So, I've been doing this blog for about three months now, and I wanted to do something new. Since I primarily use this blog to go after members of Congress by connecting their voting records to which industries they have received campaign contributions from, I figured I would interview candidates for Congress on how they plan to break that cycle of someone getting into power, then serving the industries that wrote big checks to their campaign. Basically, I wanted to get insight into what they would do to help get money out of politics, which should be the biggest issue to all voters, as it impacts all other issues. Now, as I've implied in the past, especially if you've seen my post where I took the Political Compass test, I align with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, so most of the candidates I'll be interviewing will come form that same wing. Having said that, I am more than willing to branch out and speak to candidates of other ideologies, so let me know of any candidates you would like me to interview.
With all of that said, the first 2020 congressional candidate I will be interviewing is Ryan Farrar, who is running in Indiana's 1st congressional district in the Democratic primary. The seat is currently held by fellow Democrat Pete Visclosky, who is retiring, resulting in a crowded field for the primary election. Ryan believes that he has what it takes to stand out, so let's see what he's all about.
What motivated you to run for Congress?
"It's been a lifelong aspiration. When longtime IN-1 Representative Visclosky announced his retirement in November, I decided the time is now. But I was likely going to run for Congress either way this year, because I believed the potential success of Bernie Sanders would make it a particularly good year for a progressive to run."
What is your strategy to win?
"Even before a pandemic was upon us, I planned to rely heavily on digital/social media to reach new, young, and disaffected voters. The field of candidates ballooned to 14 democrats, and while that creates a lot of volatility, it also means the electorate will be very divided. I'm hopeful that my unique methods will produce a strong enough block of voters to give me a chance. That, and a few other tricks I have up my sleeve that I hope will move the needle as May 5th draws closer."
Among the large field of candidates are Scott Costello and Jim Harper, who are, from what I've seen, among the more progressive candidates in the primary. What distinction between you and them do you plan to draw to prove you're the best option for progressives?
"On paper we look pretty similar, but we are very different in our communication styles and our backgrounds. I make the case that I'm not just running to be a representative, but a national figure for the progressive movement. I intend to use the platform of Congressman to push the country to the left, in a bold and outspoken manner, not unlike AOC has done. While all 3 of us are smart and progressive on the issues, I feel I bring a charisma and a working class grit that they simply lack. I also intend to unveil some brand new ideas, that I believe will generate a lot more excitement than simply vowing to back the standard progressive policies."
What will your top priorities, regarding the issues, be if elected?
"Since day 1, campaign finance reform has been my ultimate priority. While not my passion, nor the sexiest or trendiest issue; I believe it is the issue that prevents the progress of all other issues. I believe most people in Congress are working for their donors and special interests who line their pockets with campaign cash. Whether it's education, healthcare, the environment, or criminal justice reform; money in politics has left our government ineffective to address any of these issues. If elected I will make this defining fight of my career, and will stop at nothing to get our government on the right track in this capacity, which will enable so much more progress."
Speaking of campaign finance reform, if elected, will you pledge to cosponsor the We the People Amendment (introduced in the House this session as H.J.Res.48) that would declare that corporations are not people, and that money is not speech?
"For sure!"
At this point, Joe Biden is the overwhelmingly likely Democratic nominee. Would you support him if/when he wins the nomination, and if he is elected, how do you work to move him to support at least a handful of your (and the progressive movement's) policies?
"I believe part of that is to not simply get behind him just because he's the democrat. I believe the votes of all progressives must be earned and not taken for granted no matter how many times they say 'blue no matter who.' I really despise that phrase, and have personally always believed in voting for the person over the party. If Biden is the nominee, I want to support him and I hope he'll give me reason to. But right now I just don't see much that he offers that inspires me or almost anybody else under the age of 50. I don't want Trump to win, but I have a really hard time envisioning a Biden victory in November. But I'll be irrelevant to the process if I don't win my primary in any event, so that's my focus for now."
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