Setting the Record Straight

Two years ago I made my first run for elected office, falling just 593 votes short out of 196,000 cast.  We ran a strong race, but my one regret is letting Congressman Tim Bishop define me with misleading attacks and, in some cases, downright lies.

I won’t make the same mistake twice.

Let’s take a moment to review some of his most egregious smears.

Mr. Bishop claimed I was “from New Jersey,” when the fact is I was born and raised in New York.  My wife Cheryl and I live in Smithtown, and Cheryl is a practicing pediatrician.  We have since been blessed with two beautiful children, with my daughter Sasha being born at the same hospital where Cheryl works.  I am proud to call Long Island my home.

Mr. Bishop said I didn’t know the struggles of middle-class Americans.  The truth is that I was raised by a single mother and worked odd jobs to put myself through school, and ultimately built two American companies from the ground up.

Mr. Bishop, on the other hand, has become a millionaire on the taxpayer dime during his time in Congress, yet still allowed a billionaire campaign donor to foot the bill for his two daughters to attend college.  In addition, Mr. Bishop has been criticized by ethics watchdogs for funneling more than $500,000 in campaign money to his daughter’s business.

Mr. Bishop even challenged my patriotism and accused me of “outsourcing American jobs to India” – going so far as to run negative ads that included doctored video of me speaking in order to intentionally mislead voters. 

The reality is that my first business, OfficeTiger, was an international company based in New York that created more than 750 new American jobs.  Many of the jobs that I created overseas in Europe and Asia helped to support American businesses, making them more competitive globally.  My new company, CloudBlue, has created more than 350 new American jobs.

Mr. Bishop, on the other hand, has promoted reckless economic and fiscal policies that have resulted in 30,000 more people being unemployed on Long Island today than they were the day that he first took office.

While I expect Mr. Bishop to continue his misleading attacks this time around, he can expect me to more vigorously respond and set the record straight. 

As for my platform, I have released a specific 10-point plan to foster job creation, boost small businesses and grow Long Island’s economy.  I encourage everyone to read more about it at www.Randy2012.com/jobsplan/

I am running again because as the father of two small children, I am determined to continue the great American tradition of leaving behind a better country for our children than the one our parents left for us, and their parents left for them. 

We can accomplish this goal if we are willing to work together and make the tough decisions necessary to restore the opportunity for everyone to achieve the American Dream.