Watch: Liz at Local Elected Official Endorsement Event

On Thursday, April 21 local elected officials came together to endorse Liz Brown for Congress. Below are Liz’s remarks as prepared for delivery. You can view the list of local elected officials supporting Liz at the bottom of this post.

Liz’s remarks:

Thank you all for coming, especially these dedicated local government officials.

Steve and I are blessed with seven children and two in-laws and have loved raising our family here in Northeast Indiana.

But Washington is a mess and we need new leadership. With my maturity, knowledge and 26 years of experience here as a community volunteer, educator, attorney, and more recently on City Council and as a state senator, I believe I am the best candidate in this race to help get our country moving in the right direction again. We need people with the right skills, who are ready day one, who don’t just understand the problems, but have solutions.

First, Obamacare must be repealed; it is a pox on our health care system and is killing our economy.  I meet too many employers who will not hire above 50 employees, and employers all over that who are paying the penalty instead of adding jobs and reinvesting in order to grow our economy.

Health insurance should be portable and cafeteria style because we do not all have the same health needs or need the same coverage. We should take the current cap off health savings accounts so that people can take ownership of their health care and invest their hard earned dollars wisely in themselves.

Also, clearly, the size of the federal government must be reduced and its overreach into local affairs must be stopped.  I have successfully passed legislation in my two years at the Statehouse that reduces the size of government and cuts taxes.

I am the only state senator who voted against automatic utility rate increases…because that is not how good government should work.

I am also the only current state senator in this race to vote to return local tax dollars, almost half a billion worth, to local communities, to spend on roads, because I know these people know best the needs of their communities.  And we can’t grow our economy in Northeast Indiana if we don’t have the badly needed infrastructure.  And if you’re running to represent Northeast Indiana in D.C., then you should understand that infrastructure is vitally important to growing our economy.

And finally, I am the only current state senator who voted for the process to bring a balanced budget amendment in order to finally stop Washington from spending money it doesn’t have.  We need strong intelligent leaders who will stop the government from the Department of Education’s overreach into our schools and stop agencies like the FCC from spending $2.25 billion on Obamaphones and free Internet to 12 million people, who are supposed to be looking for a job.

Lastly and most importantly, I will continue to fight for and be the voice for those who will never have a voice, and for those, because of God's grace and our work, should have a voice someday, the unborn. I have proudly marched and fought at the local level, in the state senate and proclaimed on the courthouse lawn that we should always stand up for the sanctity of life, from conception to natural death.  In two short years I have successfully carried and passed the most life affirming legislation in the country, and I will unapologetically carry that fight to D.C., because I know as a mother and a woman of faith that all God's children are blessings.

These skills will help me in this endeavor, but I am not seeking a career.  That’s why, unlike some in this race, I have firmly pledged to term limits, because I am not a career politician, I am seeking a job I know I am qualified to do, but I will be returning home to my husband, family and friends, right here in Northeast Indiana.

These elected officials who are supporting me are frontline public servants, and I know how hard they work, and how passionate they are about our communities. I am proud to serve with them, and will continue to champion their good stewardship.  Those here have added this event to their busy day, and those unable to be here are doing what we all do, serving their constituents.  I make a solemn promise to continue to take their model of a good public service with me to D.C.

Local elected officials supporting Liz for Congress:

Susan Glick, Senator for Indiana District 13
Travis Holdman, Senator for Indiana District 19
Tom Wyss, former Senator for Indiana District 15
Martin Carbaugh, Representative for Indiana District 81
Dave Ober, Representative for Indiana District 82
Bob Morris, Representative for Indiana District 84
Max Weber, Albion Town Council
Bill Brown, Allen County Council and former Allen County Commissioner
Joel Benz, Allen County Council
Anita Mather, Allen County Recorder
Susan Orth, Allen County Treasurer
Darren Vogt, former Allen County Council President
Ken Meyer, Decatur Mayor
Matt Dyer, Decatur City Council
Wylie Sirk, Decatur City Council
Lana Keesling, Fort Wayne City Clerk
Tom Freistroffer, Fort Wayne City Council
Steve Updike, former Mayor of Huntington
Jim Dazey, Kendallville City Council
SuzAnne Handshoe, Kendallville Mayor
Patty Fisel, Ligonier Mayor
Floyd Ball, New Haven City Council
Eric Blackman, Noble County Prosecutor
Dave Dolezal, Noble County Commissioner
Dave Abbott, Noble County Commissioner
Jim Getz, Steuben County Council
Lynne Liechty, Steuben County Commissioner
Vicki Andrews, Wells County Council
Tom Western, Whitley County Council
George Schrumpf, Whitley County Commissioner

Local State Legislators and Elected Officials Endorse Brown for Congress

Elected Officials Gathered in Fort Wayne to Announce Their Support

FORT WAYNE, IND. - Today local state legislators and elected officials gathered in Fort Wayne to announce their support of Sen. Liz Brown, candidate for Indiana's Third Congressional District.

Brown said of the support, "I'm grateful for the endorsement of our campaign by these state legislators whom I work with on a daily basis during the Indiana General Assembly. They have seen how I'm willing to fight for my constituents and the conservative principles important to Northeast Indiana. I also extend my thanks to the many area elected officials at various position in government who believe I am the best choice to represent the Third Congressional District in Washington."

Sen. Susan Glick (District 13): "I've enjoyed working with Liz in the Senate, but we truly need her in Washington. She will tackle big problems like wasteful spending and Obamacare immediately. Her term limit pledge will keep her focused on the job that voters want her to do." 

Rep. Martin Carbaugh (District 81): "I've worked closely with Liz on several bills, including a common sense proposal to boost school bus funding in Fort Wayne without raising taxes, which passed the Senate. I've seen Liz do more for the pro-life movement in two years than I've seen most do in an entire career in government. When Liz is elected, she will not only vote the right way, but also fight for our values." 

Rep. Bob Morris (District 84): "I've been impressed with Liz's willingness to fight for the taxpayer long before I started working with her at the Statehouse. She is true to her word and is always willing to do the right thing. Liz won't go to Washington and get cozy with lobbyists. She'll go to Washington and stand up to everything that's wrong with Washington."

Rep. Dave Ober (District 82): "Liz is a woman of integrity and she will serve us well in Washington. At the Statehouse we have witnessed her champion conservative principles and she will do the same in Congress. Our nation has many issues that need solving. I trust Liz to head to Washington and not get sucked in by the lobbyists and special interests. Her priority will remain the Third District."

Other area elected officials endorsing Brown include:
Travis Holdman, Senator for Indiana District 19
Tom Wyss, former Senator for Indiana District 15
Max Weber, Albion Town Council
Bill Brown, Allen County Council and former Allen County Commissioner
Joel Benz, Allen County Council
Anita Mather, Allen County Recorder
Susan Orth, Allen County Treasurer
Darren Vogt, former Allen County Council President
Ken Meyer, Decatur Mayor
Matt Dyer, Decatur City Council
Wylie Sirk, Decatur City Council
Lana Keesling, Fort Wayne City Clerk
Tom Freistroffer, Fort Wayne City Council
Steve Updike, former Mayor of Huntington
Jim Dazey, Kendallville City Council
SuzAnne Handshoe, Kendallville Mayor
Patty Fisel, Ligonier Mayor
Floyd Ball, New Haven City Council
Eric Blackman, Noble County Prosecutor
Dave Dolezal, Noble County Commissioner
Dave Abbott, Noble County Commissioner
Jim Getz, Steuben County Council
Lynne Liechty, Steuben County Commissioner
Vicki Andrews, Wells County Council
Tom Western, Whitley County Council
George Schrumpf, Whitley County Commissioner

Tom Wyss, former Senator for Indiana District 15: "Liz understands the problems facing government and how to solve them. She has been an effective senator for Indiana District 15 and I know she will do an excellent job representing Northeast Indiana in Congress."

Eric Blackman, Noble County Prosecutor: "Liz is a tireless worker who will represent us well in Washington. She is faithful in listening to her constituents. When she is in Congress we will remain her priority and she won't be swayed by D.C. special interests and lobbyists." 

Darren Vogt, former Allen County Council President: "Liz isn't going to Washington to make a career of it. She has a record of fighting for her constituents. Liz isn't one to sit idly and vote however her party tells her to; rather, Liz studies issues, listens to constituents and fights for common sense solutions."

Liz Brown, a Republican, seeks to represent Indiana's Third Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Brown currently serves Indiana Senate District 15 in the state legislature and is a former member of the Fort Wayne City Council. She has a long history of community involvement including roles with Boys and Girls Clubs, Cub Scouts, Parkview Hospital Ethics Committee, Notre Dame Club of Fort Wayne and various school boards. As a registered Civil and Domestic Mediator with her own mediation business, Liz maintains a number of associations in the legal field. Liz and her husband of 33 years, Steve, have seven children.

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Note: This list was updated after Nelson Peters didn't want to endorse, but Noble County Commissioner Dave Abbott and Albion Town Councilman Max Weber did.