Tom Marino

The America I know is gritty, plain-speaking and hardworking. It is also generous, patriotic and inclusive. It thrives on common sense and core values and understands the difference between right and wrong. The America I know bears no resemblance to the polite social circles and cocktail parties familiar to the news media, political and legal elites of Washington, D.C.

For decades, those in power have grown the federal bureaucracy into something that resembles a fourth branch of government. Those in power have dictated to the rest of us the rules under which we have to live, often without regard to whether it makes sense in our communities. They have also played a large part in selecting Republican presidential nominees; since 1960, all have been men who served as governor, senator or vice president.

How is that working for us?

Today, we are $19 trillion in debt, and our economy leaves nearly 12 million of our neighbors unemployed.

My hometown of Williamsport, Pa., is a four-hour drive from the Capitol. I love Williamsport, but my neighbors are hurting. It is a world away from the tidy suburbs and tony enclaves around Washington where power is concentrated. Washington is simply not capable of understanding the concerns of the America I know.

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Consider McLean, Va., the home of USA TODAY. The annual median income in McLean is $188,639, compared with just $33,537 in my hometown of Williamsport and $35,602 in Anacostia, an urban area within sight of the Capitol but worlds away from many who work there.

We are all responsible for the social and economic ills affecting rural and urban America, but only one candidate for president has given voice to our collective frustration.

America will win again. With the right leadership, we’ll secure our borders, defeat the Islamic State, make trade deals that put our interests first and replace Obamacare while protecting the most vulnerable. Most important, we will grow our economy.

I am supporting Donald J. Trump for president because he, better than any other candidate, embraces the priorities of the America I know and love.

Rep. Tom Marino is a Republican from Pennsylvania.