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Indianapolis Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
André Carson has been in Congress since 2008. Could his 2026 primary be competitive?
Indianapolis U.S. Rep. André Carson has seen plenty of primary challengers throughout his 17 years representing Indiana's 7th Congressional District, but his Democratic opponent for 2026 could be his toughest race yet. The political attacks are already starting between the 17-year incumbent and his 34-year-old primary opponent. George Hornedo, a political strategist and attorney, said he is running against Carson because he wants to be a representative that delivers results to the community and builds Democratic power across the state. Indianapolis needs a change from Carson, Hornedo said. 'I respect Congressman Carson,' Hornedo said. 'Up until this, I had a good relationship with him, but sometimes we have to tell the truth.' Hornedo's campaign is part of a current trend across the country of younger candidates challenging longtime Democratic incumbents in Congress, arguing the party needs change after President Donald Trump's election in 2024. Those running could get financial support. David Hogg, the embattled Democratic National Committee Vice Chair, in April said he planned to spend $20 million through his organization Leaders We Deserve to support primary challengers to safe-seat Democratic incumbents as well as young candidates running for office in current red districts. This trend of challenging safe-seat incumbents is likely due to the rise of frustration about Trump administration policies and a lack of action from Democrats, who are in the minority, said Mike Wolf, chair of the Mike Downs Center for Politics at Purdue University Fort Wayne. There is likely also resentment among the party about the end of former President Joe Biden's 2024 campaign and time at the White House, Wolf said. "If you're in a blue district, this is maybe one of the only actions you can take to really do something about it," Wolf said. But Hornedo faces the same challenges Carson's past Democratic and Republican opponents have run into for more than a decade. Not only does Carson have the name recognition advantage from being a 17-year incumbent in deep blue Indianapolis, he shares the last name of his late grandmother Julia Carson, who served in the Indiana General Assembly before becoming the first Black woman from Indianapolis elected to Congress in 1996. In 2024, Carson defeated his closest primary challenger by 85 percentage points and closest general election opponent by 39 percentage points. Despite that, Hornedo said Carson has not provided proper leadership to the 7th Congressional District or helped grow Democratic power. He points to recent low voter turnout in Marion County and the congressman's low legislative effectiveness ranking of 197/220 by the Center for Effective Lawmaking. Caroline Ellert, a spokesperson for Carson's campaign, dismissed the critiques. Voter turnout is "a multifacted issue" and Marion County is a Democratic stronghold due to "a strong ground game" Carson has built over the years, Ellert said. Additionally, one website does not reflect the congressman's career or indicate the support of his constituents. "It doesn't take into account Congressman Carson's classified work with the House Intel committee, grant funding secured for the district, and community project funding— which is funding that goes directly to Indianapolis projects," Ellert said. Hornedo grew up in Indianapolis and attended Park Tudor School. He received an undergraduate degree at Cornell University, a master's degree from Harvard University and a law degree from George Washington University Law School, according to his campaign website. While his political resume doesn't yet include elected office, Hornedo said he worked in communications for the Department of Justice during former President Barack Obama's administration and as a delegate director for then-South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign in addition to other policy roles in the nonprofit and private sectors. Last year, Hornedo founded a political group called Next Gen Hoosiers to support and elect 'a new generation of leaders.' Federal campaign finance reports show the group raised and spent $20,000 in last year, but has not yet directly donated to any political candidates. While Hornedo may have more political experience than some of Carson's past primary challengers, Carson has handily defeated his primary opponents over the years. Still, Hornedo said he views a win over Carson and change in party leadership as "inevitable." "I see this as a really pivotal point in the city of Indianapolis, not just for the seat in 2026, but for the mayoral seat in 2027 of how do we get new leadership that is a break from the past," Hornedo said. "Leadership that actually has a forward looking vision for the community and the ability to execute and the desire to take on that leadership part of building role, and the desire to be the connector and the convener." Indiana's primary election is nearly a year from now, but Hornedo has already begun attacking Carson. In posts on social media Hornedo criticized an early May event Carson held at the Center Township Government Center with U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, a top House Democrat. Hornedo said Clark's visit was a sign Carson was "scared" about Hornedo's campaign. (Carson dismissed the comments and said Hornedo "probably doesn't remember" past Democrats visiting Indianapolis "because he wasn't living here at the time.") More: Why a top House Democrat joined Rep. André Carson for an event in Indianapolis Hornedo in early May also posted a video on X saying he was turned away from a "local Democratic community organizing meeting," which he said was another sign the party is uncomfortable with change. The director of the Indiana House Democratic Caucus disputed Hornedo's description of the event in a response on X, saying he tried to attend a ticketed political fundraiser he had not RSVP'd to. Federal campaign finance reports, which are due in July, will begin to signal what direction the primary might head in the coming months. But the early start of political swipes is a sign the 7th Congressional District primary could shape up to be a contentious race. Indiana's primary election is May 5, 2026. Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
André Carson has been in Congress since 2008. Could his 2026 primary be competitive?
Indianapolis U.S. Rep. André Carson has seen plenty of primary challengers throughout his 17 years representing Indiana's 7th Congressional District, but his Democratic opponent for 2026 could be his toughest race yet. The political attacks are already starting between the 17-year incumbent and his 34-year-old primary opponent. George Hornedo, a political strategist and attorney, said he is running against Carson because he wants to be a representative that delivers results to the community and builds Democratic power across the state. Indianapolis needs a change from Carson, Hornedo said. 'I respect Congressman Carson,' Hornedo said. 'Up until this, I had a good relationship with him, but sometimes we have to tell the truth.' Hornedo's campaign is part of a current trend across the country of younger candidates challenging longtime Democratic incumbents in Congress, arguing the party needs change after President Donald Trump's election in 2024. Those running could get financial support. David Hogg, the embattled Democratic National Committee Vice Chair, in April said he planned to spend $20 million through his organization Leaders We Deserve to support primary challengers to safe-seat Democratic incumbents as well as young candidates running for office in current red districts. This trend of challenging safe-seat incumbents is likely due to the rise of frustration about Trump administration policies and a lack of action from Democrats, who are in the minority, said Mike Wolf, chair of the Mike Downs Center for Politics at Purdue University Fort Wayne. There is likely also resentment among the party about the end of former President Joe Biden's 2024 campaign and time at the White House, Wolf said. "If you're in a blue district, this is maybe one of the only actions you can take to really do something about it," Wolf said. But Hornedo faces the same challenges Carson's past Democratic and Republican opponents have run into for more than a decade. Not only does Carson have the name recognition advantage from being a 17-year incumbent in deep blue Indianapolis, he shares the last name of his late grandmother Julia Carson, who served in the Indiana General Assembly before becoming the first Black woman from Indianapolis elected to Congress in 1996. In 2024, Carson defeated his closest primary challenger by 85 percentage points and closest general election opponent by 39 percentage points. Despite that, Hornedo said Carson has not provided proper leadership to the 7th Congressional District or helped grow Democratic power. He points to recent low voter turnout in Marion County and the congressman's low legislative effectiveness ranking of 197/220 by the Center for Effective Lawmaking. Caroline Ellert, a spokesperson for Carson's campaign, dismissed the critiques. Voter turnout is "a multifacted issue" and Marion County is a Democratic stronghold due to "a strong ground game" Carson has built over the years, Ellert said. Additionally, one website does not reflect the congressman's career or indicate the support of his constituents. "It doesn't take into account Congressman Carson's classified work with the House Intel committee, grant funding secured for the district, and community project funding— which is funding that goes directly to Indianapolis projects," Ellert said. Hornedo grew up in Indianapolis and attended Park Tudor School. He received an undergraduate degree at Cornell University, a master's degree from Harvard University and a law degree from George Washington University Law School, according to his campaign website. While his political resume doesn't yet include elected office, Hornedo said he worked in communications for the Department of Justice during former President Barack Obama's administration and as a delegate director for then-South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign in addition to other policy roles in the nonprofit and private sectors. Last year, Hornedo founded a political group called Next Gen Hoosiers to support and elect 'a new generation of leaders.' Federal campaign finance reports show the group raised and spent $20,000 in last year, but has not yet directly donated to any political candidates. While Hornedo may have more political experience than some of Carson's past primary challengers, Carson has handily defeated his primary opponents over the years. Still, Hornedo said he views a win over Carson and change in party leadership as "inevitable." "I see this as a really pivotal point in the city of Indianapolis, not just for the seat in 2026, but for the mayoral seat in 2027 of how do we get new leadership that is a break from the past," Hornedo said. "Leadership that actually has a forward looking vision for the community and the ability to execute and the desire to take on that leadership part of building role, and the desire to be the connector and the convener." Indiana's primary election is nearly a year from now, but Hornedo has already begun attacking Carson. In posts on social media Hornedo criticized an early May event Carson held at the Center Township Government Center with U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, a top House Democrat. Hornedo said Clark's visit was a sign Carson was "scared" about Hornedo's campaign. (Carson dismissed the comments and said Hornedo "probably doesn't remember" past Democrats visiting Indianapolis "because he wasn't living here at the time.") More: Why a top House Democrat joined Rep. André Carson for an event in Indianapolis Hornedo in early May also posted a video on X saying he was turned away from a "local Democratic community organizing meeting," which he said was another sign the party is uncomfortable with change. The director of the Indiana House Democratic Caucus disputed Hornedo's description of the event in a response on X, saying he tried to attend a ticketed political fundraiser he had not RSVP'd to. Federal campaign finance reports, which are due in July, will begin to signal what direction the primary might head in the coming months. But the early start of political swipes is a sign the 7th Congressional District primary could shape up to be a contentious race. Indiana's primary election is May 5, 2026. Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany. Sign up for our free weekly politics newsletter, Checks & Balances, curated by IndyStar politics and government reporters. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: U.S. Rep. André Carson's 2026 primary opponent may be his toughest yet
Axios
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
George Hornedo says a win over André Carson is "inevitable"
Inevitable. That's how George Hornedo describes winning a seat in Indiana's 7th Congressional District. Why it matters: Democrats nationwide are preparing themselves for what they expect to be a wave of insurgents who'll try to harness grassroots fury to unseat some of House Democrats' longest-serving members, including nine-term incumbent André Carson, whom 34-year-old Hornedo is challenging in next year's primary. State of play: Hornedo is riding that wave, but the circumstances of the 7th District race are a little different. Hornedo doesn't label himself a progressive, like some upstart candidates do, and Carson isn't a septuagenarian, like some incumbents facing primary challenges. He's a progressive 50-year-old Black Muslim who sits on the House Intelligence committee. Still, Hornedo lumps Carson in with the "do-nothing Democrats" that voters are frustrated with, pointing to a report from the Center for Effective Lawmaking that ranks Carson as one of the least effective Democrats in the House. What he's saying: "The win is inevitable because the community is clearly yearning for change," Hornedo told Axios. "It's not about me, it's not about Carson. It's about the change." Hornedo says the response his campaign has already received, the number of volunteers he's signed up and individual donors contributing to him are signs of that. Reality check: Carson has a strong base of support that goes back decades to his grandmother, Julia Carson, whose seat he took over in 2008 after her death the previous year. He hasn't faced serious primary threats and has handily won every reelection campaign. "The Center for Effective Lawmaking is just one institution, and it doesn't take into account Congressman Carson's classified work with the House Intel committee, grant funding secured for the district, and community project funding — which is funding that goes directly to Indianapolis projects," said Caroline Ellert, spokesperson for the campaign. "The congressman listens to his constituents on the job he's doing, not a website." Between the lines: The primary is about a year out, but the race is already getting contentious. Hornedo says that he's received pushback from some local Democrats, including being turned away from a local organizing meeting recently. Hornedo, a Park Tudor graduate, spent much of the last decade in Washington interning in the Obama White House after doing his undergraduate work at Cornell and grad school at Harvard. He went to law school at George Washington and worked for Pete Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign. He moved back to Indianapolis full-time last year. "Indy was always home," he said. What we're watching: Enthusiasm is great, but it still takes money to win a congressional race in America.
Axios
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Amid anti-incumbent mood, U.S. Rep. André Carson holds town hall
We're still a year out from the 2026 congressional primary, but the race for Indiana's 7th District is already more interesting than it's been in a long time. The big picture: Democrats nationwide are preparing themselves for what they expect to be a wave of insurgents who'll try to harness grassroots fury to unseat some of House Democrats' oldest members. Why it matters: U.S. Rep. André Carson, who has represented the congressional district that covers most of Indianapolis for more than 15 years, is among those being challenged. Driving the news: Carson and his challenger, Democratic strategist George Hornedo, exchanged jabs this week as Carson held a town hall meeting with House Democratic whip Katherine Clark. A former Indianapolis city councilman, Carson, 50, was elected to Congress in 2008 in a special election to replace his grandmother, Julia Carson, following her death. Hornedo, 34, is a Democratic strategist who worked on former Pete Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign What they're saying:"Let's call this what it is: Washington is sending in backup because they know we're building something real," Hornedo said in a statement. He said Clark's visit means House leadership is worried. The other side: Carson said he and Clark are friends, neighbors and workout buddies. They've talked about a joint visit for a while, he said, and it finally worked out while Clark was in the Midwest on personal business. He added that visits from high-ranking Democratic leaders are a regular occurrence and not a sign that he's worried about his race, pointing to stops made by Buttigieg, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and then-President Barack Obama. "He probably doesn't remember, because he wasn't living here at the time," Carson said of Hornedo. "So I imagine he would say that, but folks who have been here know that this is something regular for us." Plus: Carson said he's held other in-person community gatherings but hasn't used the term "town hall" because it's a target for bad actors. He said he's received several death threats in the last few weeks. He's held virtual town halls in recent months, which he said are more convenient for constituents and allow more people to participate. Zoom out: Democrats have been experiencing months of generational and philosophical upheaval, beginning with former President Biden's withdrawal from the Democratic presidential ticket last summer.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Young Democrats challenge longtime incumbents as party grapples with generational divide
In his bid to unseat Rep. Andre Carson, the 50-year-old Democrat who has represented Indiana's 7th Congressional District since 2008, 34-year-old challenger George Hornedo has argued the Democratic Party isn't working, nationally or locally. Some voters in the district are open to hearing him out. Maria Langston, a 69-year-old retiree and longtime Carson supporter, said she 'would be open' to voting for Hornedo. She added that she wanted Carson to increase his 'visibility within the neighborhood' and play more of a role in building the Democratic Party, which is out of power across all branches of Indiana's government and has few pockets of political clout outside Indianapolis, the solidly blue population center in the deep-red state. 'We have to rebuild our leaders. We have to identify the leaders,' she said. 'A lot of people have become too complacent, and that might be some of our Democratic leaders.' Putting a finer point on her message to the party, Langston added: 'Come on, Democrats — let's do something.' Hornedo is part of a growing wave of young Democrats who have launched bids to shake up the party's ranks by ousting incumbent House members in deep blue seats. They see voter frustrations with what they've described as Democrats' ineffective response to President Donald Trump's actions as a mandate to remake the party. Leaders We Deserve, a group led by Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg, is planning to spend $20 million to boost young candidates, including some seeking to oust Democratic incumbents in safe seats. Justice Democrats, the organization that supported New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's successful 2018 primary run, announced its first challenge of the 2026 cycle Monday. So far, more than half a dozen young Democrats have launched campaigns against those in the party they say aren't doing enough to combat Trump's agenda. Many of those candidates are making cases for generational change. 'It is about needing new energy in Congress to actually meet the moment where we are,' said 37-year-old Jake Rakov, who is challenging his former boss, 15-term Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman of California. 'We just need people who are more active communicators, who can move the party into the 21st century and don't operate like it's 1996.' For others, it's about tactics – and volume. The 26-year-old social media star Kat Abughazaleh, who launched her run against Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky before reports the 80-year-old progressive planned to retire, said frustration with Democrats' response to Trump is 'probably what unites a lot of us' who are taking on House incumbents. 'We're done with this administration and we don't think that Democrats are doing enough,' she said. 'We can't be like Chuck Schumer and write a bunch of strongly-worded letters for a president who doesn't like reading.' Abughazaleh said she has spoken with a number of other Democrats considering their own campaigns, and is planning a May video call to talk with many of them. Schakowsky, meanwhile, said in a statement she has not yet made a decision and will announce whether she will seek reelection in a May 5 speech. The spate of primary challenges comes amid a broader debate within the Democratic Party about how best to counter the president and reach the voters who handed Republicans full control of Washington in last year's elections. In some cases, the push for younger leaders has also extended a difficult conversation about age and fitness in the wake of President Joe Biden's late exit from the 2024 presidential race. The debate is playing out in midterm races, within the Democratic National Committee and in the earliest stages of the 2028 presidential primary contest, as potential contenders use rallies, speeches and podcasts to begin to position themselves and test messaging. The House primary races could test how strong the Democratic electorate's appetite is for fresh faces, and whether any new approaches are effective. The internal tensions come as the party faces questions about its image with voters – fueled by dissatisfaction within its own ranks. A recent CNN poll found just 38% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents approve of the party's leadership while anger with politics has swelled to 70% among Democratic-aligned Americans. As of now, the various primary efforts aren't connected. But they all share a common theme: a complaint that many of the Democratic Party's current leaders are relying on an outdated political playbook and failing to address the perceived overreaches of the second Trump administration with sufficient energy. Justice Democrats is returning to its roots of supporting primary challenges to Democrats after spending the 2024 cycle focused on protecting progressive incumbents. (Two of its endorsed candidates – former Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush – lost their primaries last year.) The group is actively recruiting candidates. 'We feel like there is a mandate for us, based on the results in November, to help reshape and transform this Democratic Party, as we've tried to do since the start of this organization,' Usamah Andrabi, Justice Democrats' communication director, said in an interview. The group's first target is two-term Michigan Rep. Shri Thanedar, a 70-year-old multimillionaire the group plans to frame as the Elon Musk of Detroit. Justice Democrats is backing 32-year-old state Rep. Donavan McKinney in the Detroit-area 13th Congressional District. As he confronts fresh political pressure from the progressive wing of the party, Thanedar this week introduced articles of impeachment against Trump. 'We cannot wait for more damage to be done,' he said in a statement. 'Congress must act.' The current wave of young primary challengers shares some common themes with the 2018 midterm election cycle, when candidates backed by Justice Democrats such as Ocasio-Cortez, Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley and other progressive lawmakers who are part of 'The Squad' beat longtime incumbents or won crowded primaries for safe seats. Now, however, candidates and organizations pushing for new leaders say the stakes are higher and the anger and frustration of the party base is more intense. Saikat Chakrabarti, a co-founder of Justice Democrats who is now challenging former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said he's in contact with other young Democrats running for office and has encouraged other would be challengers to launch campaigns. The 39-year-old said he was inspired to challenge Pelosi, 85, after she maneuvered to block Ocasio-Cortez's bid to become the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee. The member Pelosi backed, 75-year-old Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly, announced this week that he would step down from the leadership post on the committee due to health concerns and retire at the end of his term. 'We need our best fighters in there,' Chakrabarti said. 'This is long past the time of the politics of loyalty and seniority.' A spokesperson for Pelosi declined an interview request for this article. Hogg, however, said he would not support primary challenges against members like Pelosi, who he credited with leading House Democrats' resistance to Trump in 2018 and who he said needed to be there to mentor the next generation of Democrats. He is also not backing candidates who are running to the right of safe seat incumbents. Still, Hogg has angered party leaders by attempting to launch his own wave of challengers while being a party leader. The national party, they argue, should project neutrality. Later this year, the committee will consider an expanded neutrality clause that would force Hogg to choose between challenging incumbents and maintaining his leadership role. Hogg has said he believes the committee is preparing to 'remove' him. Despite the controversy, Hogg has argued Democrats need to challenge what he deems 'ineffective' lawmakers in safe seats to rebuild the party and improve its standing with voters. 'We're going to have to challenge people. We're going to have to shake things up, especially if our approval rating is at 27,' he said. 'There is no amount of messaging that is going to get us out of that.' Sherman, as well as other critics of the primary efforts, argue that Democrats could jeopardize their chances of retaking the House if they have to direct resources toward defending party members, and that incumbents in safe seats would have to spend money on themselves that could go toward flipping GOP-held seats. He also pushed back on the idea that Democrats need to radically transform the party. 'The fact is, we are doing a hell of a job,' he told CNN. 'We are winning, and maybe we're winning because the other side is screwing up, or maybe we're winning because we're doing a good job, but the polls right now are very good,' he added, referencing Trump's declining approval ratings and Democrats' standing on the generic ballot. But Democratic challengers are calling for more urgent and engaging representation in Congress. Everton Blair, a 33-year-old Georgia educator, announced a bid to unseat 12-term incumbent Democratic Rep. David Scott in Georgia's heavily Democratic 13th Congressional District last month, arguing voters there are 'fed up' and need an 'alternative.' Scott, 79, was first elected to Congress in 2002 and fended off multiple Democratic primary challenges in past cycles. In 2024, Scott secured enough votes to avoid a primary runoff when he faced six Democratic challengers in a district that was redrawn months prior. But Blair, a former chair of the Gwinnett County Board of Education, said this year's contest is different. 'Somebody's got to do something, and I think we've witnessed what running the same tired playbook gets us,' said Blair, one of several Democrats planning to challenge Scott in 2026. 'It's on us now. If we don't learn from this lesson and if we don't bring up a new bench of leaders, then we are the ones to blame when we don't succeed.' In interviews with Democratic primary voters in Indianapolis, conversations about the contest between Carson and Hornedo quickly shifted to concerns about the party's larger leadership vacuum. On a recent Saturday morning, Hornedo volunteered to clear invasive plants from an Indianapolis park. Several other volunteers said they'd gotten to know him through neighborhood association meetings. Thuriya Sai, a 29-year-old nonprofit worker who moved to Indianapolis last year and plans to vote in next year's Democratic primary, said he'll be closely watching where the two candidates' funding comes from. He said he is looking for candidates who 'say what they're thinking and won't just be bootlickers to established Democrats.' Erica Johnson, a 62-year-old Indianapolis resident, said she's met Hornedo three times at neighborhood association meetings. As for Carson, she said: 'Only time I see him is on TV.' Hornedo, she said, has already earned her support. 'He deals with the people,' Johnson said of Hornedo. 'He doesn't shy away. He comes to the meetings, he answers our questions, he stays. So of course I'm going to vote for him.' Carson, though, has the tried-and-true advantages of incumbency and deep connections to community leaders on his side — and those political assets could prove too much to overcome in a primary contest featuring a first-time candidate taking on an incumbent who is universally known in the district. His grandmother, Julia Carson, held the 7th District seat until her death in 2007. Andre Carson won a 2008 special election to replace her, and has held the seat since. No opponent has ever come within single digits of Carson in a primary or general election. At a recent Light of the World Christian Church event honoring the career of Bishop Tom Garrott Benjamin Jr., an influential Black leader in the city, Carson — who is Muslim — was invited on stage. 'We live in a world where everyone's trying to amass power, but the power lives with the people,' he told the crowd. 'Your job as a leader isn't to lord and master and rule over other people.' In an interview, Carson said Democrats in his district are looking for activism in taking on Trump, but it comes with a 'Hoosier sensibility.' He touted his role in securing federal funding for $1 billion in projects in Indianapolis, as well as presiding over a House Intelligence subcommittee holding the first congressional hearing on UFOs in more than 50 years. Carson also said he was open to debating Hornedo or participating in forums. Most attendees CNN approached said they strongly support Carson, and many said they know him personally — some for decades. 'I think he's a great leader. So was his grandma,' said Donna Perkins, 69, a retiree. 'Anytime there's anything in the community, he shows up if you need him,' she said. 'I think he's in the fight for us.' John Hall, a 78-year-old retiree who calls himself a political independent, said he has voted for Republicans for other offices but likes Carson and considers him 'one of us.' 'I'm talking about who's lived in this area, who's lived in this district, who's worked in this district, before you even become a representative,' he said.
