The answer to “Why run?” begins with how sick I am of yelling at my TV (at partisans on both sides), and ends with how fervently I still believe, as Ronald Reagan did, that the United States is that “shining city on a hill.” Not was, is.

But we are on dangerous ground. Moderate politicians have been sent home. The aisle between left and right that was held passable by moderates has now become a canyon, impassable. Viewpoints have become more extreme. We face a future not where compromise is possible, but where we simply have extreme conservative policies for 2, 4, or 8 years, to be followed by extreme liberal policies when the majority changes. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, after all.

That’s not progress. That is stagnation. That is unpredictability. And it’s a true danger to civil society.

I’m a moderate Republican running in the most purple of districts in the most purple of states. Our electorate is 30% Republican, 30% Democrat, and 40% undeclared. Yet in the last three cycles, the Republican candidate for Congress in First District has never exceeded 46% of the vote, sending Chris Pappas to Washington each time.

We Republicans can do that for a fourth time if we would like by choosing a candidate on September 10th that is too conservative to be elected in the general election. Or, we can respect our electorate, be smart, and choose a person like me, whose firmly held conservative views on the economy, the border, national defense, and crime speak to the overwhelming majority of the electorate, while my moderate views on social issues don’t scare the bejesus out of the rest.

We can choose fighting inflation and closing borders over telling a woman what to do with her own body. We can choose national defense and energy independence over telling a doctor and parents how to treat minor children.

Sen. J.D. Vance recently said he prays for and has sympathy for me, as a childless person. Thanks J.D., but this is the kind of unnecessary distraction that loses Republicans elections. If we want to win in November, or ever, we need to start focusing on ending inflation, closing borders, and shutting the heck up about the culture wars. Government doesn’t exist to legislate moral or religious beliefs. It exists to keep us safe in our persons and property, and then to get out of the way to let us live our lives.

I’m running to give voice to the 80% of us that aren’t on the extremes. I’m running because I believe that good government is small government, leaving that which doesn’t belong under the purview of government to kitchen tables, houses of worship, and doctor offices. I’m running because I believe New Hampshire gets that balance right and Washington doesn’t.

Moderates are the kid in the schoolyard that breaks up the fight. Moderates are the kid that picks someone for his team that isn’t the best athlete remaining, because inclusion and how that other kid feels about himself are more important than winning. Moderates are the grownup that reaches out a hand without asking for a pledge of loyalty. I am a moderate.

There is no greater threat to American elections, not even AI or malign state actors, than the primary process of nominating people with the most extreme views (firmly held or conveniently adopted recently) to represent their respective party in the general election. It leads to a disinterested general electorate and bad government, government of partisan investigations and shouting over one another. It fills the halls and the airwaves with those whose rhetoric has real and dangerous consequences.

“A Republic if you can keep it,” said Benjamin Franklin. I’m running because I desperately want to keep it.