Phil Roe, mayor of Johnson City, a Republican candidate for Congress, told a luncheon meeting of the Greene County Republican Women on Monday that he is running for office to restore "faith in leadership" among voters.

Roe, a retired surgeon, said an important step in that direction was his decision to refuse to take any PAC (political action committee) donations to pay for his campaign in order to not be beholden to any special interests once elected.

Roe is running in the First Congressional District against U.S. Rep. David Davis, R-1st, who is seeking a second term.

The GOP primary will be held on Aug. 7, and the general election Nov. 4.

Roe delivered a stump speech on Monday that was similar to the one he gave to the Greene County Republican Party one week earlier.

He said the approval rating for members of Congress was currently only "11 to 12 percent because people feel like their government is being bought" by lobbyists and special interests.

He recalled visiting Washington, D.C. about three weeks ago as part of a "collective" group of U.S. mayors accompanied by a lobbyist.

Roe recalled the lobbyist's pitch to the group of mayors. "For $10,000 a month, he said he could look out for our interests."

Roe made it clear in his talk here he disagrees strongly with gaining influence among legislators through money.

Roe also derided the profits oil companies were making from soaring gasoline prices.

He recalled that when an Exxon Mobil executive testified before a congressional panel recently, it was revealed that the company was making, after expenses, "almost 1,000 million dollars a week."

Roe said the Exxon executive termed that amount "a reasonable profit."

Roe commented, "I still believe in the tooth fairy, but that's not a 'reasonable profit.' "

He said he has refused to accept a salary -- which he admitted was "cheap pay" -- as mayor of Johnson City so that the decisions he makes can be based exclusively on what he thinks is best for constituents.

Roe also said he was "greatly disturbed" when he saw a recent debate between Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Moderator Charles Gibson asked Obama why he does not wear an American flag pin when campaigning, according to Roe. The candidate "in five minutes of his reply never answered the question directly," Roe said.

Roe then said it was important to remember the words of the Pledge of Allegiance, which he then recited.

"The red on our flag represents the blood our patriots (military) who make us free," Roe said, his voice rising.

Roe, a veteran of the Korean War, also said, "We need to take care of our veterans," as well as the widows and children of veterans killed in combat.

"We need to encourage more young people to step up and serve in the military," he also said.

Roe said he was backing GOP presidential nominee John McCain, even though his previous preference was for his "friend," Fred Thompson, the former U.S. senator from Tennessee.

"Fred Thompson was my number-one choice, but he's not the nominee," Roe said, while urging Republicans to support McCain.

Roe also said:

* He was in favor of the current lengthy process for foreigners to become American citizens;

* Believes that the United States "should be committed to freedom in Iraq," and not pull out its troops too quickly; and

* In favor of health-care decisions "being made by patients," and not by the federal government.

Roe, who said he has delivered more than 5,000 babies when he was an obstetrician/gynecologist, recalled that he recently spent more time getting a surgical procedure approved by a health insurance company than time spent on the actual surgery.

"If you were to come with a heart attack into an emergency room (in a hospital) in Greene County, your surgery would be done immediately," Roe said.

In comparison, in Canada which has a health care system run by the government, he said, "It takes four- to six months to get that surgery."