Opinion: A Statesman – Congressman Paul Gosar – Buz Williams

“A statesman is a politician who places himself at the service of the nation. A politician is a statesman who places the nation at his service.” – Georges Pompidou

About a dozen years ago, I was sitting in the Lone Spur Cafe having breakfast with a bunch of retired cops from all over the country. In walks a slender younger man who asked to address us. He introduced himself as Paul Gosar, a dentist from Flagstaff, who was running for Congress in our district. Cops in general, and retired cops in particular, are a cynical group. They have a skeptical attitude toward most people, especially politicians.

Gosar started winning me over when he told us that he had no political experience, but considered himself a “Constitutional conservative”. He solidified my future vote for him when he pulled a pocket sized Constitution from his coat pocket and said that he carried it with him always and often referred to it. (Every time I’ve seen him since then, I’ve asked and he always had it with him.) At the many times I’ve seen him since then, Congressman Gosar has enhanced my belief that he is, indeed, a real Constitutional conservative.

I have often heard him say things like, “I work for you, the people” or “government serves the people, not vice versa.” He is not a wishy washy RINO Republican. He is a member of the most Constitutionally loyal group in Congress, the Freedom Caucus. He has the courage to stick by his convictions. In his race in 2018, six of his siblings came out against him. Some appeared in TV ads against him. This is hardly surprising, since his brother, Pete, once ran for governor, as a Democrat, in Wyoming and has served as chair of the Wyoming Democrat Party.

As painful as that must have been for Gosar, he stuck to his guns and remains true to his Constitutional beliefs. He has become increasingly popular in our congressional district. In his first election in, what was then Congressional District (CD) 1, Gosar beat the incumbent Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick with almost 50% of the vote. In his reelection in 2012, when redistricting changed our CD from CD1to CD4, Congressman Gosar garnered over 66% of the vote. In 2014, he received just under 70% of the vote. In 2016, 71.5% of the vote. In 2018, Gosar gathered 68% of the vote and in 2020 he amassed over 69% of the total vote.

Once again, the Congressional Districts have been redistricted. Now Congressman Gosar will be running in CD9, just west of our District. Our loss is CD9’s gain. Our new District is District CD2. Fortunately, Congressman Gosar is endorsing an able candidate in our CD2, Eli Crane, former Navy Seal war veteran and businessman who shares our and Gosar’s values.

I’m sure I am joined by the vast majority of Congressman Gosar’s past constituents in thanking him for his selfless service to us, the people of Arizona and the United States. We pray for him and his reelection to Congress in his new Congressional District. Congressman Gosar has epitomized the words of another statesman, Democrat Harry Truman who said, “Work hard, do your best, and keep your word. Never get too big for your britches. Trust in God, have no fear, and never forget a friend.”