On the recordMarch 6, 2019
I accept this as--and I don't mean this in a mean fashion, but I accept this as one of the tenets of faith on the Democratic side. The gentleman from Maryland--wonderfully articulate--that isn't what happened. I mean, you have 25 years in other States and other communities, particularly in legislative bodies. I thought the same thing. But the fact of the matter is, what you do in this fashion is the person who is part of a certain leftist group, right group: I just need these folks to write me enough checks so that I get enough matching, or a good direct mail vendor who hits the ideological extreme so I get those dollars. Those aren't the facts. And on occasion, we have to take a step back and take a look at sort of the incubators of democracy and experience, which is our State legislatures, and understand the reality of what has happened. I am a conservative. It worked out fine for my view of the world, but understand--at least in my State legislature--within 4 years, this type of plan completely changed the character of the population that was representing the people in Arizona. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
