My Plan for District 18

I consider myself a political moderate but I am going to do something that many would consider quite radical.

As of today, I will no longer raise money or solicit donations for my campaign.

Why am I doing this? It’s a fair question and the answer is simple.

I’m running for Congress because I believe I can make a real difference in the lives of the people of the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast. If I am fortunate enough to be elected, serving them will be my full-time and only job. Raising money to fund campaigns sadly takes up too much time and prevents elected officials from being able to focus their entire energies solving problems for their constituents.

I want my future constituents to know that my only focus while in office will be solving the problems that face the people of District 18.

Over the past few months I’ve met with dozens of members of Congress to speak with them about their jobs in Washington. I heard the same thing from each one of them; their lives are a constant juggling act between serving in office, being true to their constituents, and attempting to maintain a semblance of a home life. All the while, they must spend endless hours on the phone or at receptions, not serving the public but raising campaign dollars. Some have told me they spend upwards of 30 hours per week raising money. That is an extraordinary amount of time that isn’t being spent on the real challenges and issues that face folks across the country.

My pledge to the voters of my district is simple — I will not spend a single minute in a call center asking for money. I want my success in getting elected, and re-elected, to be judged on my ability to solve the problems that face District 18, and not my ability to dial for dollars in a call center cubicle somewhere.

I recognize that because of my success in business, I’m in the unique position to forsake raising money to run for Congress. I am not only grateful for that, but it is a key part of why I am running — to help re-create an economy where others can have the chance that I’ve had to work hard and achieve their American dream, and to spend all of my time and energy doing so!

To be clear- with this announcement, I am not calling on my opponents in this campaign, or any current/future member of Congress, to follow in this model. While it is important that we reform our system to allow elected officials to focus less time on raising money and more on solving problems, this decision is my own. It is how I intend to run for, and hopefully serve in, elected office.

If I am fortunate enough to represent the people of District 18, they will have a Congressman that will spend all of his time advocating for them and working on the problems that affect them. I know that if I am to be as effective as I plan to be, I cannot spend four hours a day in a call center.

I am humbled and yet very grateful that I write this today as a successful businessman with four amazing daughters who have had opportunities I only dreamed of when I was young. Unfortunately, success like mine has become more and more out of reach for too many people here in Florida and throughout the country. That will only change if members of Congress can actually focus on solving problems.

I am in this race because I want to shape policy that will provide folks with the same types of opportunities I had as a young man. I may not be your typical candidate, but my constituents will always know that I will be honest with them about where I stand and I will be focused on addressing the issues they need solved in their communities with all of my time, energy and ability.