Steve Holland's Formal Announcement

Formal announcement for U. S. Congress by Rep. Steve Holland
Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008, Plantersville School Cafeteria

Thank you all for being here today to share this special moment with my family and me. It warms my heart to see so many of my family and my ole friends and supporters. Thanks to all of you who have had such a vital part in this wonderful journey of life for me that now spans 52 years. I cannot express my most heartfelt thanks for your numerous kindnesses over a wonderful life and a 25 year political career. You are simply the best I know and I wouldn't live anywhere else. God bless all of you for uplifting and maintaining what I consider to be among the greatest of human attributes and virtues, loyalty. My special thanks to my wife of 25 years and your Mayor, Gloria, who has been my partner in life, in politics and in the pursuit of all my dreams.

Well folks, this is not my first rodeo. I've kicked off several campaigns over the years and attended hundreds of others for my friends and colleagues. I have observed one thing: where a man chooses to start his campaign tells a lot about who he is and what he's about. It can literally define the person and the campaign. That's why Gloria, my family and I choose to kick off this campaign for the U. S. Congress right here at the Plantersville School where it all started for me in 48 years ago, in l960.

You know, in every life, there are hallowed places—sacred places. It may be the ole home place; it may be the Church of your birth, the cemetery where your loved ones peacefully rest, a special farm where you learned work ethics and the beauty and magnitude of God's creation. Among the many sacred places in my life—and most of them are right here in this little town of Plantersville, is this School my cousin, Molly, brought me to as a terrified first grader in l960. Mr. W. D. Morris was the principal, about 5 foot, 5 inches but I thought he was a giant!! Mrs. Ada Young, my first grade teacher, was simply the kindest, sweetest , most engaging lady I'd ever met. Both of them have gone on to glory many years ago but their memory and their influence lingers.

I could have formally launched this campaign in several places but this is sacred ground and it is this spot/ this place that went a long way in shaping my values and who I am today. I thank God for this place, for all who shared their life with me here. I wish time would allow me to call all the names and express proper gratitude but it simply won't. My 5 brothers and I were a collective force here and messing with one of the Holland boys often meant you had to deal with all 5. What a wonderful childhood we had.

Carolyn Weeks in the original building across the way taught me first about civics and this state and country; how this state worked and what our responsibility as a citizen was to the propogation of democracy. She also made me write 500 times I will not disparage the President of the United States when I smarted off raunchy comments about then President Lyndon Baines Johnson. What a valuable lesson.

I learned here to read and to enjoy it. Let me tell you; maybe no greater gift was given to me in this life than learning to read. I am not ashamed to tell you I am an avid reader of history, politics, religion and literature. Gloria has even convinced me there is some value in romance novels. It is here I personally learned the value of education as a freeing force and that it is incumbent on every government to provide a first class education. I have spent the last 24 years fighting for public education in the State Legislature and you can be assured in the U. S. Congress, that fi ght will be first and foremost on my agenda.

I also learned here valuable lessons about discipline. When Mr. Griffin spanked me, I also got a spanking when I got home. I learned that if you misbehaved, you would get called down ; and if you continued to misbehave, you would have to pay a price. I learned a fundamental lesson; there is a cost to doing wrong.

In all the classrooms, on the football field, in the ole gym, I learned a lot about society, about people, about relationships. Dad was on the County School Board and I remember the first day Avery entered our school after integration. I never did understand why we were segregated. Growing up on the farm, it was one big family and we all shared the joys and sorrows of life equally. I learned here that we all aren't alike and it is our responsibility to be good neighbors and lend a helping hand when needed. I learned that some of my school mates where poor and struggled and some where reasonably affluent. I learned here that no matter where your Dad or Mom worked, where you went to Church, how big or little your house was—you were still considered to be a person of value: a person of worth. And you were worthy of care and attention from the people who ran this place; the teachers and administration.

So the real lesson today is: I learned to live life in peace and harmony here: that learning is lifelong, that we providentially have a responsibility to not just ourselves and our families, but to all people regardless of race, creed, color and social status.
These values are not just Plantersville and Mississippi values; they are American values. But possibly more importantly than all, they are New Testament values. I thank God almighty that I was able to begin my life here and learn my values in this place and this community. This place shaped me, gave me a foundation for life and for no other reason, this is where I wanted to launch this campaign for the U. S. Congress; for it is these values that will continue to drive my every action and deed in the Big House in Washington, D. C. I know pr oudly from whence I came and you can be assured, I will never forget from whence I came and from whom the source of my values are derived.

Let me assure you of my gratitude for electing me 7 times to the Mississippi House of Representatives. I love that public trust and I do not have to surrender that position until I am elected to the U. S. Congress. So, accordingly, I have a present responsibility to you in the Miss. House of Representatives and I will fulfill that to the best of my abilites.

As a young man just graduated from Mississippi State University in l977, I was afforded the wonderful opportunity of becoming an employee of the late Great First District of Mississippi Congressman Jamie L. Whitten. I spent almost three years in D. C. on Mr. Whitten's staff, an experience of enormous education and fascination. This political start provided a solid foundation for seeking to serve you in the Miss. Legislature as I have the last 25 years. Actually, this position has opened only twice in 64 years. Mr. Whitten often told aspiring public servants the best time to run for an office was when there was a vacancy. Today , with Congressman Wicker's elevation to the U. S. Senate there is an opening. I prayed and searched my heart for two weeks and tried to talk myself out of this. But it just seems a natural progression of an already storied political journey and I am today formally asking you to join me in this race to be your next United States Congressman from the First Congressional District.

Time and years have thoroughly prepared me. A deep abiding faith in God has prepared me. Growing up in Plantersville, raising my family in Lee County and attending the public schools, community college and universities of this great State have prepared me. I am up to the task. I have stayed close to you the people who have elected me for 7 terms. I will continue to stay close to you as your Congressman with 'in your face' constituent service and association. I have honed my political philosophy over the last two and one half decades of elective office and it is simple.
It is New Testament politics which says the government has a role in taking care of the least, last and most vulnerable among us. Good education, decent, accessible and affordable health care for all, a solid transportation system that fosters public safety and economic development, a proper partnership between government and economic development, a strong military and a system that will not turn its back on those men and women who fight for our freedom and great personal and physical peril, a Social Security system that is fiscally healthy and fairly delivered. These, among others are what Steve Holland has always fought for and protected and these are the same positions I will carry with me to Washington as your C ongressman.

Thank you again for being here. There is the possibility that there will be minimally three elections before someone becomes the next U. S. congressman from here. The Democratic and Republican primaries will be March 11, 2008. The winners of this race will advance to the November 4, 2008 general election. Also, there will be a special election at some point to fill the unexpired term of Senator Wicker. So, we have lots of work to do and not much time to do it in. We can win and we should win because we stand on principle and for the right things. ; I am so grateful you have joined me in this endeavor today. God bless everyone of you. I love you, I am proud of you and I will do noting to discredit you. I covet your support, your energy and your prayers and rest assured, I will be calling on you often to help make this effort successful.