Over the decades (four of them, actually), Pinellas County voters have selected C.W. Bill Young to be their representative in Washington D.C. Although there have been rumors for many years that the 80-year-old Congressman might be stepping down at some point, he's steadfastly refused to do so.
A year and a half ago he slaughtered Democrat Charlie Justice as the GOP retook the House, but a new face has now announced she's not intimidated, and will take on the longtime legislator in November. Her name is Jessica Ehrlich.
In a press release issued on Monday, Ehrlich said that Young has done admirable service over the decades, but that Pinellas County deserves a change.
“The extremists in Congress have proven that they are incapable of putting partisanship aside to tackle the enormous challenges facing us. We deserve better,” said Ehrlich. “Bill Young has represented Pinellas County honorably and admirably, but over his more than 40 years in Congress, he’s changed. Representative Young has lost touch with our values and our priorities and has become a symbol of what’s wrong with Washington. The time has come for a new and energetic approach. We need a Representative focused on preserving Medicare, not ending it; standing up to special interests, not kowtowing to them; and growing the economy for all through innovation, job generation, and fresh thinking.”
This article appears in Feb 23-29, 2012.