Alan Bradstock is the Democratic candidate for Congress in
the 14th District that includes all of Washington, Greene, and
Fayette counties. His opponent is Republican Guy Reschenthaler, who is
currently serving his fourth term in the House of Representatives. The 14th
District is overwhelmingly Republican, carrying a partisan voter index rating
of R+17.
I learned as much as I could about Bradstock from his
campaign literature and stump speech. While his demeanor is open and full of
positive energy, I wanted to know more. What motivates a Desert Storm combat
veteran, retired FBI agent, and successful businessman to run as a Democrat for
Congress in a District that elects Republicans by double digits?
I submitted a list of questions to Bradstock that sought to
probe behind his credentials. His answers further solidified for me what many
admirers have been saying for months, “Bradstock is the real deal.”
Stout: How can the
Bradstock campaign succeed in a District that voted by large margins for Donald
Trump and for your opponent, Reschenthaler?
Bradstock: Our analysis shows that when Donald Trump is not
on the ballot, Republican turnout drops by about 22 percent. Combine that with
the President's current unpopularity, and we have a real opportunity this
November. Voters are tired of the way things are going. They're responding to
my message and to my background. We can win if enough people at the grassroots
level spread the word about me and this campaign. The 14th District
deserves a representative who is willing and able to talk with people across
the political spectrum to deliver real results.
Stout: Why should voters choose you on November 3?
Bradstock: I have deep roots in the district. I grew up in Donora
and attended Washington & Jefferson College. I'm good at getting people who
historically don't get along to work together. We have to break the partisan
divide that makes our government ineffective and inefficient. That divide is
bad for business, and it's bad for our personal relationships. And we need to
restore an economy that is centered on working people.
Stout: If you were to debate your opponent, what would you
ask him to explain about his time in office? Which of his policy positions
concern you most?
Bradstock: I would ask him one simple question: Where do you
disagree with Donald Trump? The positions that concern me most are his six
votes in support of the Iran war, his votes against allowing the government to
negotiate lower prescription drug prices, and his failure to call out an
administration that governs for only one party.
Stout: What values, interests, and concerns have you noticed
that both Democrats and Republicans share in this part of Western Pennsylvania?
Bradstock: There is still a lot of common ground. People
share the values of hard work and grit that come from growing up in our mining
towns, mill towns, and farming communities. Because our economy has struggled
for decades, there is near-universal concern about good jobs, revitalizing
downtowns that have suffered, and the cost of living. Healthcare is a shared
worry too: access to care, the coming Medicaid cuts, rising premiums, and the
Affordable Care Act subsidies that were not renewed.
Stout: What are the district's greatest needs?
Bradstock: The greatest needs are good-paying jobs,
affordability, healthcare, and revitalized downtowns.
Stout: If elected, which committees are you most qualified
to serve on, and what legislation matters most to you?
Bradstock: I'm most qualified to serve on the House
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, given my extensive experience on
interagency intelligence and national security matters, and on the House
Judiciary Committee, which oversees the FBI, where I spent 20 years. The
legislation most important to me is anything that improves affordability for
families in this district: ending the war, fixing our tariff policy, lowering
health care costs, and revitalizing our downtowns.
Stout: Where do you stand on the Iran war, gun rights,
abortion, diversity and taxing the wealthy?
Bradstock: Iran war: We should end it immediately.
Gun rights: We should keep firearms out of the hands of
people who haven't passed a background check and people suffering from serious
mental health issues, and we need to improve our mental health system. But I
will not support legislation that restricts law-abiding citizens' access to
guns.
Abortion: I am pro-choice
Diversity: Diversity matters because the best solutions come
from hearing a range of perspectives and listening to one another with respect.
Everyone has blind spots and their own lived experiences. A process that brings
in diverse views produces stronger, better, and more enduring solutions.
Taxing the wealthy: Corporations and wealthy individuals
should pay higher tax rates. We should revisit the tax code and look back to
the Clinton administration, when we last had a budget surplus.
Stout: Any advice for a young person who wants to run for
local, state, or national office in this time of sharp political division?
Bradstock: Be authentic, and listen first. I believe in the
Stephen Covey precept, “seek first to understand, then to be understood.”
Understanding what someone else believes is the first step to working together,
and working together and finding compromise is essential if our country is
going to get back on track. Doing good
work is a real source of fulfillment, and doing it alongside others is a double
dose of it. You'll feel good by doing good.
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