Meet Patrick Hynes, Candidate For DC Delegate To Congress

WASHINGTON, DC — In addition to voting for president and vice president of the United States in the Nov. 3 general election, voters in Washington, D.C., will choose a delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives; at-large member of the D.C. Council; member of the D.C. Council for wards 2, 4, 7 and 8; U.S. senator; U.S. representative; at-large member of the State Board of Education; member of the State Board of Education for wards 2, 4, 7, and 8; and Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner.

Patrick Hynes, a 29-year-old campaign director and legal analyst, is running to be the District's delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives.

As part of its coverage of the 2020 election, Patch has asked candidates in select races in D.C. to fill out a questionnaire to describe why they think they're the best person to fill the job they're running for.

Candidate

Patrick Hynes

Age (as of Election Day)

29

Office Sought

Delegate to Congress

Party Affiliation

Libertarian

Family

Prefer not to share.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Prefer not to share.

Education

Bachelors in Business Administration (Finance) from Southern Methodist University

Occupation

Campaign Director (1 year), Legal Analyst (4 years)

Campaign website

hynesforcongress.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

The single most pressing issue facing D.C. is our civil rights and liberties being taken away, and this is what I intend to do about it.

I intend to restore our individual rights by supporting ending the failed war on drugs, fighting laws that have lead to the over-incarceration of our population, and making sure that police are held accountable for their actions.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

I do support all peaceful demonstrations that expose the systematic and cultural racism in our country. What happened to George Floyd, Jacob Blake, and Breonna Taylor is a reflection of a system in which government has protected racist cops with laws like qualified immunity, no-knock warrants, and senseless drug prohibition. Like most citizens, I do not support any protesting that harms the property of individuals and businesses.

What are your thoughts on the state and national response to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you favor such measures as limiting operation of non-essential businesses or restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a nationwide mask mandate?

The coronavirus pandemic has revealed the ineptitude of the Federal government to respond to an unexpected crisis. Government red tape and regulations delayed access to vital testing, while closing businesses and limiting our freedom has caused irreparable harm to the American people. I do not support forcing businesses to close, but do support business' making their own decisions. With common sense, Americans will wear masks and social distance in the right situations. However, the divisiveness between Republicans and Democrats led to masks and social distancing becoming a political issue - a sad reflection of the two-party system in 2020.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the only candidate in this race who is fighting for the liberty of our people. Our Federal government has not only become too intrusive in our lives, but it is also spending too much money that it doesn't have. The massive debt that our country has accumulated will severely limit our prosperity in the future. The truth is that most of this spending is counterproductive and allowed because of bipartisan compromise in Congress. As a libertarian, I will not support any increased spending, but work to implement a system where we eliminate wasteful spending so that Federal funds can go to the right places. I will also fight to bring all of our troops home from the costly and unnecessary wars in the Middle East.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

Approval ratings of Congress are at historical lows because the wrong representatives are re-elected time and time again. Eleanor Holmes Norton has served for 30 years now, and we have only seen the Federal government take more control of our city in that time. While she introduced a Statehood bill, there is no chance that it will get the required votes in the Senate for it to pass anytime soon. I am completely in favor of and will fight for Statehood, but there are major hurdles to it and we are still paying Federal income taxes as if we were a state with representation. Puerto Rico doesn't pay those taxes, so why should we? Ms. Norton hasn't challenged this because of partisan loyalty, but I will not be loyal to the Establishment and I will introduce a bill to exempt us from Federal income tax until we are a State.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

I will fight to end qualified immunity, no-knock raids, and the militarization of police. These are infringements on our civil liberties that have only lead to the deaths of thousands of innocent people. I will work to reduce taxes for everyone and overhaul our broken tax code that is designed to let the richest take advantage of loopholes to decrease their liability. I will not take special interest money, which has ruined Congress by letting corporations control votes. I will work to end the War on Drugs, which has only killed millions while drug addiction has only skyrocketed. We need to focus on rehabilitation, rather than prohibition, which never prevents the user from trying. Finally, I will fight to end the two-party system that has divided our country and fueled hatred, consequences of the duopoly that our Founding Fathers warned about.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

Introducing a Bill to exempt all D.C. residents from federal income tax until D.C. becomes a state, and it passes.

Why should voters trust you?

My goal is to protect the residents of DC. I believe in what our citizens can do and will fight for their freedoms while the Democrats and Republicans only remain faithful to their party line.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

Spending by our federal government has gotten out of control. Under the Trump administration, we are spending more than ever before (even before Covid-19), and it should be very concerning to every American that our National debt is at $27 trillion and rising. Thanks to the irresponsible practices of the federal government, every child owes an average of over $60,000 at the moment they’re born. The average age of member of Congress is 57.8 years old, so I think it is fair to say that they don't care that younger generations will have to pay for their reckless spending. As a millenial, I will oppose and increases in spending until we get our deficit under control. I will also support free-markets and decreased taxes that will allow businesses to recover and prosper.