Raja makes pitch early

Welcome to the first day of the new campaign on the last day of the old one. It's 11:11 p.m. on Tuesday night, and Raja has already previewed his message for this fall -- it's a choice between an outsider and an insider, and it's a statement about an evolving/changing Allegheny County that Democrats should embrace too. (Did we mention there are twice as many of them in the county, so a Republican needs crossover to win? Or that Raja's wife Neeta is a lifelong Dem?) 

Here's the end of the speech:

To reach these heights we need Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike to join this campaign. The voters will have a clear choice in November. Make no mistake about it. It's a choice between an outsider who has spent his life creating jobs and solving problems and an insider who represents the politics of the past.

Let me be clear. This race is not about parties or personalities, but a clear choice between the past and the future.

The whole speech is after the jump:

Thank You. Thank you all very much. I am honored to stand before you as the Republican nominee for Allegheny County Chief Executive.

Tonight the voters sent a resounding message that they are ready for something new. Tonight's victory is the next step in a long and difficult journey to bring a new direction to Allegheny County.

Our journey together began four short months agoas we announced our campaign in a downtown office building. The building housed dynamic high-tech companies such as Timesys but it also had entire floors that were empty.

That building symbolized both the challenges and the opportunities we face as a region. I said then and still believe now that there is no reason that that building and many like it should not be crowded with new companies – and with new opportunity.

Tonight, we are at an important step along on our journey. I am so grateful for all you have done. And I want you to know we are just getting started.

THANKS

I want to thank everyone who contributed to our tremendous victory tonight. I want to thank all of you for joining us here today and for your support and encouragement. This wouldn't have been possible without the tireless work of all our wonderful grassroots volunteers.

I congratulate Chuck McCullough on a fine campaign and his service on the Allegheny county council.

I thank all the voters who showed their confidence in me and in the ideas we share—voters who believe that innovative ideas are more important than a familiar name or political ties going back decades.

I owe a special debt to Republican chairman Jim Roddey and to countless Republican leaders across this very large county. In particular, I want to thank Governor Tom Corbett, Senator Pat Toomey, Congressman Tim Murphy, State Senator John Pippy, and Majority Leader Mike Turzai for their early and enthusiastic support.

I owe tremendous thanks to my wife Neeta and our daughters Isana and Omisa.

Tonight we ask everyone to make a choice for Allegheny County to reach new heights. My family also has reached new heights in our campaign. Neeta, who is a life-long Democrat, changed her registration from Democrat to Republican for the Primary. The election going forward is not going to be about Democrat or Republican but about the individual best qualified to move Allegheny County forward.

MAKING THE CHOICE

I know that tonight's victory isn't about me. It is about getting Allegheny County moving in the right direction again.

The choice in November will be a stark one—and the path we choose will affect this county for years to come. This is not an election where anyone can stand on the sidelines or rely on the old political habits that have brought us to where we are today.

As many of you know, I came to Pittsburgh 25 years ago, alone, to go to school. Even thought I had the opportunity to move to the Silicon Valley, I chose to stay in Pittsburgh to build a successful company and to raise my family. My journey isn't very different than that of generations of western Pennsylvanians who have gone before us, who came here and made Pittsburgh what historian David McCullough called "the indispensible American City." We truly stand on the shoulders of giants and we cannot sit idly by and watch their legacy squandered by slow decline.

Let's look at the facts objectively and you will see we are in a slow decline:

Our unemployment rate has gone from 4.1% to 7.96% in 2010[1]
Our airport utilization has dropped from 500 flights to about 75 flights [2]
Our local bus transportation has cuts of 15% in just the past couple of months[3]
Our debt has increased $127M in just the past 5 years[4]
And on and on and on...

As Albert Einstein said "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity." We need new leadership. Our potential is great and our time is now.

During this campaign, I've knocked on doors and talked to voters throughout the County from my hometown of Mt. Lebanon to Plum to McCandless to Clair-tin and many points in between. The reception has been very welcoming and feedback has been consistent that Allegheny County is ready for new leadership to get us to greater heights.

The role of County Executive is to primarily foster economic development and create jobs. I co-founded a company in the spare bedroom of my townhouse and have grown the company to hundreds of American jobs. I bring the experience and expertise needed for the role and will do so with integrity and fairness.

I am not a career politician. I don't have the political alliances and will do what is in the best interest of the taxpayer. Whether it's contracts or services – merit will take the highest precedence.

I refuse to believe that Allegheny County's best days are behind us. We can be a leader again in job creation, quality of life, education, and innovation. But we will not seize the great opportunities of the 21st century if we continue to elect the same people whose policies and style of politics are left over from a bygone era.

To reach these heights we need Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike to join this campaign. The voters will have a clear choice in November. Make no mistake about it. It's a choice between an outsider who has spent his life creating jobs and solving problems and an insider who represents the politics of the past.

Let me be clear. This race is not about parties or personalities, but a clear choice between the past and the future.