"What If?"

What if incumbent State Representative Angel Cruz is successful in removing me from the ballot for the May 18 Primary for State Representative of the 180th District?

Then what?

On April 9th I will go before a judge because Mr. Cruz and individuals that support his candidacy are contesting the signatures that I obtained. These signatures are YOUR signatures because you, too, are tired of waiting for changes that never come.

An incumbent that has been State Representative for nearly a decade of the 180th District is challenging the signatures obtained by a virtual unknown candidate vying for his position?

What if State Representative Cruz is successful in removing me from the ballot for State Representative of the 180th District? Will the residents be better off?

If Mr. Cruz is successful in defeating Mr. Ramos, another candidate, will he provide the community with the resources that have been non-existent for nearly a decade?

Will Mr. Cruz "effectively" reduce the vast unemployment, exceedingly high dropout rate among the youth and adolescent in the 180th District? Will Mr. Cruz address the crisis of a lack of education programs such as Literacy and GED programs? Will Mr. Cruz assist the community and the police districts serving the 180th District in combating and defeating the escalating crime and violence permeating the neighborhoods? Will he create programs for senior citizens in the 180th District that is abysmal and virtually non-existent? After nearly a decade of opportunity, what is there to show for his efforts in our community?

What if the incumbent is successful in removing me from the ballot? Does the incumbent expect me to disappear, fade-to-black, go quietly into the night?

Does he expect me not to appear in court on April 9, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

Let me be clear; I will be there, and Mr. Cruz and individuals that support his candidacy will have to prove the signatures are not legitimate. I know that each signature that I collected came from members of our community who are ready for change. To question your signatures as "legitimate" is an insult to everyone in our neighborhood who has had enough of inept political leadership.

For those of you who want this change, let me assure you that this virtually "unknown candidate" will not be intimidated.



Anthony P. Johnson