Jerry Northington

Jerry Northington was a Democratic candidate in the 2008 congressional elections for the At-Large Congressional District (map) of Delaware. He was seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.). He lost in primary elections which took place on September 9, 2008.

Positions, record and controversies
Why I Am Running

There are many people who have taught me to how to live, including my parents, teachers, and other role models. The most important lesson I have learned from them is that there is a time in every life when you must take a stand and get involved in the great issues of your time. Simply taking care of yourself is not enough when the future of your children and their children's children is at stake.

At last, my time to take a stand has arrived. I can no longer sit on the sidelines and watch our country pursue a course that will bankrupt our nation, despoil our environment, and bring death and despair to many around the globe. I am running to serve as Delaware's At-large Representative to the United States Congress.

Our Nation is Off-Course

In the last six years, my idealism has been sorely tested by Mr. Bush's illegal, immoral, and costly war, and by Congress's ineffectual efforts to stop it. Thousands of American and Iraqi lives have been lost in the pursuit of fossil fuels, instead of developing a sustainable economy based on renewable resources here at home. Despite our protests, we have seen our president and his advisors lie to us, use illegal wiretaps, and manipulate the press to confuse us.

While some in Congress have tried to stand up to the president, our Congressman from Delaware has not been one of them. While the people of Delaware have increasingly been calling for peace, our voices have not been heard in the corridors of power in Washington.

I have decided to enter the race for Delaware's Congressional seat so that the voters will have a true choice. Someone must say "stop" to this insanity and speak up for peace, jobs and truth in the halls of Congress.

Together, We Will Stand Up for What's Right

With your help, I will take the oath as Delaware's Congressman in January, 2009 and my first goal will be to end the Iraq War. My second goal will be to use the money we save to ensure that every person has the freedom, security and dignity that will allow them the "pursuit of happiness" promised by our Nation's Founders. President Bush's plan to make us safer through pre-emptive wars has failed. We must build a world based on the security that comes from a rational defensive strategy combined with a sustained effort to improve the lives of everyone on the planet.

We must stop wasting billions in Iraq and start investing in schools and mass transit systems here in America. We must guarantee a living wage, a secure pension system, an appropriate and affordable education system, and health care that meets the needs of everyone at every stage of their lives. We need a system of transportation made to serve all of the people, and we must work toward a sustainable economy that supports family farms and small businesses. We must find a way to live in harmony with our environment, and we must end our unnecessary addiction to a fossil fuel economy.

Mohandas Gandhi once said, "you must be the change you want to see in the world." If we all work together, that change is going to start right here in Delaware.

2008 elections
Northington was seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) in the 2008 congressional elections. He lost in primary elections which took place on September 9, 2008.

About Jerry Northington

Jerry Northington is not a professional politician, yet he embodies many of the qualities we would like to see in our leaders. When asked to serve his country, he went to Vietnam and joined the 4th Infantry Division as a communications chief in an infantry company as they patrolled the Central Highlands. He saw firsthand the devastation that war brings to both the soldier and the civilian. He learned that fallen troops are not just statistics, but real people with friends, families, and communities that will bear the scars of loss years after the war is over.

Professional Life

Like his father, Jerry went on to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, and was asked to teach neurology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine for four years. He eventually helped to establish a veterinary specialty hospital, and continues his practice as a veterinarian with a practice limited to neurology.

As a scientist and healthcare professional, Jerry has had to develop listening, problem-solving, case management and other skills that are so lacking in the halls of Congress today. As a small businessman, he has had to learn how to stretch a dollar and keep good records. As a teacher, he has learned to communicate and motivate others to work toward a goal.

Committees
Northington will be assigned committees if and when he is elected to Congress.

Related SourceWatch articles

 * 2008 U.S. congressional elections
 * 2008 U.S. congressional election dates
 * Portal:Delaware and the U.S. Congress

External resources

 * 2008 Race Tracker page on Delaware's At-large Congressional District
 * Jerry Northington's official campaign website
 * Northington's FEC filings