In January, I decided to run for PA HD 102 to give people a choice. My vision of politics is that we work to help those who are overlooked or underserved. We should measure the health of our democracy by how people at the bottom are doing, not those who are at the top.

This was always going to be an uphill battle. Everyone in Lebanon County knows that. There were times when it felt too daunting to continue. I can’t thank by name everyone who helped me through those times – there are too many of you. But I would like to thank my campaign manager/wife, Natalie. We are uniquely suited for each other in so many ways, and her support was unwavering.

And whenever I hit a low point, there were always many people out there supporting me. I truly appreciate those who gathered signatures, broadcast our messages on social media, donated money, put up yard signs, hosted fundraisers, texted and phoned, and told their friends about my candidacy. Without all of you, we wouldn’t have made it to the end of the race.

Now we’ve crossed that finish line, and while the results weren’t what we wanted, there is still hope. And there’s still plenty of work to be done.

The ideal is to have politicians in place to achieve our goals of a more equitable and fair Pennsylvania for all. But it’s not a requirement. Many, if not most, of the political shifts we’ve seen – women voting, civil rights, LGBTQ+ marriage – have been led by ordinary people, not by politicians.

So I encourage you to find like-minded individuals and work in ways both big and small to build the future we want to see. 

And please, for the love of God, read the science and wear a mask.

Thank you all.