Dear Editor,

David Kolbe is being painted in the press as a far-left, socialist radical simply because he is a Democrat.

Several years ago, Kolbe, after much soul-searching, decided that the Republican Party no longer had room for one with moderate views and one who had developed a passion to assist ordinary citizens who labor hard for a living, often surviving paycheck to paycheck.

He found welcome in the Democratic Party. Indiana Democrats are hard-working citizens who want the best for their families and communities.

They want businesses to thrive and also want those who work to be able to support their families.

They are willing to share a portion of their resources, whether that be time or money, to help the truly disadvantaged among us, but that does not translate to the government simply taking from those who work to support those who will not work.There must be balance.

There is nothing un-Christian about this. In fact, Christianity has much to say about helping the poor and disadvantaged among us.

Kolbe is a tireless advocate for the individual rights of his clients. He has courageously stood up to injustices in the system, successfully arguing cases all the way to the Indiana Supreme Court. This is how one actively defends our Constitution.

He also serves as a judge for We The People competitions. This organization teaches students of all ages about our Constitution and how our government functions.

Kolbe now teaches law students in former communist countries about our rule of law system, believing that this system is the last line of defense against a police state.

While serving as the elected prosecutor, Kolbe did not grant special favors to the rich and powerful as he believes that every person is equal under the law.

He also insisted that law enforcement follow the laws they were sworn to uphold and follow proper procedures. A few officers resented being held to that standard and hold grudges against him to this day.

Kolbe embraces the conservative values of hard work, honesty and commitment and lives accordingly. He strives to make decisions based on what is the morally right thing to do above all else.

As the owner of a small business and the father of seven children, Kolbe understands the challenges facing small businesses and families in this state and looks forward to the opportunity to work with legislators of both parties to find common-sense solutions to the challenges we face in our district and our state.

Kolbe is fiscally conservative and views raising taxes as a last resort. He does not have some secret, far-left agenda that he will try to pursue if elected. He will thoughtfully listen to his constituents and represent their interests to the best of his ability.

Who better to serve in our legislature – where laws are written – than someone who has spent his entire career immersed in understanding, interpreting, and enforcing laws- and feeling frustrated when laws are poorly written and have unintended consequences.

Kathy Manges Kolbe
Warsaw