Before arriving at the Utah State Senate, I owned and operated a transportation company for over 25 years. As any small business owner will attest, I quickly learned of the impact that government had on my ability to run a business and provide for my family.
My decision to run for elected office was in no small part due to my strong belief that important decisions should be made by those who have a real grasp of what is happening at the grassroots level. As we decide who should be the next representative for the first congressional district, I believe we need someone with a real understanding and sympathy for the issues faced by rural Utahns.
For these reasons, I support Kerry Gibson. As a former business owner, county commissioner, and state legislator, I know that Kerry has the experience and perspective necessary to effectively represent this district. A lifelong resident of Utah, he is a man with deep roots in the community. He has raised a family here, started a business here, and has a long history of serving his fellow Utahns. I trust Kerry to represent us because his interests are tied to ours.
These interests should not be taken for granted. The next representative of our district will have the important responsibility of protecting Utah’s natural resources, defending Hill Air Force Base, and taking Utah’s values to the national stage. With Kerry Gibson in Congress, Utah will benefit a tried and tested leader, who can draw on his experience in both the public and private sectors to protect that which has made Utah such a great state to live.
In this endeavor, there is no substitute for experience. As Theodore Roosevelt famously stated: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood…” Kerry embodies the values espoused by Roosevelt in his famous speech. He has been the man in the arena. As a farmer, he knows the value of an honest day’s work; as a business owner he knows the importance of free enterprise; as a state representative, he has the experience to legislate with the consideration and wisdom that can only come from the experience having your hat in the ring.
Ours is an important decision. The next person we send to Congress will have a lasting impact on our everyday lives. In this pursuit, it’s my hope that we send someone who we can trust. Ascertaining the type of representative a candidate will be shouldn’t require the deduction skills of Sherlock Holmes. With Kerry’s long track record as a proven conservative, I know that he will bring Utah’s values to Washington where they are desperately needed. I support Kerry Gibson for Congress because I know he has what it takes to get the job done.
