Jay Feely, the former NFL placekicker now running for U.S. Congress in Arizona as a Republican, told Newsmax on Friday that Democrats should apologize for their immigration policies.
Last April, Feely, who played for multiple NFL teams during his time as a professional football player and later became a broadcast analyst for CBS, announced his intent to run for the seat currently held by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., who will not seek reelection as he is running for governor.
When asked on Newsmax's "National Report" why he decided to enter politics, Feely criticized former President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party for their immigration policies.
Feely said, "For four years, the Biden administration lied to the American people, and they said they needed a bill passed to do anything at the border. They put politics in front of the protection of American people."
He said Democrats "should say [to] the American people, 'We were wrong. We lied to you and we apologize.' Those are the main reasons that I thought about politics."
Feely also cited the assassination attempt against Trump in July 2024 as inspiration.
"I remember exactly where I was that day," he said. "That day stood out to me dramatically. I started to ask myself, what am I willing to sacrifice for my country? Because I love my job, I love broadcasting, doing games. It was fun. I only had to work five months of the year, and then we got seven months off. And, you know, it was very enjoyable. But I knew there was something more."
Feely continued, "I knew there was a bigger picture, and I really felt that pressing from God. And my wife and I just started talking about it, praying about it. And when Andy Biggs decided in January he was going to run for governor, the seat where we live for the last 15 years here in Arizona would become open. And it's when I decided, you know what? I want to serve my country. And that's how I view politics. It's really about civil service."
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Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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