Learn About John M. Paff, Jr.

I was born in Hampden, Maryland, one month after my mother's seventeenth birthday. Plenty of candidates talk about the working class and about families trying to survive below the poverty line. But I’ve lived it and I’m a better man for it! I learned about hard work and perseverance from my mother. She struggled and fought every day of my childhood to make sure that her children had every opportunity to succeed in life. I have always worked hard to ensure that I succeed for her, and I will work my hardest to ensure Maryland succeeds for your family as well as my own!

At a young age, my mother made two very important decisions that dictated who I am today. At eight years old, she encouraged me to join the local football team. Over the years, combined with track and field, I learned many lessons about hard work, dedication, teamwork, and leadership! My high school coach would tell us after the game, win or lose, “Go home, look at yourself in the mirror, and ask yourself if you did your absolute best today. You can lie to your parents, you can lie to your friends, and you can lie to your coaches, but you can’t lie to yourself!” I found that with reflection there was always something I could improve on. I take that same approach on a daily basis. I am always looking for ways to improve and you can only do that with an honest analysis. Thomas Edison once said, “Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.” I constantly remind myself of this and always look to better my life. I remember a funny exchange with my wife when I told her about this quote. She thought it meant I was looking to replace her with someone better one day. I explained to her that I did not need to find a new wife, but that I could never become satisfied with our relationship. I need to always work to make our relationship stronger, and that the day I become satisfied with where our relationship is, it will begin to decline. So we have to focus every day on how we can make our relationship stronger. I will never become satisfied with the condition of Maryland. I will always work to make Maryland stronger.

The second thing my mother encouraged me to do was spend the weekends with family. At a very young age, I would spend every weekend possible with my grandfather. We would spend Saturday mornings getting breakfast followed by a trip to the Maryland Reptile House and/or the Baltimore Zoo. My grandfather passed away when I was still in grade school, but in those few years, he left a lasting impression on me. I can now look back on those days and understand the importance of giving today’s youth the knowledge and tools to succeed. Those weekends at the zoo left such an impression on me that when I purchased a Maryland Zoo membership for my family this past weekend, it brought me to tears knowing that one day my daughters will look back on these trips with the same fondness that I feel for those trips with my grandfather!

I now live in Abingdon with my wife, Sarah, and my twin daughters, Emma and Anna. My wife has lived in Abingdon her entire life, and I have lived here for nearly ten years. When my wife became pregnant with our twin daughters a little more than three years ago, we were faced with some tough decisions just as every family is: daycare, schools, our home, cars, vacations, etc. Do we both work and have a little extra money or do we sacrifice so that Sarah can stay home with our children? For us personally, we decided that the small about of money Sarah would make from her teaching job after the cost of daycare was simply not worth it. We had to cut all the extras out of our budget, but now Sarah has the opportunity to be at home with our children and give them a solid foundation for life.

In Annapolis, I will have no problem making the tough decisions that need to be made! It is time our State Legislature takes a long, hard, realistic look at the state budget and makes the tough decisions that need to be made! I guarantee you that the working class families of Maryland will be at the forefront of every decision I make!

Official Announcement

I, John Paff, am today announcing my candidacy for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 34A. I am not running for Delegate merely to oppose any man or woman, but to propose new policies. I am running because I am convinced that this state is on a dangerous course. Since I have such strong feelings about what must be done, I feel compelled to do all that I can!

I run because it is now unmistakably clear that we can change these disastrous, divisive policies only by changing the representatives who are now making them. I cannot stand by and watch our liberties continue to be taken away, all the while, government spending and taxes are on the rise. In these economic times, the spending needs to be cut and the taxes lowered so that the working class can survive. No man, no matter his origin, race, religion, or education should ever be forced to choose between feeding his family and paying his heating bill! As a member of the General Assembly, I will insist my colleagues approach our state finances the way small business owners are being forced to look at theirs. If something is not absolutely necessary, then it needs to be cut! If a business owner raised their prices every time they wanted something new, they’d go out of business. It’s time we run our state the same way! Enough spending!

For some reason, our General Assembly believes the best policy is to take our money, increase their spending, then create programs to tell us how to better our lives. I believe all of our lives would be better if the General Assembly would cut their spending and lower our taxes, allowing us to keep our hard earned money and use it how we deem necessary. Government has intruded into our personal lives and decision-making, and continues to overstep its realm of authority; this infringement must stop.

I owe it to the families of Maryland, I owe it to my wife, and I owe it to my twin daughters to make Maryland a place where they can continue to be guaranteed a free, quality, public education, in a safe environment, that allows them to prosper and one day raise their families in this wonderful state!

My decision reflects no personal animosity or disrespect toward any of the candidates, including Mr. Riley and Ms. James; they have served our district with the utmost respect. However, I cannot stand aside from the contest that will decide our state’s future and our children's future. Annapolis needs to have Maryland’s families at the forefront of every decision. I need your help and support to make Annapolis think “Family First!”

God Bless,
John Paff
Republican Candidate for House of Delegates
District 34A

* Portions of my announcement were inspired by the words of Robert Kennedy’s Presidential announcement March 16th, 1968 in Washington, D.C.