"I've known Bar
ry since he interned for me in 1995 when I was a Tennessee State Senator.
Barry was always enthusiastic about public service, the legislative process and helping his fellow citizens.
Since then Barry has used his career to help others and has done so with dedication and optimism. Barry listens more than he talks which is so vital for local government and he's honest, which is even more important.
I know he is deeply committed to the Rockville community and he would serve the citizens of Rockville well as a member of the City Council. I'm proud to lend my support and encourage you to vote for Barry Jackson."
Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)
This endorsement means a lot to me personally. When I was first getting interested in politics, Steve Cohen was the first politician I can remember that actually appealed to me.
I remember reading about various issues in the Memphis alternative paper called "The Memphis Flyer" and there was always a Steve Cohen quote or State Senator Steve Cohen was involved in some way. I was fortunate when I interned in the state legislature to be assigned as Steve Cohen's intern.
Being an intern in his office was challenging and full of learning about the legislative process and how one gets things done. But what I really learned from him was a passion for public service, a desire to put right what was wrong with the world and to fight when it was something that he really believed mattered.
I entered that intern year thinking that I would become a lawyer after I graduated from college. I learned that lawyers interpret laws but legislators actually debate and create the laws we live by. I left the legislature with a desire to make a difference and to work with others to change laws and enact new legislation.
After I graduated I had the opportunity to work on his first Congressional campaign. It was unsuccessful but I took lessons from it that I use to this day.
We both moved on with our careers and both of us ended up in Washington, DC. He was successfully elected as a Congressman from the 9th District of Tennessee - representing Memphis and the surrounding area here he still serves to this day. I went to work for various non-profits including the American Cancer Society, the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the AARP.
I'm humbled by his endorsement and his kind words. I realize this endorsement has limited sway in a City Council race in Rockville, MD. But to me it matters a great deal. I hope that I can follow in his footsteps in standing for what is right, for not backing down and for always trying to pass legislation to make life better for those around us.