Familiar with Wayne and Pike Counties as the place he would come fishing and hunting, John Chrin, Republican candidate for Congress, cast his line for votes August 21st, stumping from the Milford Diner to the GDS Fair in Newfoundland.
PALMYRA TWP. (Pike) - Familiar with Wayne and Pike Counties as the place he would come fishing and hunting, John Chrin, Republican candidate for Congress, cast his line for votes August 21st, stumping from the Milford Diner to the GDS Fair in Newfoundland.
He stopped by the 507 Country Store in Tafton on the way, meeting some friendly faces from the Pike County Republican Women, and some customers who paused to hear what he had to say.
Chrin, who is 55 and recently bought a house in Barrett Township, Monroe County, describes himself as a conservative. He is campaigning for the 8th congressional district which includes all of Wayne, Pike and Lackawanna counties and parts of Monroe and Luzerne Counties. His contender on the Democratic side is Rep. Matthew Cartwright, 57, of Moosic.
Chrin was raised in Easton and is a 10th generation Pennsylvanian. He one of his grandfathers worked as a coal miner and the other for Bethlehem Steel. He said he was the first of his family to go to college. He said he achieved a M.B.A. degree, built a national business and became an investor creating companies that have built thousands of jobs. Chrin and his wife have three children.
Values of hard work, the importance of family, faith and fairness in terms of going back were all part of his nurturing, Chrin stated. In his college years he worked loading trucks and making laundry detergent.
Four issues
The race for the 8th Congressional District, Chrin stated, will center on four issues. “If you like higher taxes, more job-killing regulations, high costs of healthcare and you approve of Sanctuary Cities, I’m not the person to vote for. Vote for my opponent.”
He was asked to what extent he supports President Trump. “The economy is doing incredibly well,” Chrin said, noting that having surplus of jobs is good in that it tends to drive wages up to compete for employees.
“We’re a safer country because of ISIS being effectively defeated in the Middle East; what he has been able to get North Korea to the table to renegotiate something...,” Chrin added. “And he’s a great negotiator, what he has been able to do get the remains of the North Korean veterans returned to the United States....”
Trump also was able to strike a deal with Mexico on NAFTA, he added. “What he did with NATO, extraordinary. To save $44 billion a year for the taxpayers of the United States...”
Chris said that Pennsylvania is a much better state to retire to than New Jersey or New York, in not taxing pensions.
“So the question of supporting the President, I can work and very strongly get behind a lot of the things that the President put forward,” Chrin stated, “But I will also say that I’m the type of person that I have zero apprehension if I think he’s doing something wrong, to stand up and say, that’s not in the best interest to the people of Northeast Pennsylvania. It’s inconsistent with our values.”
In that case, he said, he would offer an alternative.
As far as working together across party lines, Chrin replied that he has demonstrated in his life as a businessman of his ability it pull a team together and work with diverse personalities to get them to agree to do things.
Chrin’s wife is from Honduras and came to the U.S. legally, he said. “The power of legal immigration is a beautiful thing,” he said.
Lives in PA, not NJ
Despite what Rep. Cartwright has been saying, Chrin said, the fact is he- Chrin- does not live in New Jersey. “I do not live in New Jersey. I live in Pennsylvania. I came back home... If I lived in New Jersey I couldn’t vote for myself, I couldn’t run in Pennsylvania, yet you’re able to say stories like that- fake news.”
Chrin also countered the suggestion that he would cut Social Security. The long-term viability of the program is needed to keep the promise of Social Security, he said. That is done through having more people working and paying into the system, and stopping any fraud.
First C.F.P. in Congress
“I will be the first certified financial planner [C.F.P.] ever elected to Congress,” Chrin stated. “I got some great education in terms of Columbia University, Lehigh University; I also have common sense. But one of the things I’m most proud of is that C.F.P. designation... Wouldn’t it be great if there was someone like me who actually understands numbers, engineer, finance person and then has that C.F.P. background, to help really think about complex financial issues like Social Security.”
He said whoever is elected should be one who brings “Northeast Pennsylvania values” to Washington.
Why did he choose to run?
Chrin stated that he was inspired by the eulogy for his uncle who died 10 years ago on Christmas Day. During the eulogy it was stated that life is defined. Chrin considered, “I’ve even very lucky and I should give back,” he said.
The candidate encouraged supporters to help “get out the vote.”
The News Eagle
By Peter Becker
Sept 10, 2018