Meet Art Halvorson, GOP candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania's new 13th Congressional District

Editor’s note: Conservative Review does not endorse candidates. This post and podcast reflect the personal endorsement of senior editor Daniel Horowitz.

Conservative Review senior editor Daniel Horowitz has an ongoing series of interviews for his CRTV “The Conservative Conscience” podcast distributed by Westwood One. Last time, he interviewed Chip Roy, a candidate for Congress in Texas. Next, Daniel interviews Art Halvorson, who is running for Congress in Pennsylvania’s new 13th Congressional District, in the south-central part of the state between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. The Republican primary is April 26, 2018.

Halvorson, a retired Coast Guard rescue helicopter pilot and commanding officer, has run for Congress several times against RINO Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Penn. This time, because Halvorson has a good chance of winning, Shuster has retired. Halvorson is competing for an open seat with several other candidates.

In this wide-ranging interview, Horowitz talks with Halvorson about the desperate need for judicial reform to restore power to the legislative branch of government. Halvorson also discusses the need to return transportation authority to the states and how he will fight against a gas tax increase. Listen:

Here are five takeaways from the interview:

1. Halvorson does not want to be a career politician. If the people of the 13th district should elect him to Congress, he has pledged to serve a maximum of three terms in the House of Representatives. “I want to work hard for six years, expend myself for the people, and get some things changed,” Halvorson said. “I’m already bulletproof; I’m not trying to create a career. I’m going to fight against career politicians and come down there and die on the Hill if I have to.”
2. Halvorson, a devout Christian, believes the pro-life cause is the “number-one issue.” Horowitz pointed out that every Republican candidate claims to support defunding Planned Parenthood, yet Republicans in Congress have repeatedly voted for continuing resolutions and spending bills that fund the nation’s number-one abortion provider. To fulfill this campaign promise, Halvorson wants to form a caucus of like-minded conservatives who will “band together” and promise, “We will not support a spending bill that includes funding for Planned Parenthood.” If that means challenging leadership, Halvorson says he is willing to lead the effort.
3. Halvorson has committed himself to the cause of judicial reform and to support legislation to limit the power of the federal courts over blatantly political issues. “Any authority the legislature has to restrict judicial tyranny, that has to be championed and absolutely I would do that,” Halvorson said.
4. Halvorson believes, generally, that “the people that we have in the legislatures are weak. They’re not leaders.” Refusing to paint everyone with a “broad brush,” Halvorson did note that in many cases “good people” refuse to run for office because the business of politics is so dirty. “I’m totally underwhelmed by the quality of the people we have elected,” Halvorson explained, highlighting a need for leaders, not followers.
5. There are few candidates who can speak competently to conservatives about transportation and infrastructure reform. “The roads are not crumbling, the bridges are not crumbling,” Halvorson said. “We are able to maintain our infrastructure with the money we receive” with the current gas tax, he explained. Halvorson explained why there is no need to raise taxes.

To learn more about Art Halvorson, visit his website.

Daniel Horowitz’s “The Conservative Conscience” can be found at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, or in your favorite podcast app.

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