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To the Editor:
With Congressman Phil Roe retiring, we all want his replacement to be the best representative for the 1st Congressional District. Since two of the leading candidates are from Washington County, we would like to provide our opinion and endorsement of Steve Darden.
We have invested 26 years of having Rusty Crowe in the State Senate and we believe it’s in our best interests for him to complete his term which expires in 2023. Otherwise, we are forfeiting the influence that he could exercise in Nashville. With Ron Ramsey having retired several years ago, we need a presence. Plus, Rusty is seeking to become a rooking congressman at the same stage of life that Congressman Roe is retiring, which makes no sense given that it takes time to get established.
We also understand that at the Unicoi County Legislative Breakfast in March, Rusty boasted of flying to Washington, D.C. from the Knoxville Airport rather than using our Tri-City Airport. Every business person in our region understands the importance of supporting the Tri-City Airport. That Rusty would miss this basic point is very disturbing and suggests that he does not understand the basics of leadership within our local economy and region.
Steve Darden, on the other hand, has been in the thick of economic development efforts in Washington County and the region for at least 20 years. When I was on the county commission and Steve was Johnson City’s mayor we and others worked together to revamp the economic structure of our county and Steve was instrumental in the actual recruitment of businesses. Steve has the intelligence, energy, and determination to be a great congressman, not to mention the skills to be a great ambassador for the 1st Congressional District. Plus, he is at the perfect stage of life to take on the job: mature enough to make good decisions but poses no danger of becoming a career politician.
Between the two Washington County candidates running for Congress, Darden, to us, is the better choice.

Pat and Becky Wolfe
Telford