Ottaway a promising Congressional candidate

With so much at stake in the mid-term elections, November 6, it is in your interest to get to know the candidates for U.S. Congress for our newly formed District 13: Brent Ottaway (Dem) and John Joyce (Rep). I had the privilege of hearing Ottaway twice in Gettysburg, first at a Gettysburg Rising event, and more recently at Gettysburg Democracy for America’s October Meetup. (Joyce declined invitations to both events). Both candidates have Facebook pages and websites that will give you information about them, but nothing beats seeing and hearing them in person.

Brent Ottaway is a moderate Democrat, born and bred in Pa. He has served his community in the Hollidaysburg area in many capacities, including the School Board. Now in his 27th year at St. Francis University, in addition to teaching, Ottaway has held numerous demanding administrative positions that will be invaluable experience for working across the aisle in Washington: Dean of General Education, Associate Dean of the School of Arts and Letters, and President of the Faculty Senate. (Having worked in academe for many years myself, I know faculty can be a contentious lot of individuals!) In both his career and community service, Ottaway has had to bring people with different backgrounds and viewpoints into conversation, brokering relationships and collaborations that help everyone involved. His career path within higher education demonstrates his success in this regard. Washington sorely needs his talent for careful deliberation and civil discourse.

Ottaway’s expressed commitment to serving the people in our large new district—rather than lobbyists and very rich donors—is sincere and convincing. Legislators must be problem solvers, he believes, and facts and issues must take precedence over ideology.  

Not having heard or seen dermatologist Dr. Joyce yet, I cannot speak from direct experience, but I understand that he is an avid Trump supporter. It follows that he will go along with the current GOP approach to government—that is, to support large corporations and very rich donors at the expense of the middle class and the poor, attempt to “shred” the Affordable Care Act (including Medicaid expansions), and cut safety net programs, Medicare and Social Security. 

I encourage anyone who hasn’t met either candidate to attend their debate at Cross Keyes Village (The Brethren Home Community) at 6:00 pm on Monday, October 22, sponsored by the Gettysburg Times. The address is 2990 Carlisle Pike in New Oxford.  

Jeanne Duffy
Gettysburg