Near the end of March, I interviewed Clint Didier. I’d never heard of the candidate for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray’s seat; it’s likely nobody had, really. This was before he was the Tea Party star, although he’d been running since September 2009. He’s since met with Sarah Palin and, as we reported yesterday, the National Senatorial Republican Committee in D.C.

We held on to the interview, but given all the recent attention he seems to be getting, here goes:

Describe your basic political philosophy.



“I’m a Ronald Reagan Conservative Republican; add one word to that—a Constitutionalist. I want to get back to following and honoring the Constitution. Neither party is doing that right now. When Bush had it (the presidency), all they did was spend. Now that Democrats have it, all they do is spend, and they are spending our children into a debt that leaves them no chance at an American dream."

Why are you taking on Patty Murray, specifically?

"Spending. She is the most spending Senator, the most liberal spending Senator we have ever seen. She has voted for every bill, she has no discipline."

"She was even overheard saying, as part of the school board at the high school where her kids attended—she’s a member—that she couldn’t balance her own checkbook and that’s quite obviously right."

What inspired you to run for office?

“I’ll be damned if I got from this day to my deathbed wishing I had done something to make a difference for my posterity.”

“I’ve had my shot at the American dream and was able to fulfill dream. I went to the NFL, played in three Super Bowls, won two. I see a demise (of the American dream), our demise coning in all areas and the demise of your nation.”

"I’m as determined to do this as I was to play in the NFL, but I need a lot more help from my constituents, especially on the West Side."

What are you going to contribute to the delegation/bring ideas-wise from WA to DC if elected?

"The Founding Fathers gave a limited federal government size and scope. The Department of Education needs to be abolished, (education) needs to go back to the state, given back to the districts, competition needs to be revisited. That brings out the best in all of us: competition. I want to get rid of the DOE."

"I’m going back to Washington (D.C.) to pick a fight. They’re stealing my children’s liberty and freedom; I’m not going to put up with that."

On health care reform:

“They (the federal government) is not intended to be in health care, this is 10^th amendment issue, they don’t see it.”

What would your nickname be and why (playing off of Sen. Patty Murray’s nickname, the “mom in tennis shoes.”)?

“Farmer in work boots. I’m nowhere close to a housewife in tennis shoes, I’m a farmer and very skilled at shoveling manure. You don’t use a shovel, you use a pitchfork, and you have to do it a lot in Washington. What Congress has done is so reminiscent of a manure pile its ridiculous.”

On the current Congress:

“If Congress doesn’t balance their checkbook, they don’t get paid, everybody goes without a salary, flat out."

“They need to live on the same health care they put on We the People, need to have the same retirement fund, no more special treatment.”

On the economy:

What we have to do is unshackle our industries. 50 percent of our food is coming in from over seas, with no regulation on it. We have to unshackle our industries and let them run like they once did.”