Press Release

Josh First for Congress Campaign Files Ballot Petition

Harrisburg, PA…  Congressional candidate Josh First filed his ballot petitions with the Department of State today, far exceeding the minimum 1,000 signatures of registered Republicans that are required to get on the ballot.

"With over 1,400 registered Republican voters from across the Pennsylvania 17th congressional district signing our ballot petitions, our supporters and campaign staff believe that we will be certified for the primary ballot,” said candidate Josh First.

"We expect that one other candidate may try to challenge our signatures, and we know they will not succeed; we have far too many to be knocked off the ballot,” said First.  "Voters will be able to vote for me on May 18th.”

"We heard several consistent themes during our door to door collection of signatures,” said First. 

"One theme is that many long-time Republican voters feel jaded, saying that the essential values of the Republican Party and the conservative movement were ditched by many previous elected officials.  They are rejecting incumbents and they want fresh, new faces, a candidate like me who has never run before, who has no political baggage, to carry the torch.  A second theme is that these voters want a different, more conservative approach to governing:  Fewer insider deals and more standing on principle.  Career politicians are not wanted, and my pledge to stay in Congress for at most ten years and stay true to my core values has resonated,” said First.

"Finally, in the course of collecting signatures we all met some adults who do not want to vote or participate in the election process, and yet who simultaneously criticize government and elected officials.  Hey, folks, if you don’t vote, then it’s like getting in your car and driving down the highway with your eyes closed and your hands off the steering wheel.  You might think that you’re going to arrive at the local Giant to go food shopping, but you probably won’t get there.  As adults, your government is in your own hands, and if you take responsibility for it, then it will work for you.  But if you walk away from it, then someone else will be driving your car where they want to go,” First said.  "I encourage all adults to register to vote.”

The First for Congress Campaign registered about 100 Republican voters in Dauphin County over the past four weeks.

"I want to thank our incredible volunteers for all of their hard work, especially Ivy Sforza, Joe Templin, Carl Fox, and Jason Burkhart, all of whom got over 100 signatures each.  Cary Tallent, Devon Jacob, Guy Crall, and Aviva Woodland all collected over 40 signatures each.  Collecting signatures is hard work, and the three week window to gather signatures, during the harshest annual weather, is too brief to do it easily.  Some of our volunteers fell on the ice and were hurt.  I am thankful and honored by the dedication of these friends, and by the voters who signed our petitions” First said.

Contact: Susan at (717) 756-3682