We’d all heard the word “COVID-19” bandied about for weeks out of the breathless corporate news media, but when I first heard the word “shutdown” in the spring of 2020, I thought they had all gone mad. You can’t shut down a country, was my basic understanding of how things worked. The words “stay at home order” were foreign to me. I was, at that point, two years into my office as San Benito County Supervisor, California, and didn’t realize I would be thrown into the fire as a duly elected local representative. I made a really tough decision to agree to what was promised as a “two weeks to slow the spread effort.” I think most Americans were willing to go along with a novel approach to fighting a “novel” virus, especially after they started the COVID DEATHS ticker counts on every possible news channel. But when I heard the medical professionals talking about “eliminating risk” above personal freedoms, telling us communicable spread was coming from the home yet we were ordered to stay home, and particularly in California seeing a complete disengagement of state authority from locally elected representatives, I knew something wasn’t right. It took all of a few weeks for me to know there was something wrong with our response to a novel virus, and I couldn’t stay quiet.
As a God fearing man, I prayed and asked the Lord how to respond to this situation. From that point a restlessness grew in me, and at that time I knew I had to speak, and make it clear to our local public health officer, and the Board of Supervisors, I didn’t agree with how this was playing out, and I wasn’t going to stay quiet. April 28th, 2020, was the day I call “the day that defined the course of my convictions.” That day, I challenged the local Public Health Officer on his rationale for complying with and enforcing unconstitutional state mandates, and also the Board of Supervisors on theirs. Two hours after that meeting I received a text from my County Administrative Officer and it read, “Peter, the Public Health Officer quit.” I have to admit my heart sank, but I knew I did the right thing and was ready to deal with what the still fearful public had in store for me.
I realized very fast that politics is not for the faint at heart. Although at the moment I can’t say I had steely resolve, however I did have one thing - focus. The amazing thing about God’s grace is that it showed up when I surely needed it. I found myself having a focus to not just fight for what’s right, but the clarity on how to do it. The love of the Constitution grew clearer, the push for debate and dialogue of these very important decisions grew sharper, and the tenacity to fight for them was like an appetite I never knew I had. At every moment they pushed for everything arbitrary you could ever consider. From two weeks to slow the spread, to the Road Map to recovery, to Gavin Newsom’s arbitrary color coded reopening plan. Open up, shut-down, open up, shut-down, it was an emotional roller coaster ride, and my community wasn’t having it. Most don’t realize what we in the blue states went through, with one person rule, dictating from an ivory tower, the intricacies of controlling people and failing at managing a virus at that. Sir Thomas More's sentiment rings true, “When we think we can completely control our lives, it’s like water in our hands, not expecting it to fall through.” For the government to lower risk is one thing, but to eliminate it is madness, or actually tyranny.
We are in a new battle to save America the Beautiful from the radical leftists like my opponent Zoe Lofgren. Why should you vote for me in 8 days? Because I believe YOU are the answer, the shining city on a hill. I have faith in God, and his people. I still believe the Greatness of America will see brighter days, and when you place me in that honored position as your Congressman, I will show you how much I believe We The People are the solution, not the government. Those in office who perpetrated the lockdowns and felt free to impede on our Bill of Rights, your time is up.
Peter Hernandez is a first generation Mexican-American, born and raised in San Benito County, California, by parents who worked the fields, and he grew up in the agricultural community. His parents instilled in him a strong work ethic, a love for God, and a deep respect for the American Dream and American Exceptionalism. As a small business owner today, Peter understands firsthand how inflation, over-regulation and burdensome taxes are killing the middle class economy. As a Latino man, Peter is dedicated to encouraging Hispanic families in the civic and electoral process, and looks forward to serving as their voice and representative in US Congress. Peter currently holds of ice as a County Supervisor for San Benito County. During the oppressive California pandemic shutdowns, Peter stood against the overreaches of the Administrative State, and fought to keep businesses open, believing the local communities should decide for themselves how to best care for and protect their constituents. Peter is an America First candidate who stands against the harmful progressive policies of the Biden administration and the current Democrat Congress. He will fight to: RENEW the rule of law; RESTORE strong families and parental rights; REVIVE the middle class and small businesses. www.hernandezforcongress.com
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