I was raised to be an optimist. In my first run for public office, it is my father's voice that carries me through the cynicism that infects politics and government. While some of the barriers I'm facing I expected, others have been more shocking. But as I press forward as a young first-time candidate, I believe that there's a magic in government, public service and politics that can overcome weary cynicism.
Since I started this journey, countless friends have been curious as to exactly how one goes about running for Congress. It's the murky mysteriousness of the process itself that discourages so many would-be candidates from throwing their hats in the ring. The frustrating barriers to entry in the political sphere are nowhere to be found in the private sector.
Look at all of the incredible technological advancement we've seen in the last two decades. If we had discouraged young, hungry and optimistic entrepreneurs from getting involved in tech startups, think of all of the opportunities the world would have missed out on.
My friends in the tech startup world often talk about implementing exciting concepts such as native commerce that personalize, demystify and simplify the process of shopping. Why can't we channel the same creative, innovative and risk-taking energy to the world of politics to address a frighteningly polarized government that has crossed its arms and stamped its feet into partisan gridlock?
The fact that I'm young and haven't held elected office shouldn't be a barrier to entry into politics just as the fact that Mark Zuckerberg hadn't started a company before didn't stop him from starting Facebook. Youthful innovation is prized in the tech sector but young people who want to run for office are commonly told to wait in line. And based upon the dysfunction we see in Washington, D.C. right now, despite the collective experience of members of Congress, being an elected official is neither necessary nor sufficient to running for political office.
As a young immigrant with a family to provide for, my dad was able to secure a loan through an independent state agency in New Jersey, responsible for economic development, which is how he got his foothold in American business. I remember watching him wake before dawn to head to work, and through sheer tenacity, eventually open and own his own business.
My father raised me to believe there is a magic in this country that doesn't exist anywhere else in the world that gives the powerlessness opportunity and helps underdogs defy great odds. My parents came to this country with nothing and it was their optimistic courage, hard work and sacrifice that enabled me to receive an Ivy League education and attend one of the nation's best law schools.
I've seen young tech entrepreneurs channel that same magic to add value to world around them. I've seen technology partner up with sweat equity to shatter barriers to entry and bring the private sector playing field closer to level than it's ever been. But there's a glaring disconnect between that magical optimism in the private sector and what we're seeing in government and politics today.
I decided to run for office because I believe in responsible government. My father could never imagine a sign on his door that said closed for business. When the Tea Party and my opponent Scott Garrett symbolically hung that sign on the Capitol steps, shutting down the government, I knew I had to stand up for what is right. I had to stand up for responsibility against their cynicism and recklessness.
It is an honor to seek the nomination of my party, and I will rely on the values of hardworking people as I do so. Not only will I be up early to win the votes of my district, but I will do everything in my power to ensure that the Capitol steps no longer are walled off with a sign that says closed for business. I will also endeavor to be a role model for people who believe it is the quality of ideas and hard work that should determine who gets the great honor of representing New Jersey in Congress.
If we only look to the past, it looks like we are set up to fail. Whether it's starting that new company, taking on a new job or being truthful with someone we care about, life is full of risks and seemingly unbeatable odds. But our job as contributing members of society is to constantly push forward.
I remember sitting in front of the television as a kid to watch that incredible scene in Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington when Jimmy Stewart's character Jefferson Smith, private citizen and Boy Rangers leader, heads down to D.C. and realizes he's in over his head. But he regains his faith in government during a magical late night trip to the Lincoln Memorial. As the son of immigrants who is leaving a safe job in the private sector to take on a powerful incumbent, I have to believe that optimism can overcome cynicism and barriers are meant to be broken down.