Rep. Adam Kinzinger, (R) Illinois: “In 2009, I returned from Iraq and made a decision that ran in the face of all odds and sanity. I would challenge an incumbent in a seemingly unwinnable race for Congress. At that time, I was spurred to run by my conviction of our role in the world. Somehow I won, and I’ll never forget that campaign, the excitement of election night and the new majority and those supporters who reminded me to be my own man and to never do what they tell you to do but do what’s right. I stand tall and proud knowing that I have done just that. I also remember during that campaign saying that if I ever thought it was time to move on from Congress, I would, and that time is now. But let me be clear, my passion for this country has only grown. My desire to make a difference is bigger than it’s ever been. My disappointment in the leaders that don’t lead is huge. The battlefield must be broader, and the truth needs to reach the American people across the whole country. This country is in an incredibly perilous time. I’ve always been optimistic using history as our story to show how we would overcome any obstacle. In bad moments, someone has always arisen to lead. Government for, of and by the people always prevails. At this moment, that government is the problem. And few have risen to do anything about it. Because in this day, to prevail or survive, you must belong to a tribe. Our political parties only survive by appealing to the most motivated and the most extreme elements within it, and the price tag to power has skyrocketed. And fear and distrust has served as an effective strategy to meet that cost. After all, if a man is convinced that his very survival is at stake, he’ll part with anything including money to ensure he does survive. Dehumanizing each other has become the norm. We’ve taken it from social media to the streets. We’ve allowed leaders to reach power, selling the false premise that strength comes from degrading others and dehumanizing those that look, act or think differently than we do. As a country, we’ve fallen for those lies, and now we face a poisoned country filled with outrage, blinding our ability to achieve real strength. It has become increasingly obvious to me that as a country, we must unplug from the mistruths we’ve been fed. In Congress, I’ve witnessed how division is heavily rooted. There’s little to no desire to bridge our differences, and unity is no longer a word we use. It has also become increasingly obvious to me that in order to break the narrative, I cannot focus on both a reelection to Congress and a broader fight nationwide. I want to make it clear, this isn’t the end of my political future, but the beginning. Serving six terms in Congress has been an honor of a lifetime, yet it flew by in a flash. I went in as a single man, met the best woman ever, and now we’re excited to welcome a baby boy in January. I have met amazing people and made fantastic friends that will last a lifetime. I stand in awe at the courage of the other nine members in the House who voted to impeach a president of their own party, knowing it can be detrimental to their political career. Most importantly, though, I admire those everywhere that put their country above their party in service to their fellow man. As a country, we need to remember who we really are. What we’ve achieved in our darker days and what we’ve always fought for in a brighter future. I know I’m not alone. There’s many Americans desperately searching for a better way. They want solutions, not more problems. They want action, not extremism. They want light, not darkness. And the sooner we do it, the better it will be for the land that we love.”