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It is not easy to stand up against your constituents or your friends or colleagues or your community and take a tough stand for something you believe is right. Because you always want to keep working and live to fight another battle and it might cost you your career.

I try to live tolerance in my own way, which is why, as a politician, one of my key priorities is to stand up for human rights.

It's important to be honest and truthful with your constituents. At the end of the day, we represent them.

I claim the right to take a stand once in a while.

As members of Congress, we take an oath to uphold the Constitution and bear true faith and allegiance to the United States, not the Republican or Democratic party. I have been willing to stand up to my own leadership when it's in the national interest.

I am able to put aside personal beliefs and follow the law, even when I strongly disagree with it.

I am not going to stop speaking out on behalf of policies that I think are right - regardless of ideology, party or political expediency.

I oppose the attempts of homosexual activists to treat homosexual activity as a civil right to be protected and promoted by the government.

I have had many Ashfield people say to me that they might not agree with my political views or my decisions but that they supported my right to be heard.

So I will stand more steadfastly for the things I stand up for, like people who work for a living. I'd like to be able to stand that way when I go to Congress.