GARDINER � "Had Enough?" shouted George Phillips to the crowd of 35 or so that came out to welcome him to Gardiner Town Hall on Saturday, March 6. The event was a "meet and greet" and fundraiser for Phillips's campaign for congress this year. Pam O'Dell, founder of GardinersRight.org, which hosted the event, said "If you're tired of having a liberal progressive who is nothing but a Pelosi puppet represent you in Washington, this is the time to make your voice and vote heard for changing the channel in Washington."

The crowd, Republicans and Tea Party folks, responded with cheers and applause. They are backing Phillips in his bid to unseat Maurice Hinchey, the nine-term Democratic congressman in the 22nd District. They are hoping for a big enough Republican swing in November this year to return the House of Representatives and the Senate to Republican control.

"Ours is a long district," said Phillips at one point. "Starts up in Ithaca, a liberal town, comes down through Binghamton, then Sullivan County, Ulster, northern Orange and even over the river to Poughkeepsie.

"We're about even now in Binghamton, so Ulster is vital for us," said Phillips. "It's ground zero for our campaign."

Therefore, Ulster County will be seeing a lot more of George Phillips.

From Endwell, near Binghamton, Phillips graduated from Seton Catholic School in 1994. During his college years he worked three summers in manufacturing at IBM's plant in Endicott. His post-graduate course was to teaching, and he obtained a Master's Degree from Notre Dame in 2000.

A lifelong conservative, Phillips landed a post with Republican Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey in 2001 during a stint of teaching in Washington D.C.'s public schools.

Phillips worked on business, immigration, foreign affairs, and senior issues for Congressman Smith, assisting on several bills that were signed into law, including the Victims of Trafficking Protection Act.

In 2005, George Phillips returned to Binghamton to teach at his old school, Seton Catholic, as well as at Broome County Community College.

He campaigned in 2008 against Maurice Hinchey, and his campaign speech is acquiring the honed, tight qualities of an experienced political campaigner.

"We have a bold plan for America," Phillips told the crowd at the Gardiner Town Hall. "It is essential to cut out waste in Washington. That is why I think we need something like Ronald Reagan's 'Grace Commission,' named for businessman J. Peter Grace, who headed it. That commission reported to Congress in 1984 claiming that $424 billion could be saved in three years, and $1.9 trillion by 2000 if its recommendations were followed. Congress, however, ignored the Grace Commission's report.

"We have far too many government agencies in Washington," said Phillips in a brief interview. "We need to consolidate agencies � cut 15 down to eight. For example, put agriculture, energy and transportation into one agency. Another example, have a Department of Social Development and put H.U.D and Education into that."

Phillips's message resonated with the Republicans and Tea Partiers, who applauded such lines as, "There are now more bureaucrats in the Department of Agriculture than there are farmers in America."

"We have to take our country back," said Phillips. "The debt that this administration is taking on is enormous. We have $12 trillion of national debt now and we will be running $1 trillion deficits every year for the next ten years."

Phillips also attacked the Democratic Party's health reform effort.

"This health care reform is being shoved down our throats. It's another example of government meddling in the lives of Americans in ways that the founders did not envisage."

Phillips later turned to fund raising. "We are working non-stop now on raising money. We will have phone banks operating and there are opportunities for volunteers to help with this effort."

Finally, Phillips spoke about term limits, in response to a question from the audience. "I would support six years in the House, and 12 in the Senate, but 12 is more likely to succeed in the House."