Friend --

"Random Man Runs for President" was the headline of the recent Washington Post Magazine cover story about me and the campaign.  The theme of the story is that I am a fairly normal guy who is now running for President and changing the conversation. 

I like the article a lot. The journalist did a wonderful job. 

The fact is, though, that I’m NOT normal.  And that’s sort of the point.  

The average American lives in Ohio or Maine (the average states) and has a net worth of $36k, $6k if you exclude home and vehicle equity.  He or she attended one year of college or post-secondary school and would struggle with an unexpected $500 bill. 

THAT’s normal.  

Kyle Christensen, who moved back to Iowa Falls to care for his ailing mother Pam and is doing contract jobs to make ends meet – he’s normal.  

Jodie Fassi of Goffstown, New Hampshire, who cleans homes to help pay her daughter’s college bills – she’s normal.  

A while back, I wrote about Richard Ojeda, a retired Major from West Virginia who declared for the Presidency in February.  He ended his campaign a little while later saying, “It’s impossible for a normal guy to run for President these days.”  

He’s right.  

For a politician or presidential candidate, I seem fairly normal.  But I have no illusions that I’m a regular guy or the average American.  The average American couldn’t drop everything and decide to run for President.  If they did, they would likely attract no attention.  And the bills would catch up very quickly.  

That’s what happened to Richard.

I’ve had a very fortunate life and am thrilled to do my part to push this country in the right direction. This campaign is about one thing – improving the life of the average American.  

When someone like me is considered normal, it’s a bad sign for our democracy.  Too many Americans feel like their voices are unimportant.  

Let’s change that.  Let’s send a message that changes the course of history.  

Let’s win, pass the Freedom Dividend, and improve our way of life.

-Andrew