Renee Ellmers for Congress

Dunn, NC─ Congresswoman-Elect Renee Ellmers released the following statement today:

“I am very pleased and honored to announce I have been recommended to serve on the Agriculture, Small Business and Foreign Affairs committees in the 112th Congress. These assignments will put me in a unique position to work on issues particularly important to the constituents of the Second District.”

Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) contacted Ms. Ellmers to let her know that the House Steering Committee had recommended her for the three committee assignments. Ms. Ellmers will be sworn in as the Representative for North Carolina’s Second Congressional District on January 5, 2011.

North Carolina’s Second District has a rich agricultural history and is home to many farmers. It is also home to many active members of the military stationed at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, NC. The seats on the Agriculture and Foreign Affairs Committees are particularly important to those communities. The Small Business Committee addresses a wide range of diverse issues including those related to health care, contracting and technology, rural areas and trade.

“I am delighted that the Steering Committee has made these recommendations. I look forward to getting to work on these three very important committees to address the concerns of the farmers, small business owners, men and women of the armed forces, the constituents of the Second District and the state of North Carolina,” Ellmers said.

The first words for me to say are ‘thank you.’ It took sacrifices by many fine people working together to make this victory possible. I thank each of them – the people of the 2nd District, the people who volunteered and gave of their time and money and worked selflessly.

This is the way American Democracy works: Through elections. That, inevitably, leads to debate and conflict which can be bruising. It is, I can now say from experience, at times a harsh endeavor. But it has served our democracy well for over 200 years.

After receiving a gracious call from Congressman Etheridge, the election is over and rather than debating our problems we begin work on how to solve them and as I begin my part in that work I want to wish Congressman Etheridge and his family the best.

This election Americans voted to change Washington. And I have been elected to play a role in bringing that change to Congress. I will do all that I can to meet that challenge. I ask for your prayers and I ask you to join me in praying for Congressman Etheridge and his family during this transition. Thank you.

Renee

The second step in the recount began this morning – in eight (of ten) counties they’re recounting ballots right now. We have our lawyers, observers and volunteers in place. Thank you all for your incredible support during this process. Tweet

If you are able to help with the Recount in any of the 10 counties in District 2, please send your name and other contact info, the county or counties where you could work and your availability this week to Renee@ReneeforCongress. com.  Thanks so much for all of your support. Tweet

We are pleased that the canvass has produced the result we were confident all along that it would. We don’t know yet whether or not Congressman Etheridge will go forward with a call for a recount, but we have not found anywhere in North Carolina history that a lead this large has ever been overturned as a result of a recount. At this point our only concern over the prospect of a recount is the cost to the taxpayers of North Carolina. We will wait and see what Congressman Etheridge decides to do, but at the same time we are going forward in preparation to serve the people of the Second Congressional District.