Indiana's NewsCenter channel 21 anchor Ryan Elijah is seeking the 3rd District Congressional seat.
Elijah, 38, (R-Fort Wayne) visited the Times-Union Thursday afternoon to discuss his congressional run.He first announced Tuesday that he would seek the seat during a press conference at Allen County Republican Headquarters.
Although it is Elijah's first time for seeking a political office, he said has had experience in interviewing politicians that has allowed him to be educated on political issues and how they affect the 3rd district.
While running for congress, he said he has taken a leave of absence from his job at Indiana's NewsCenter.
Elijah said he covers business and politics at Indiana's NewsCenter. As a news anchor he has interviewed governors and senators.
His favorite political figure he interviewed as news anchor was former President George Bush in Ohio when he was on the campaign trail. He also interviewed President Barack Obama one-on-one during Obama's campaign trail during a stop in Columbia City and by satellite.
Elijah graduated from Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian High School in 1990, and went to Liberty University before graduating from Anderson University where he studied mass communications and political science.
He recently was elected to serve as a school board member at Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian High School.
He said he was appointed by John Delaney, Jacksonville, Fla., mayor to serve on the mayor's council. Elijah previously served on the mayor's council for two years in Jacksonville. His duties were to attract businesses, promote tourism and work with government agencies.
Elijah previously worked for five years in Jacksonville.
He served as a sports director at CBS and worked for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Elijah said he moved back to Fort Wayne and eventually planned on running for Congress, but didn't know when that would be until the opportunity became open recently.
He returned to Fort Wayne to serve as news anchor for Indiana's News Center, a position he has held for the past six years.
He describes himself as being trustworthy, and an advocate for the district.
"I've lived in this community my entire life with the exception of the five years I was in Florida and have campaigned for this community whether it was when I served as student body president in high school or been in the public eye as an anchor," Elijah said.
Elijah created a consumer segment, "In Your Corner," designed to address and help solve viewer problems. His efforts resulted in more than $100,000 being returned to consumers.
When asked what his ideas are on term limits he said voters should decide when a congressman's term should end, and also said he understands why people are frustrated with term limits.
He said he doesn't expect to push for term limits if he is elected to congress.
Elijah said issues important to him are cap and trade, and he said he thinks cap and trade will hurt the Midwest more than any place in the country.
He said conservative values also are important to him.
"I've heard the argument that Hoosier values are out the window, but I don't feel that it is true and I feel it is important to hold the torch for Hoosier values and that is more important now than ever," Elijah said.
Elijah talked about the orthopedic industry and said he supports it.
"Fort Wayne businesses are jealous of Warsaw's orthopedic industry because this is an amazing setup that the orthopedic industry has," Elijah said. "Anytime you are talking about taxes and things that will hurt the orthopedic industry's bottom line and affect jobs, that is a real problem."
Elijah also said job creation is important to him and it needs to continue to be a focus.
Elijah is married to Tasha and they have two sons, Luke, 7, and Jacob, 11. He said his family has been supportive of his decision to run.
For more information about Elijah, visit his campaign Web site at elijahforcongress.com
