Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District spans bucolic, rustic farm country from Lebanon, Berks, and Dauphin Counties, to the Appalachian Mountains and historic coal mining areas in Schuylkill County.  In between are cities like Harrisburg, Pottsville, and Reading.  Nothing monolithic binds together these various landscapes and communities but a single Central Pennsylvania identity.  Central Pennsylvania has been identified as one of the most conservative regions in the United States.  And by conservative, what is meant is all-American people, with traditional values, close-knit families and communities, hard work ethics, a suspicion about government and certainly an aversion to too much government. 

          My vision for the 17th District is as simple as the region is diverse: Hold onto current jobs and create new jobs, while also promoting and protecting the district’s scenic outdoors and tourism appeal.  Current and new jobs will include the traditional natural resource sector of mining, timber, coal, and natural gas, as well as jobs in manufacturing, construction, small business, logistics, outdoor recreation and tourism.  While achieving this, we will ensure that our citizens receive all of the government benefits they are entitled to, while simultaneously ensuring that government intrusion into their lives is kept to a minimum.

          "I am committed to telecommuting as much as possible between the District and Washington DC, so that I will have more time with my constituents and be closer to the daily issues at home."