Francis to Launch Congressional Campaign Walking from Cape May Lighthouse

CAPE MAY POINT – John Francis, Ph.D. plans to launch his campaign for U.S. House of Representative District 2 Jan. 24, at 1 p.m. at the Cape May Lighthouse at Cape May Point.
According to a release, “As a representative for New Jersey’s 2nd District, my primary focus will be on environment and economic justice. Economic justice means creating a sustainable economy that supports a decent living wage, access to affordable healthcare and quality education for the people of South Jersey.
“Environmental justice addresses the catastrophic impact of climate change on our health and economic welfare. Four of the most economically disadvantaged towns in New Jersey are in the 2nd District (American Community Survey). 18-20% of people in the 2nd District do not have health insurance (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Program).
“The effects of climate change, including rising sea levels and destructive storms, have had a devastating impact on our livelihoods, fishing industry and tourism and pose a clear and present threat to our future. We must come together to fight for economic sustainability and justice for all the people in the 2nd District. Currently, I am a Commissioner in the Borough of West Cape May.
“I am an environmentalist with a unique background that I believe makes me particularly suited to represent the constituency of the 2nd District. After witnessing an oil-spill in 1971, in the San Francisco Bay, I gave up the use of motorized vehicle and started walking. Several months later, tired of arguing with my friends and neighbors about whether one person walking could make a difference, I decided not to speak for one day.
“On this day of silence, I learned that I had not been listening. One day turned into a 17-year vow of silence and 22 years of walking. During this time, I learned to see and hear the world in a new way. In 1983, I began walking across America. On the journey, I earned an MS in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana and Ph.D. in Environmental Studies and Land Resource Management from the University of Wisconsin. “When I reached Washington, D.C, in 1990, I was hired by the US Coast Guard to draft legislation on the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. I walked and listened, through red states and blue states. I learned from people that we were all Americans and all a part of the environment.
“The health and welfare of our environment and the planet is reflected in the way we treat each other. The environment isn’t only about clean water, clean air, trees, rivers and oceans but also about human rights, civil rights, economic justice and above all human kindness. All of these elements influence my policy choices and leadership and this is why
“I am beginning my campaign with a walk. On Jan. 24 at the lighthouse in Cape May Point and continue my walk through the 2nd District as my campaign progresses.”