I grew up on a small farm in rural Maryland. We were taught that you help your neighbors when you can, and I learned service over self at a young age.

After college, I joined the Peace Corps and opened up a Junior Secondary School in rural Botswana.

I loved public service and I loved representing America. And so, I joined the Foreign Service and served as a diplomat in some of the toughest places on earth.

I was a negotiator between the Israelis and Palestinians, the first into Libya during their civil war, oversaw the civilian responses in Syria and Yemen, and served 17 months in Baghdad, Iraq.

In South Sudan, I delivered food grown by American farmers to women and children in the refugee camps.

It was an honor to represent America - not Democrats or Republicans - but America on some of the toughest challenges of this century.

Unfortunately, many career politicians think differently. It's never service over self for them.

Take Andy Harris. We’ve paid him more than $2 million over the last 12 years. Has he done anything for you? Has he helped your family? Are you better off because Andy Harris is in Congress?

Heather Mizeur is another example. She was a federal lobbyist at the same time she was serving as a Takoma Park delegate in Maryland’s General Assembly. A few years later, she transferred more than $195,000 in donor funds from her failed 2014 Campaign into her non profit, MizMaryland, which does business under her brand name, Soul Force Politics.

Heather Mizeur closed down the Soul Force politics website recently because she doesn’t want you to see what she has done with these donor funds.

I pledge service over self when I am in Congress - like I have for decades and like I learned growing up on the farm.

-- Dave