To the Editor:

I am writing this letter on behalf of Tedra Cobb as she campaigns to become our representative in the United States House of Representatives for the 21st District of New York.

This district has always been my home. I grew up in the countryside part of rural Potsdam and feel that Tedra knows and speaks for the people who I have known all of my life. Actually, she seems to me to be most comfortable with common people.

No doubt, she could fit in with a “tuxedo and evening gown” population but she seems more aligned with the people who I have known, worked with, grew up with and live with in northern New York.

The most important issue for me, as this critical election approaches, is do I want a representative who truly understands the issues of the people of this region? Will our next representative in the United States Congress be a person who will battle for our people or will the representative be aligned with the big money, banking, very wealthy people who are served so well by our current representative?

Honestly, I want a congressperson who will go battle on behalf of the single parents, the poor, the less well educated, the unemployed and under employed, the people who have little or no voice.

If a voter is very wealthy and has no concerns about home, wealth, job, the future, the education of children, programs for the middle class, the poor, the marginalized then the current representative will serve you adequately.

I want something different and better and we deserve better. Actually, all of us, regardless of party affiliation deserve better than we have now. The way I see it is that if any of us is unrepresented or unspoken for, then all of us are disadvantaged.

The people in need of very good health care need a voice. Those in need of economic opportunity need a voice. Those who are struggling to hang on to their homes need a representative. Not just the wealthy. All of us need a congressional representative. We do not have that now.

I have heard Tedra speak. I have spoken with her a number of times. I have heard one word more than any other from her and the word is “collaborative.” We can do better in the 21st Congressional District than we are doing now. Change will not be easy. And we can make life better in the North Country and we can do that working together, not as Republicans or Democrats but working collaboratively.

People are being asked to do some serious research on the candidates. I am asking myself “Do I want more of the same or do I want something different and better for our district? Do I want a person of substance who shares our values, our dreams, our wishes for ourselves and our families or do I want more of the ideas of Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell?”

I will only speak for me, but I want no more of Mr. Ryan or Mr. McConnell and our current representative seems to be captivated by them. Those two people and our current representative do not stand for the values, the principles, the dreams of the people of our district.

We need Tedra Cobb. We need her strong voice for common people. We need her sense of purpose and her sense of character for the people of the North Country. She understands us. She will speak eloquently for us. Our present and our future depends upon her sense of substance.

The other side has lots and lots of money. The other side has slogans and advertising and a machine. The other side has no feel for the heart, the soul, the needs, the dreams, the future of the North Country.

We have had crucial elections in the past and we will have others again down the road. At this moment in history, our beloved North Country deserves a representative in the United States House of Representatives like Tedra Cobb and she has my full support.

Lawrence Casey

Canton