Just over three months ago, on a Saturday morning, the Saturday before Christmas to be exact, I saw a notification come up on facebook announcing that Curtis Bostic was considering a run for Congress in the recently vacated seat for the 1st Congressional District. It caught my attention for two reasons, first, I had already announced to many of my circle of friends that I was considering running for this seat, and secondly, Curtis Bostic is a friend of mine who holds what I would consider to be the three very most important qualifications for holding federal office. Without hesitation or thinking, I reached for my phone and dialed his number. Curtis picked up the phone on the other end and after exchanging greetings, I asked him if he was serious about running for this seat. I explained to him that I had also been contemplating a run for this seat. We talked that day about both of us running and committed to begin to pray for each other. He and I discussed the possibilities of both of us running…incredible if you stop and think about it…two potential candidates speaking openly about their strategies…but that’s the level of trust we have come to have in each other. For the next three weeks we discussed this many times and continued to pray for each other, truly for a decision that it would be led by the Lord. That was the desire of both our hearts.
After much prayer, thinking, and seeking some very wise counsel, Patti and I came to the conclusion that God was making it clear to us that the timing was not right for me to run in this election. I had known Curtis for about six years; and have known him to be a Godly and wise man with an incredible heart for serving God. When Curtis told me that he was considering this race, I immediately knew that if I determined not to run, he was the ONLY person that I could energetically and enthusiastically support. Those of you that know me know that I have been speaking out very forcefully about the need to make sure we DO NOT elect anyone to federal office that does not have the basic requirements. I have made the case to you that these requirements include what I refer to as a command understanding of the United States Constitution, the framers intent of Limited Government, and the Christian Worldview that is needed to put it all together for service under the Rule of Law. I want you to know that I have spent many hours with Curtis discussing the things that you know are VERY important to me. What I say next I don’t say lightly. Not only is Curtis Bostic the best candidate in this field for this Congressional seat, he is the ONLY candidate in this field that has the entire package of what I have been talking about and teaching about what we need in candidates for federal office.
But I want you to know more about this man and this campaign that I have poured my life (time), fortune (money), and sacred honor (my name) into for over three months now with almost every waking hour of my day beyond my own fulltime job. Many of you don’t know this, but after Patti and I made our decision not to run, Curtis and I met to chart a course forward as a team. It was during that meeting that God solidified the conclusion that Patti and I had made not to run. I sat in Curtis’s office one Saturday morning and my good friend Curtis told me that if I determined to move forward with a campaign, that he would not run. Not only would he not run, he told me that he would “stroke me the first check” for a campaign donation. I was floored. The humility of my friend astounded me. I left there that day and went home still humbled by my friends offer. Later in the afternoon, Curtis called me back up and told me that he wanted to reiterate to me that those were not just words, he told me again that he meant what he said, that if I determined to run, he would not run against me and that he would be the first to offer financial support. It was at that point that God clearly spoke to me. I could take him up on his offer, take his support, and at the end of the race, I could “feel” good about running in a United States congressional campaign, and I would have effectively removed from the running what I have concluded might be the best candidate for federal elected office that I have ever come across. As stated above, I have been teaching and speaking about what we need as the “right” kind of candidate for a VERY LONG time, so for me to say that someone might be the “best candidate I have seen” is a VERY, VERY strong thing for me to say.
Let me conclude by saying that, during these three months, my conviction about Curtis being the best candidate has been absolutely confirmed. From the time the first distortions, disparaging attacks, and outright lies about my friend began to be aired I have seen my friend again and again, stop and remind me that we would not “return fire”. We had determined from the outset that we would run this campaign on Curtis record, on his name and integrity and let the chips fall where they may. There have been times where we were on the road campaigning, and we would stop to pray and I have heard my friend praying for his opponents. When the attacks ramped up, we would have been well justified to set the record straight and expose the perpetrator. We both knew that we would have been entirely justified in doing so. Curtis would tell me “Bob, we can’t do that and keep a clean heart before God”. He simply felt that even though we would be justified in exposing the truth, he was concerned about what would be “in our hearts” when we did it.
I could go on and on with event after event where I have witnessed firsthand the character and integrity of my friend Curtis Bostic, but I will leave it at that. Curtis would be the first one to tell you that he is only a man, a fallen man, and no different from the rest of us. But friends, character matters, integrity matters, and when the pressures come from those that would disregard and hold our United States Constitution in contempt; I want this man representing me as our United States Congressman.
Whatever happens at the end of the day, we will hold our heads high tomorrow and give praise to almighty God for his marvelous works. To Him be the Glory!
