Joe Sestak has lived a life of public service, serving over thirty years in the U.S. Navy and rising to the rank of 3-star Admiral. Sestak later served as President Bill Clinton’s Director for Defense Policy on the National Security Council, and later was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania, becoming the highest-ranked military officer ever elected to Congress.
Today, Sestak is running for President, seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination. He launched his bid for the White House earlier this year after initially deciding not to run due to his daughter’s brain cancer, which is now in remission. However, he decided to jump into the race because he believes something is missing from the public dialogue.
“We need someone to be President who can unite this country,” Sestak said.
One of the biggest ways Sestak wants to focus on uniting the country is by listening to the concerns of rural voters. Noting that many rural counties across the country, including those in the Texas Panhandle, voted for Donald Trump by wide margins in 2016, he feels that he can earn the support of these areas by talking to voters there about the issues that matter to them. He proposes hosting a town hall in “the middle of America” as one his first acts as President, talking to rural voters about their concerns.
Sestak feels one of the biggest issues impacting these rural communities is the closing of hospitals. He feels that one of the best ways forward on this issue is to use to the Veterans Health Administration model to develop hospitals and clinics in rural areas of the country.
Sestak also feels bipartisanship must be one of the ways forward for healing the divided nation. As a Democrat who represented a 2-to-1 Republican district in Congress, he says that his record of working with individuals across the aisle will be a major asset for the American people. He believes he can take that record to work as President.
“It’s policy, but it’s also about listening to them,” Sestak said. “We can disagree the right way.”
As President, Sestak wants to address a number of issues, including healthcare, job training education, and supporting small businesses as the “engine of economic growth.” On the issue of small business growth, he feels that this can be achieved by following the Wisconsin model of offering a tax credit to an investor who invests in a small business.
Sestak also feels that the Democratic Party needs to focus more on blue collar workers and addressing their concerns, which he plans to do as President.
“Who the Democratic Party should be focused on is the blue collar worker…they are the bread and butter of America,” Sestak said.
The Democrat’s campaign, much like his platform, has been people-driven. While many other presidential candidates have spent the 2020 cycle focused on televised debates, social media disputes, and celebrity endorsements, Sestak has been walking and talking to voters - literally. Last month, he walked 105 miles across New Hampshire, meeting voters and addressing their concerns face to face.
For more information about Joe Sestak’s presidential bid, visit www.joesestak.com