gave me someone readily identifiable to point to when questioned about Democrats being soft on defense and not supporting the troops. In this area, all I had to say was “Paul Hackett”, and case closed.
I am on this computer a lot, and diary often, because it is part of the campaign strategy to raise name awareness, and that is because of the netroot impact on Paul Hackett.
After what happened, as under the radar as our congressional campaign is here, I have been getting fair treatment from the local press, and people were asking me today when I called for donations, if they should give to our campaign or if I was going to get “run out.”
Something like what happened yesterday and how it played out, ripples across the party.
It is over though. We need to let it heal. Paul Hackett will be back, but we are here now!
I am running against Mike Pence in Indiana’s 6th District. I now have a primary opponent. A guy that has ran in three other districts in the past, and doesn’t live in my district, is running. We have been active on the ground for a while and this opponent should not be a problem, but it does kick our campaign into a higher gear at an advanced schedule, because of the primary.
For those that follow the 50 State Site, It will be updated Friday after the noon filing deadline, and Ohio will be updated sometime after the Thursday 4PM deadline.
So, I have a campaign going, thanks to many talented people, that might sneak in under the radar. I have discovered that I don’t want national attention. I don’t want money with strings. I don’t want to represent corporations. I just want to represent the people with some common sense, plan talking, positive, progressive action. Is that asking too much? To some, it is.
I am no Paul Hackett. I am a pastor of a small rural church, who thinks a woman’s choice is private and should remain legal, who thinks that tax cuts for the rich while others starve is obscene, who opposes the Iraq invasion, and who thinks medical coverage should be a right for all, and not an entitlement for the wealthy. I also own guns, inherited from my dad, and don’t want them taken away and don’t think anyone wants to, and I have a close relative who is an avid hunter, and the most ecologically responsible person I know, but if the excuse for assault weapons is hunting, and it takes 38 bullets to kill something, maybe you need a new hobby instead of an assault rifle!
I am no Paul Hackett, instead they call me The Liberal Evangelical inside the campaign thanks to an early blog comment.
“What do you hit a Neo Conservative Republican that wears his religion on his sleeve with? A Liberal Evangelical, that doesn’t wear his faith on his sleeve.”
The experts aren’t going to give us a chance. The consultants tell us we should be embarrassed. Of course we are running the campaign with no paid consultants and won’t have any. The possible exception may be a fundraiser.
I am a credible candidate and we have an effective campaign going, but I am no Paul Hackett, and after what happened, let’s keep it that way!
Barry Welsh IN 6th District Congressional Candidate
