Burgess Owens, a former NFL player who was part of the 1980 Super Bowl-winning Oakland Raiders lineup, formally declared his candidacy for Congress on Wednesday, saying he intends to win Utah’s 4th Congressional District back for Republicans after the 2018 election of Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams.
In a press release from his campaign, the candidate described a four-point platform focused on education, charity, industry and families. He said that McAdams has supported a liberal agenda that bears little resemblance to Utah values and principles.
“I believe that the principles upon which our country was built are founded on a bedrock of eternal truths – that these truths, when applied, build men and women of character and families with purpose and vision,” Owens said in a prepared statement. “I’m running for Congress because we deserve a representative who believes in the idea of individual liberties.”
Since retiring from the NFL, Owens founded the Utah-based nonprofit organization Second Chance 4 Youth. He is also the author of the books “Liberalism or How to Turn Good Men into Whiners, Weenies and Wimps" and “Why I Stand: From Freedom to the Killing Fields of Socialism” and is a frequent Fox News commentator.
Owens is one of several Republicans who have formally and informally launched a campaign for the 4th District, including state Sen. Dan Hemmert, R-Orem, state Rep. Kim Coleman, R-West Jordan, conservative activist Kathleen Anderson, and radio personality Jay “JayMac” McFarland. Another candidate, John Molnar, initially announced that he would run as a Republican but has since left the party.
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