Terry White’s official Press Release

​​December 5, 2011

For Immediate Release
Contact 812.423.3143

For the last nine months, with my family’s support, I have undertaken the daunting task of being your Eighth District Candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. We went into this venture with the noblest of intentions that this high calling was in the best interests of our Hoosier citizens. As this endeavor progressed, as expected, other individuals entered the race for Congress. Both Dave and Patrick are good people and deserve our respect for their willingness to make a large sacrifice of their lives to become our public servant. I am uniquely blessed with the opportunity to wear different hats in this contest: first as a citizen, then as a County Chairman, and finally as a candidate. It gives me a vantage point to take in the big picture that I would not otherwise have. This is a perspective that is enlightening to say the least.

As a citizen, I have been and always will be proud to call myself a Democrat. I wholeheartedly believe that the philosophy of the Democrat Party is the bedrock upon which our country is built: hard work – responsibility – sacrifice – looking out for one another – giving everybody a shot, everybody a chance to share in America’s prosperity, from the factory floor to the boardroom. We believe in the goodness of our government – one that allows each of us the opportunity to live our own American dream. That is what our Party is all about.

As Warrick County Chairman, I take my job seriously. I have always been a team player. I worked my way up through just about every Party position from Indiana Young Democrat State President to Central Committee Secretary, Vice-Chairman, and now as County Chairman. I believe in the importance and purpose of an organized Party in order to elect like-minded candidates to promote our middle and working class principles. I feel honored to be one of you.

As a candidate, I play a different role. My entire career is focused on championing justice and protecting the rights, freedoms, and safety of our citizens. I pride myself on being a problem solver and conducting myself with honesty and integrity. I would rather be part of the solution than the problem. In this situation, after painstaking consideration and deliberation, it simply does not make sense for all three of us candidates to spend collectively around a million dollars (much of it our own money) to try to win a primary and then have the winner end up on May 9th with zero dollars in the account to take on Larry Bucshon. The winner basically becomes a loser because it will be virtually impossible to raise the necessary 1.6 million campaign dollars in that short period of time to fund the general election.

Because the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee has certain time and financial deadlines, the one who prevails in the primary will lose out because he will have missed the first and second tier of targeted races through the DCCC. Campaign funding will be crippled to the point that winning the general election becomes less and less probable. So, it is time for us to be united and not divided. We need to get behind one candidate if we want to win this race. It is time for us to work together to beat a Congressman who does not represent the mainstream values of our District.

I, naturally yet humbly, believe I would be the best candidate for the job, but the Party loyalty and pragmatism in me have convinced me that I should place my energies in a different direction. While one door may close, other doors open. Therefore, I am withdrawing my name as a candidate for Congress. Rather, I will be running for the office of Indiana Senate District 50 in Vanderburgh and Warrick Counties. I feel I can serve our citizens well as their new State Senator. The Indiana State Legislature touches our lives in so many important ways, many of which are never addressed by the U.S. Congress. I am eager to take on those challenges at the State level. It will not be easy to defeat the incumbent, but with your support this task is certainly achievable.

Both of the other candidates are deserving, and I urge you to exercise your conscience in determining who is the best person to bring the Eighth District back into the Democrat column.

Thank you for all your kindness, your hospitality, and your fairness which I have experienced throughout my campaign. I truly appreciate being able to call you my friend, and I look forward to many years of service by your side.

As always, I am Democratically yours,

Sincerely,

Terry White