Last month marked the 56th anniversary of the landing of the lunar module Eagle, on the surface of Earth's moon. As a child who witnessed this, I remember the feelings I had that afternoon. I have those feelings today as I run for the U.S. House of Representatives in Arkansas' District 3. I am a lifelong Democrat and will remain as such.
My journey for Congress started Jan. 29, when I filed my campaign with the Federal Election Commission. I saw that my congressional representative, Steve Womack, was not saying a word or defending his constituents from Trump's orders. Running for Congress was something I saw as a way of helping the people of my district. I made a career of helping people and knew I could use those skills in public service.
During the moon landing I had feelings of pride and of fear. Those are the same feelings I have now: pride in my country but fear as Steve Womack has done Trump's bidding and nothing to stop the assaults on the working class of this district.
Each of us lives with a balance of values. Womack's balance has been far too much, and for too long, on the side of wealthy people. Many people in District 3 are members of the working class and the working poor. They need attention.
This country and this district have huge problems to solve. For example, health care is too expensive. Medicaid has been cut, and Arkansans who fall off this insurance will populate our emergency rooms without a way to pay the bill. Rural health care is threatened. And more ...
Again, the moon landing: President Kennedy charged the American people and our federal government to "commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth." We are at a place once again where we, the people of the United States and especially the citizens of Arkansas District 3, must commit ourselves to asking the candidates for this office for bold ideas. Our country is being broken by the very people charged with protecting it after swearing on Bibles to uphold our Constitution. As a result of this breaking, the people of Arkansas and this district will suffer tremendously.
Another analogy, this time Frodo from the Fellowship of the Ring novels. Whoever the voters of District 3 decide upon, both in a primary and general election, they must vote for someone willing to take bold action and willing to bring the Ring to the fire, throw it in and remake America and District 3. The time to take half-measures and retain the status quo we had before this current administration, and the fact Steve Womack is not standing up for his constituents, is not for these difficult times.
I will seek bold initiatives and I will not let Arkansans down.
Diana Lawrence
