Joe Watkins, a nationally known Republican commentator, small business person and local pastor announced today that he will seek the Republican nomination for Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania.
Watkins, 56, a resident of Philadelphia declared, “The Republican Party must step up in 2010 and lead our Commonwealth back to our founders’ principles of “limited government” and fiscal responsibility.”
Citing the need for a concentrated program to encourage the creation of new jobs, he said, “Small businesses are the driving engine to create new jobs– the foundation of “economic security” for families. Government must foster the economic conditions necessary for those businesses to thrive by limiting regulations and by keeping taxes low.”
“As someone who found, owned and sold a small business and as one whose wife headed the Regional Office of the Small Business Administration, I’ve seen the everyday problems and concerns of small businesses. I’ve seen the practical challenges that a small business owner faces just to keep the doors open. As Lt. Governor, I would put that experience to work as an advocate for small businesses in Harrisburg.”
Watkins graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and received a master’s degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Raised in New York City, he was born in the Woodside Projects. His father was a school teacher and his mother a housewife.
He met his wife of 34 years, Stephanie Taylor, at Penn. They have three adult children, Tiffany, Courtney and Joseph, Jr. Courtney and his son in law Marc Portlock have blessed the Watkins’ with two grandchildren Marc and Taylor.
Watkins’ professional career included work as a campus minister in Alabama and Indiana; the Assistant State Director of the Indiana office for Senator Dan Quayle; Assistant to the President of the University of Pennsylvania, Sheldon Hackney; Member of the Presidential Transition team of George Herbert Walker Bush and later he joined the White House staff as Associate Director of Public Liaison for the President.
Following his service in the White House, Watkins started his own public relations firm; co-founded an asset management business and was a partner in Hill Solutions, specializing in assisting small business clients.
In addition to his business profession, for the last 11 years he has served as the pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in North Philadelphia.
Watkins’ commitment to the Pennsylvania community includes serving on several boards including Main Line Health Care; Lankenau Hospital; Steppingstone Scholars; Youth Inc. and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
For more biographical information:
watkins2010.com
http://www.joe@watkins2010.com