U.S. Republican presidential candidate Michael Petyo works in his home office in

Hobart, Indiana, November 17, 2015. Reuters Photographer Jim Young: “Hillary

and Donald are running. So are more than 1,500 others, among them Michael

Petyo of Hobart, Indiana. He’s not a household name, nor does he have millions of

dollars in backing. Petyo is a building contractor, a father and a U.S. Navy

veteran. Back in May, Petyo handed me his card. He was outside an event in Des

Moines, Iowa, attended by leading potential Republican candidates. Petyo said

the party wouldn’t let him inside. We only spoke for a minute. Months later, I read

of a few hundred people having already signed up to run for president:

businesspeople, teachers, bartenders. Petyo lives about 75 miles from me so I

arranged to meet. We spoke for a couple of hours at his dinner table with his

wife. This is my fourth presidential election campaign. I have logged countless

miles and been to hundreds of events – but always with candidates with massive

financial backing and support from countless volunteers. Petyo has business

cards, his van, his beliefs. He speaks about the working class, faith, the military.

In his spare time he bakes to raise money for the church. Religion is important to

him and he speaks about it passionately. Over the months we meet up while he

campaigns and goes about his life. Petyo drives to a Republican debate in

Milwaukee in November; the door is shut there too. He still works the lines of

attendees outside. In Chicago people brush by on a cold, windy day as he tries to

introduce himself. Some stop to ask him about his policies. He is not a full-time

politician, just a regular guy facing what many would call insurmountable

obstacles. It’s quite the understatement to say the odds are stacked against him.

But that shouldn’t stop him or anyone from trying.” REUTERS/Jim Young SEARCH

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