Taking Fiscal Responsibility to the next level

Congressman Stearns' campaign office takes fiscal responsibility to the next level; it is in a dimly lit room of a local motel the Congressman used to own… and it doesn’t look like it attracts many guests.  We had to call the office to get directions; it definitely didn’t look the like a conventional campaign office.  Despite the office’s lack of extravagance, great work is still being done. When we arrived, Campaign Manager Shaun Walsh greeted us and showed us around.  Congressman Stearns has been serving in congress since 1976, and even in 2006, a bad year for Republicans, he won by 20% of the vote.  Congressman Stearns’ lofty margin of victory probably has a lot to do with his excellent constituent services.  He comes back to the district every weekend and holds personal and tele-town hall meetings on a regular basis.  Mr. Walsh told us that after the Congressman hosts four town halls in early July, he will have done 520 since being elected.  I think that is incredible.  If more Republican Congressmen around the country made that kind of commitment to their constituents, people would be a lot more confident in the work Congress does.  The campaign isn’t taking the perceived security of Stearns’ seat for granted.  Shaun is touching base with volunteers from past elections and already formulating sign lists.  It doesn’t seem like the work is too daunting of a task.  People are happy to help out, and have been doing so for years.  The office didn’t have much for us to do, but that’s ok, we still had a great time.  Orlando, here we come!