Breitbart Contributor Tim Donnelly Declares for Congress in California’s 8th District

Former State Assemblyman and 2014 gubernatorial candidate Tim Donnelly (R) has declared his candidacy for Congress in California’s eighth congressional district in 2018, challenging incumbent Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA).

Donnelly has been a regular news and opinion writer at Breitbart News, focusing on California politics. He made his political career as a vociferous opponent of illegal immigration and as an advocate for the Second Amendment. He led Neel Kashkari in the primary race for governor in 2014 until a late surge of money and advertising — much of it from Republican establishment sources eager to block Donnelly’s candidacy — helped Kashkari gain an edge.

Donnelly cast his decision to run as an effort to help President Donald Trump fulfill his promises and pass his agenda. He specifically called out Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) and his “do-nothing Congress.”

In a press statement Monday, Donnelly said:

I’m a former California State Assemblyman, author and Breitbart Columnist.

But most people have said I was the ‘Trump before Trump’—just without the hair and the billions.

Our District—which stretches from Joshua Tree to just shy of Lake Tahoe— overwhelmingly supported the President.  We sent him to DC because he said he was going to make America great again, and then we watched as this ‘do-nothing’ congress has stymied him at every turn.

So my promise to you is very simple:  I will back the President’s agenda because you back it—and I’ll have his back because he’s got yours.

There are 5 things that I believe are crucial right now.

We’ve got to:

1. Build the Wall.  Enforce our immigration laws.  End Sanctuary Cities.
2. Repeal ObamaCare, not replace it.  Just open up competition between the states and let the free market work to lower costs.
3. Defend and protect the 2nd Amendment.  The 2nd Amendment is freedom.
4. End Forced Vaccinations.  We’ve gotten this far by letting people make their own choices.
5. Put our Veterans First.  Take care of our Veterans:  Starts with respect. We live in the greatest country on earth, thanks to their sacrifice. Reform the VA. Acknowledge the traumatic brain injuries that afflict many who return home, seemingly healthy and whole, but who are fighting a hidden killer.  Treat them as we would like to be treated.
6. Enforce the Travel Ban, end the Obama refugee program and keep our communities safe from Muslim terrorism. After San Bernardino, I will never apologize or be politically correct about the threat that took the lives of our friends, neighbors and co-workers on that terrible day.  Never again!
7. I will always stand for our flag and what it represents, and kneel to no one but God.
8. Uphold and defend the Constitution as written, Period.
9. Defend our inalienable rights:  that of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness from Government infringement.
10. Stand against Silicon Valley censorship

We’ve got to put America First.

I will help the President Make America Great Again.

Donnelly also released a video:

According to Ballotpedia, one other candidate, Democrat Ronald O’Donnell, has also declared his intent to challenge Rep. Cook.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He was named one of the “most influential” people in news media in 2016. He is the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.