Johanna Ellerup

Johanna Ellerup was born in Reykjavik, Iceland. She received her bachelor's degree and doctorate from St. John's University. Ellerup's professional experience includes being a doctor of pharmacy and an author.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am the first generation child of immigrants who came to the United States in the '60's seeking opportunity and finding it. I am the first in my immediate family to attend a university and complete my graduate studies to become a PharmD. I became a US Citizen because of my deep love and respect for this country. I am running for US Congress for the same reason.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Universal Healthcare is the right of every AmericanQuality education is the right of every AmericanCommon sense safeguarding of our environment

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As an American citizen, I am grievously concerned with the path our government is currently taking. As a pharmacist, I saw firsthand the positive effects of the Affordable Care Act. People presenting newly acquired insurance cards or health savings cards to the pharmacy, knowing that they were covered was personally and professionally fulfilling for me. We need to fight to protect what we know is valuable!

Providing quality education, safeguarding our environment for ourselves, our children and our children's children, maintaining our high immigration vetting procedures while showing compassion to those most in need, treating others with respect even when they are different from us, is just a small sampling of the issues we need to fight for. These are American values.

These are our values.

We are not just a country, we are the American FAMILY.

People of varying shapes, colors and background forged together to form 'a more perfect union'.

We are the People.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

There are a few people who spring to mind whose life offers the hope of conviction in the face of adversity and personal courage in the face of death.

I'd rather spend my life never facing these types of obstacles.

But the knowing that there are those who have an innate understanding of right from wrong and stand in defiance fills my small corner of the world with a sense of optimism and, oftentimes, wonder.

Bonhoeffer, Roosevelt, Joan of Arc, Lincoln, Sojourner Truth, Churchill, the French, Norwegian Resistance and all those who stood against the Nazi's are but a few.

There's always hope enough to fill the widest abyss.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

A desire and ability to serve and protect the needs of your constituents is a fundamental characteristic of any government official. This requires a desire to learn that which you may not know, expand your comfort zone and place yourself last.

To, quite literally, represent them to the best of your ability.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

The steadfastness of character that commits to a cause or issue and remains there until resolutions are reached is the most fundamental and forceful aspect of my personality. I research and analyze an issue in order to do my due diligence to try to ensure that the correct course of action is followed, to the utter annoyance of most!

I have the ego to get the job done, to work alongside those whose opinions differ from mine to reach a bipartisan objective and put my constituents first and foremost in all tasks.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Fairness, commitment to a just cause, defense and protection of the under-represented or marginalized.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

It was a dreary, overcast day as I dragged myself home from Howitt Jr. High School. There had been little in the past few days, weeks, even years to lift the soul. The recent Presidential elections bore witness to a peaceful change in power and an end to a terrifyingly tangible hostage situation in one of our overseas embassies. Images of gaunt, desperate men had filled the TV screens and our imaginations filled in the rest.

The same mysterious and captivating people who filled our history books with fantastical stories of heroism and mysticism, now threatened our very existence on earth. The hatred we never knew they felt towards us was palpable across thousands of miles. OPEC became a common term to describe the high cost of home fuel oil and the switching of license plates to fill car gas tanks.

Homework made my backpack heavy and the winter made the day bleak.

I greeted the familiar and pleasant school crossing guard whose checkpoint signaled the three-quarter mark on my dismal trek home.

She asked whether I had heard the news. No, no I hadn't. What news?

"The President's been shot," was delivered raw and curt.

I had no idea what that meant. My 11 year-old adolescent mind couldn't rationalize the most powerful leader of the free world being shot. Instead, it feigned ignorance of everything and everyone.

I gave no conscious response.

I walked home without emotion.

I and my mother listened to the news reports and watched the recorded images for weeks thereafter, also with little emotion.

President Reagan recovered as did Mr. James Brady.

The days continued as did life itself.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Fear of the Dark" by Iron Maiden because it has an awesome tempo when raking the leaves :)

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

First and foremost, the representative must have the drive and determination to best serve the people in their district. There is much to be said for having previous managerial experience, as being a supervisor over others in effectively and efficiently getting the job done, is a rather important factor of any governmental position. The responsibility of producing work or leading others features predominantly in these roles.

However, there are several everyday roles that we all perform that can substitute for governmental or political experience. Doing assignments with others in a group, arranging chaotic households into a functional unit, dealing with customers and employers...these are all attributes that when combined with a love of our country and its people can make highly effective leaders.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

There are three that I have a desire to, if I am chosen, to join. Those are the Foreign Policy Committee, Science, Space and Technology, and last but not least, Education and Labor.

Needless to say, the Homeland Security Committee holds a special place in my heart.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

The fact that the Constitution delegates a two-year term to Congresspersons may seem odd to people at first glance. When I first learned of it, back in grade school, I never pondered the rhyme or reason of it. I simply memorized it thusly - Senate has 6 years, President has 4, the Reps have 2 years but the Supreme term is life.

Two years does serve it's purpose quite nicely, however. The House of Representatives were intentionally designed to emulate the positive attributes of the British House of Commons and reflect the populace on the most personal level. Hence, it's numbers fluctuate with the Census as no other branch of government does.

The two year term allows for changes in popular opinion and a greater dynamic than the other branches, which increase in stability and term length.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

As with most voters, my thoughts on term limits depends on whether I approve of the incumbents position or not.

But, in general, I think that the voters have the power to effectively instill term limits as they choose. If they want an incumbent out of office, they vote for the best qualified alternative candidate.

That's the democratic system of government in action.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Thaddeus Stevens and Nancy Pelosi are Representatives that I admire, although would be hard pressed to emulate. Both hold steadfast to their convictions in the face of adversity.

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