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Karl Warrington running for 23rd Congressional District

Karl Warrington

Karl Warrington has announced he is running for the 23rd Congressional District, currently held by Rep. Tom Reed.

Warrington is the middle child of British immigrants who settled in Southampton, Long Island in 1968. His mother was trained as a nurse, and his father, a graduate of Oxford University, worked for Plumb Island Research Facility as a scientist/researcher who specialized in livestock and animal disease.

“When they first came over to this side of the ‘pond,’ mum stayed home to raise us,” Warrington said. “Our second move was to New Jersey where I spent my childhood on the Jersey Shore. At about the age of 10, my parents divorced. My mother went back to work as a nurse working endless hours to support all of us instilling in me and my siblings an extremely strong work ethic. My little sister and I would spend our summer holidays at our Granny’s in the South Western part of England. This was great for the experience to spend a couple of months in Jolly Old England, but bad if like me, you wanted to enjoy hot American summers, the 4th of July, camp, swimming and other summertime fun.”

Warrington graduated from a small ROTC high school on Sandy Hook in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

“My young adult life was, for the most part, spent in upstate New York where I studied Public Policy in undergrad at the University of Buffalo. Shortly thereafter, I felt God’s call and continued my education at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Texas where I studied Divinity and was ordained a Presbyterian Minister. However, I am a very progressive Christian and I stronglly support separation of church and state and a woman’s right to choose,” he said.

Warrington spent approximately 15 years in Upstate New York serving small churches in rural communities. For more than five years he was the pastor of the Lisbon and Heuvelton Presbyterian Churches in Saint Lawrence County. For about 10 years, he served Trinity Federated Church in Naples, N.Y. where he was known as the “Social Work” Pastor.

“I always made sure I was available to the community and to my parishioners. While In Naples, I created several community-based programs and traveled on missions to developing countries to help those in need,” he said.

After completing his Masters in Social Work Warrington decided to leave the pulpit on a high note and join the Finger Lakes Visiting Nurse Services and Ontario Yates Hospice.

“I serve these vulnerable populations as a occasional chaplain, a counselor, an advocate, coordinator of services, educator and navigator through the often obstacle-ridden government bureaucracy. As a social worker, I am equipped with the knowledge of public policy and how that policy directly costs and benefits our population,” he said. “As an ordained Presbyterian Minister, my faith is a very important part of who I am. I continue to support the Presbytery of Geneva as a substitute preacher, performing funerals, weddings, counseling, and Bible studies wherever and whenever I am needed.

“Finally, on a more personal note, I have three great and beautiful children, Adam (13), Jack (11) and Emma (5), but like millions of other Americans, my marriage to Jennifer ended in divorce. Our children always come first and are the most important people in our lives. We share and take care of them jointly. Then came Hope, my childhood sweetheart who has joined me with her three great boys; Andrew (21), Daniel (19), and Matthew (16). We are a regular Brady Bunch!

“So now, you are asking yourself why are you running for Congress? My answer is this: I am dismayed that Rep. Tom Reed is the voice for the people of District 23 on Capitol Hill and that is why I am running along with the other fine contenders. If I am afforded the privilege to serve you. I will advocate and defend you to the end on Capitol Hill. I have fought tirelessly for the ACA, I was actually one of those pestering people that called during the early days of getting the ACA passed in Congress. Health care, the economy, civil rights, immigration reform, education are platform items that I am passionate about. I look forward to the opportunity to meeting with our Democratic chairs, participate in town halls, meet and greets, Q&A sessions, door-to-door campaigning, voter registration drives, fundraising efforts and meeting people within each county of our district so I can learn about each county’s issues and concerns,” he said.

Warrington invites residents to join him on Facebook at KarlforCongress and on the web at karlwarrington.com.

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