GOP businessman enters 6th District race
John Emmons has spent most of his professional career finding solutions to problems.
The Chester County man has put his engineering skills to the test for three different companies over the last several decades by focusing on ways to turn raw materials into a product in the most effective, efficient and economic approach possible.
And he believes he can use those same skills to make government at the highest level deliver better results for the American people.
“My role for the past 40 years in corporate America has been to solve problems, to improve operations and to lead teams,” he said during a recent interview. “We need more of that in our government. We need our true problem solvers, who have been out in world doing that successfully, to bring that skill set to the problems that face our country.”
That’s why Emmons has announced he is running for the Republican nomination to represent the 6th Congressional District, which includes all of Chester County and many communities in southwestern Berks County. He is the only candidate seeking the GOP nomination in the April 28 primary.
He will then challenge first-term incumbent Democrat Chrissy Houlahan in the fall.
Emmons said he has the experience needed to work with people from across the political spectrum to get things done.
“Because I’m a problem solver, I focus on the issue not on an agenda,” he said. “We need to strive for more win-win solutions.”
Emmons said that while he personally supports most of the policies championed by President Donald Trump, he’s not going to simply rubber-stamp any policy the president proposes.
He promised that he would listen to different perspectives before coming to a conclusion about the issues before him as a member of Congress. That includes holding town halls often throughout the district.
“Lawmakers are supposed to help people improve their lives, and the only way you can do that is by understanding what the issues are,” he said. “If you’re not out among the people then you’re really not doing the job you’ve been hired to do.”
Emmons said there a number of things he will focus on if he should get
elected. Those include encouraging his Republican colleagues to get back to being fiscal watchdogs and true free-market advocates; creating a fertile environment for job growth by eliminating unnecessary regulations and establishing balanced trade policies; empowering insurance companies to compete to offer more options and better service; and advocating for initiatives that aim to conserve land and natural resources.
“We need strong voices in Washington who will fight for common sense solutions and will have the propensity to be a good listener,” he said. “I will be one of those voices.”
House representatives serve a two-year term and receive an annual salary of $174,000.