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I never got into politics for it to be a career.

I am not a politician; I've never run for anything in my life. I'm an economist. I'm a broadcaster. I've been an adviser. I worked for Ronald Reagan.

There's nothing in my background that would have said I was destined to be a senior politician.

When I was growing up in the United States and Sweden, I never thought about becoming a politician.

Every time I would give a talk, someone would say, 'You ought to go into politics.' I prefer to call it government leadership. My life has taken me to places where I have experiences that I think I can share. A lot of times, we see people who are career politicians. I'm not the conventional candidate, nor do I want to be.

I was really too honest a man to be a politician and live.

I am not a politician, and I will never be, and I say that with absolute conviction.

I am not a career politician, even though this is my 12th year in the United States House of Representatives.

I never intended to be a politician or office-seeker.