With rumors swirling, we asked former state representative BJ Nikkel if she was considering a run for the Second Congressional District and she answered. The long and short of it? She’s thinking about it. Here’s what she told us:
“…I will be exploring a potential run and spending time over the next several weeks talking it over with my family, with trusted friends and seeking their advice.
“I believe people across the political spectrum are fed up with politics as usual. We crave directness and truth, and have a low tolerance for political correctness that’s run amok, which is why we saw the soaring popularity of presidential outsiders like Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, who weren’t accepted or embraced by the professional political establishments of either major party. It’s quite clear – Americans want independent-minded voices serving as their leaders – representatives who are willing to focus their time and energy to do what’s right for our nation…”
She sounds pretty serious to us. Nikkel would be the first Republican candidate to declare for the seat; although Democrats are lining up around the block. It would be a tough climb for a Republican, but not insurmountable. If anyone could do it, Nikkel could.
Nikkel served as the Republican House Majority Whip back when Republicans still controlled the state House. Nikkel was appointed to her position in the House in 2009 and, in the 2010 legislative session, was best known for her effort to instill transparency and accountability to government. Nikkel also is a champion for veterans and criminal justice reform. After the 2010 legislative session, Nikkel received 60% of the votes in the 2010 election and served in the state House until 2014.
Nikkel would be a tough candidate to beat.