Rep. Cronin won’t seek a third term in House
Two-term Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, has announced that he won't seek re-election, citing "strains" on his professional and family life, "pressures that I simply can no longer ignore." Click below for Cronin's full statement. He said, "I remain committed to the concept of public service, in whatever form it takes, and will continue to seek opportunities to serve my community and the great state of Idaho.”
For Immediate Release
March 5, 2012
Rep. Brian Cronin (D-19) has announced that after serving two terms in the House of Representatives, he will not be running for re-election. He issued the following statement:
Rep. Brian Cronin Will Not Seek Re-Election
“Serving in the Legislature has undoubtedly been one of the great honors of my life and I am grateful for such an opportunity. Even four years into this experience, I still have days when I pinch myself, marveling at the fact that I get to work in this awe-inspiring Capitol, side by side with some remarkable people, as part of a fascinating process that has very real consequences. Thus, deciding not to seek re-election has been difficult, perhaps even harder than the initial decision to run for office.
Despite the many obvious and not-so-obvious rewards of public service, the job has also placed strains on my professional and family life—pressures that I simply can no longer ignore.
I believe in the concept of a citizen’s legislature: a lawmaking body made up of people from all walks of life who are not professional politicians but members of diverse communities. Such people come together for a few months out of the year to set policy for the state but remain rooted in their communities, close to the people they represent. In practice, the unfortunate reality is that the job of legislator can usually only be performed by those whose uncommon circumstances allow them to leave their professions (and in some cases, their homes and families) for several months out of the year. Even outside of the legislative session, demands on a legislator’s time are not trivial.
I feel fortunate, as a business owner, to have had some degree of flexibility and the wherewithal to serve as I could. I was partly driven by a determination to bring perspectives that, due to the practical limitations of who can serve, seemed underrepresented in the Statehouse—those of someone raising a young family; working as an entrepreneur in the “new economy”; and seeking to protect, preserve, and further enhance our unique quality of life.
Over the last four sessions, I have attempted to not only give representation to those who put me in office but also sound a voice on behalf of many around the state who feel powerless or forgotten. I’ve stood up for values that I hold dear—values that impelled me to enter the fray. This includes, of course, an unyielding commitment to providing the best possible public education we can for the children of this state—a goal that I fear is at risk and one which I will continue to champion.
To all who have kindly supported my campaigns and my work, to the many people inside and outside the Legislature who have befriended me and in many cases mentored me, I am most grateful.
I remain committed to the concept of public service, in whatever form it takes, and will continue to seek opportunities to serve my community and the great state of Idaho.”
