Texas’ congressional district 25 has twelve Republican candidates.
Yes, you read that right. Twelve.
There are folks like Roger Williams, who moved into the district just a few weeks ago after two other failed runs, hoping to win on money and name recognition; then there are folks like Wes Riddle.
Deciding whom to support in this race was tough. A few of the candidates aligned well with my values, but, since I don’t work for ACORN and am not a fan of voter fraud, I had to pick just one. The one I happily settled on is Wes Riddle.
A retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, Oxford graduate, founder of the first high school Republican club in Texas, published author, and small business owner, Riddle has a fascinating history and a clear, consistent message of conservatism and American founding values to share.
Q: What inspired you to run for office?
To be frank, like you, I was “bit by the bug” early and was Ronald Reagan’s Youth Advisor for the state of Texas in 1979… To the extent that I have felt a calling all along, it has been to be ready and prepared for “such a time as this” (to paraphrase Scripture). The decision to run is situational, and the right time as it were is indeed now, because of the unprecedented explosion in national debt and unchecked runaway government spending, which now threatens national economic solvency; as well as the complete lack of courage and character, and the resultant dysfunction of America’s political class and time honored institutions – and their collective failure to adequately address this nation’s pressing challenges!
I find myself positioned uniquely to offer leadership on the basis of my experience and knowledge of the Constitution, and it is a passion that I feel towards the imperative of securing the nation’s inherited Liberty (the expansive view according to the Founders) and protecting our unprecedented standard of living rooted in free enterprise, so that the 21st Century is another “American Century.” Free Americans simply have no excuse for not confronting the challenges and accomplishing these hard things.
Q: What are some key issues that set you apart from your opponents?
I have stated that I’m serious as a heart attack, and I believe that we are engaged in a revolutionary political movement to put the federal government back into its box. I do not subscribe to go along-get along, milksop conservatism. Compromise is not what we need, especially now – albeit we need thinking conservatives to work hard and tackle very difficult policy questions.
I have a background and a temperament that set me apart. I am a retired military officer and combat veteran and have worked at staffs planning and also at units executing plans as difficult and complex missions. So if our objectives are what they should be (fiscal responsibility, limited constitutional government, free enterprise, secure U.S. borders), then we should take them as the difficult and complex political missions that they are, and attack aggressively and never quit until we have accomplished them. We must fight through the bureaucracy and all the political subterfuge, and we must hold fast to the moral and sometimes physical courage of our conservative convictions. We must not only defend but also restore the Constitution!
I am one of the only veterans in the race, and also one of the only small business owners and managers. My wife and I have owned and operated four small businesses in Central Texas since 2000.
I’m the only educator, having taught American History and American Political Tradition at West Point (1993-96) and at Central Texas College (2004).
I’m the only candidate with any practical foreign policy experience, having served on staff at the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait (2000-2002) and written extensively on foreign policy and military topics. I’m one of the few candidates with any policy experience moreover, having served as Policy Advisor to the Chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission (2010) and written extensively on domestic issues and the economy. My two books attest to expertise which no other candidate has: Horse Sense for the New Millennium and The Nexus of Faith and Freedom.
I have pledged to overturn Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which treats Texas differently from other states in the Union and places us in inferior position as if we were still under Reconstruction (presuming upon legislative redistricting and preventing our Voter ID law going into effect this cycle). If the Supreme Court doesn’t overturn Obamacare, I will sponsor legislation to do so and if necessary work with state legislators and the governor to effect an interstate compact for health care reform and/or to nullify implementation of the law in Texas. I will also start the process to impeach the president for his pattern of constitutional breaches and abuse of power, which amounts to high crimes and misdemeanors.
Q: How are you preparing to go up against such a large field?
…This race is a classic show-down between business and politics as usual and a genuine populist conservative grassroots candidate! My approach has been to go door to door in block walking, and to every conceivable venue speaking and meeting with people. Moreover, we have taken the time to build an impressive network of volunteers, which the others haven’t and so cannot match.
As is nearly always the case with this type of show-down, the result comes down to effectiveness during the Get-Out-The-Vote phase. The date of this primary election (the day after Memorial Day on May 29th) and the recent departure of Rick Santorum from the presidential race will probably depress overall turn-out but accentuate the early voting portion (May 14th-25th). Under this set of conditions, we have an excellent opportunity to benefit from the dedicated base that a) turns out to vote early and b) helps the campaign turn out the rest of our supporters and works on the undecided voters.
Q: If you only had one sentence to win voters over, what would it be?
At this critical juncture in U.S. history, free men and free women worthy of calling themselves both Christian and American must summon moral courage to restore the Constitution and reclaim lost Liberty.
Faith and freedom. That’s what Wes Riddle is all about.
I’ve been consistently impressed with Riddle’s conviction and unwavering conservatism. I get a little misty-eyed hearing him talk about the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution with such passion – while many conservatives claim to and do embrace them, it’s clear Riddle has a fundamental understanding of and respect for the fundamental values that bore this nation.
He’s also been endorsed by every major Tea Party organization or leader in the district. It’ll be a hard-fought battle against the two Williamses, who have an advantage in both funding and name recognition, but Riddle’s support is growing by the day. He’s the Tea Party candidate to beat.
George Washington said, “Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the rest is in the hands of God.” This is the credo of the Wes Riddle for U.S. Congress campaign.
This is the third race Williams has announced his candidacy for in the past year. First he was vying for Kay Bailey Hutchison’s open Senate seat. Then he hopped down a step to congressional district 33. And how he’s switched to 25.