Remarks

Steve Russell on the Stump

Remarks at Cleveland County Forum

I am Steve Russell. I am a conservative that has served America for 21 years as an Army Infantryman. I have fought in Kosovo and Afghanistan. I commanded roughly a thousand soldiers in a battalion in Iraq. Together, we were a central part of the hunt and capture of Saddam Hussein. After years of absence and hardship on my family, I turned down a full colonel promotion and a Queen’s University fellowship in Canada to retire back to Oklahoma, where I was raised. It was time to reconnect with my family and settle my children before they started to leave home.

Now as a self-employed businessman supporting a family of seven, I founded Vets for Victory to counter those that wish to abandon our hard-fought efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to speaking across our great nation, I have written opinion pieces in the Oklahoman, the Weekly Standard, New York Daily News, and many other papers and publications. I have appeared on Hannity & Colmes, Laura Ingraham, CSPAN, and a number of national and local radio and televisions spots as well. We have seen a dramatic turn around this past year, thanks to the soldiers’ hard work and the vets and people that have backed them up here at home.

As an absentee voter in Cleveland County during my years in the service, I have kept up with the events at home while I served my country. I am determined that we cannot allow any more assaults on our American way of life, or wait for courts to destroy our traditional families, or allow predators to enter women’s restrooms. From my visits at your door, on the phone or at meetings such as this, I know the erosion of our family values is foremost on your mind. As a father of five children, I understand through experience the difficulty and expense in raising children today. We must change the climate in our state that would provide tax credits for raising corn but not kids. For the record, I have nothing against corn.

I decided to run for state senate because this seat can make a difference on the policy of the entire state. We cannot throw up our hands and say, well it just doesn’t matter any more. I refuse to let cynicism take away the belief that regular people of regular means can still be elected by their fellow citizens to serve them in government. We must never give up on that hope.

I agree with your views on secure borders and the meaning of legal citizenship. One thing is for certain. Citizenship must be earned. I believe that smart men and women with an effort to respect the law can find workable solutions. But the baseline must be to preserve the freedoms I fought for, not give them away. I support unifying around the English language, not destroying one another over our differences as a people. As a soldier, I have seen enough of that.

I will take a stand to protect the unborn without apology, but I will also work to ease the burden of good families wishing to adopt children. Three of my own children were orphans. Kids deserve a home. But for the grace of God, it could be any of us. We have to find a better way, without the expense and red tape that often turns away those desiring to adopt.

Next year, we will have over 3000 of our National Guardsmen return home from combat and many, many more active duty soldiers. They will have needs that our state government must understand. Currently, there is not a single Republican State Senator that has served in this war. I believe that we must guard against help that our soldiers don’t need but make our politicians look good and focus on things they truly need. I will fight for them as they have fought for us.

I will be a fighter on many issues. I will have the courage to do what is right. I am not ashamed of my faith or of the name of Jesus Christ that inspires it. Freedom of speech and religion is what makes our nation so great. I am not trying to be somebody. I have had a taste of that. It is all very fleeting. I am trying to do ‘good.’ I will use the experience I have gathered around the world as I worked in failed states, rubbled cities and among suffering populations. I have experience making tough decisions, where the stakes were not someone’s feelings or reputation, but someone’s life. I know how to lead and I will not waiver. I look forward to serving you in the senate and could use your prayers, donations and support to help me get there. Thank you.

Closing Remarks at Cleveland County Forum

I love our state. When my third great grandfather came here as a veteran of the Civil War to stake a claim, he looked to a bright future. He had seen the best and the worst that human beings had to offer. But he believed in hard work, a pioneering spirit and had an excitement about what the next century might hold for him.

As I return from war, I have gathered a similar view in a similar situation. Life in Oklahoma will be what we make it. I chose to come home and watch my children grow because there is no better place on the planet. It is an opinion I know, but after traveling to 4 continents and 48 states, I have not changed my view. And that view is one of optimism not cynicism. There is a proverb that says, ‘Without a vision, the people perish.’ If we do nothing, we get nothing. We must look to ourselves and ask ‘how can we help’ not look to our neighbor and say, ‘How did we get here?’

I will be honest with you as I have in all other dealings in life. I have been entrusted with millions of dollars of equipment and thousands of soldiers lives. I know how to plan, how to build teams, and how to accomplish tasks.

With five children, I know about raising a family. As a self-employed businessman, I know about supporting that family and the challenges our businesses face in an ever-burdening governmental environment. As a leader, I know about pressure. As a combat soldier, I know about facing fear and having the courage to do what is right.

Having lived a rich and wonderful life already, I have come to the conclusion that the sum total of our lives is how we invest them in other people. Let’s invest together in our Mustang, Moore and Oklahoma City communities. Let’s look ahead together and see what we just might be able to accomplish if we set our minds to it. Thanks for coming tonight and thanks for listening. I know you did not have to be here. God bless you all.

Remarks at Canadian County Forum

I am Steve Russell, a husband, a father of five children, and a conservative Oklahoman that has served America for 21 years as a soldier. I fought in Kosovo and Afghanistan and commanded a thousand soldiers in Iraq, where we were a central part of the hunt and capture of Saddam Hussein.

I retired to settle my children before they left home. I am running for state senate because of its impact state policy. We cannot throw up our hands and say, well it just doesn’t matter any more. I refuse to let cynicism take away the belief that regular people of regular means can still be elected by their fellow citizens to serve them in government. We must never give up that hope.

I will fight against the assaults on our American way of life, the efforts to destroy traditional families, the efforts that kill the unborn, and hold up adoptions. I have experience handling thousands of men and millions of dollars worth of equipment. I know how to make tough decisions, where the stakes were not someone’s feelings or reputation, but someone’s life. I know how to lead and will not waiver.

Life in Oklahoma will be what we make it. I chose to come home and watch my children grow because there is no better place on the planet. After traveling the world, my view of home is one of optimism not cynicism. A proverb says, ‘Without a vision, the people perish.’ If we do nothing, we get nothing. We must look to ourselves and ask ‘how can we help’ not look to our neighbor and say, ‘How did we get here?’

I will be honest with you as I have in all other dealings in life. I know how to build teams and accomplish tasks. I know about raising a family. I know about supporting that family being self-employed, and the challenges that our businesses face. As a leader, I know about pressure. As a combat soldier, I know about facing fear and having the courage to do what is right.

I have come to the conclusion that the sum total of our lives is how we invest them in other people. Let’s invest together and see what we can accomplish if we set our minds to it. Thanks for coming tonight and thanks for listening. I know you did not have to be here. God bless you all.

July 4th in Moore

I had a wonderful time in Moore on the 3rd and 4th of July. I met literally hundreds of people and gained the confidence of scores of voters. I was reminded how freedom is not free and enjoyed the displays of fireworks with my family. It reminded me of the displays we had at many Army posts across the country and in Europe that we attended. I also harkened back to the several 4th of July celebrations I did not get to celebrate at home - Kosovo, Afghanistan & Kuwait, Iraq. I said a silent prayer that night as I sat and watched the fireworks display for all those that are still serving and defending our great nation.

Voters I talked to on the 4th are concerned about national security. About rising personal and property taxes. About gas prices. About Illegal Immigration. They want good schools but are puzzled why so much money has returned so little. The also want to believe that they still have a voice. Me too. And I was encouraged by so very many people that contacted me the next day and the next week with pledges of support, by volunteering and by making donations.

We can get this done. Thanks for your support thus far!

PLEASE SUPPORT ME ON JULY 29TH!

Keep Steve in the fight!

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