Who are you? Tell us about yourself in 200 words or less
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign.
First key Message:
I am the proven conservative in this race with a legislative track record. There are many layers of crafting policy and executive decision-making in government, but there is only one branch that crafts core values into the law that directs us. Likewise, there’s only one candidate in this Senate primary with lawmaking experience and that’s me. I have faced the ins and outs of a legislature with great success. The process demands skills not only in crafting law, but in building coalitions and compromising on policy without sacrificing convictions. I have done that work in Georgia and faced voters with my results! I am ready to work on day one. No on the job training, and no questions about if I’ll do what I said in the campaign!
Second Key Message:
I recognize that our bedrock family values are under attack, and they are deeply connected to so many important parts of America. As the family unit is weakened, so is our economy, societal structures, and even our stature around the world. It’s no wonder radical ideologies are targeting the family! I will be Georgia’s voice at the federal level to protect the family, fighting to stop bureaucratic control of education and make parents more influential. I will work to end federal intrusion on the family and return power to the state and local levels. I will stop the reckless printing of money that saddles our future generations with debt. We can’t punish families for balancing their checkbooks when government refuses to do the same.
Second Key Message:
As a public servant, I recognize that I’m accountable ultimately to the citizens, not party bosses, special interests, or mega donors. I will never be afraid to stand up even to my own party leadership. At the end of the day, the people have trusted me to be their vote and voice in Washington, and I will make every decision based on what’s best for them. Too many arrive in federal government looking for influence and fortune or their pure intentions get sucked into the swamp. I, however, recognize this is a season of service. Washington, D.C. is not my home — I am a proud Georgian! I won’t bend to the whims of power players in D.C., because I serve at the consent of the governed, not the pleasure of the powerful.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about
Amid our many problems in America, there are 3 policy sectors that I am eager to address immediately: individual liberties, a non-existent budget, and our broken borders. Our American freedom and prosperity is under assault from an ever-growing, out-of-control federal government. From free speech and religious liberty to our rights to assemble peaceably and bear arms, federal government has gone way outside the lanes of the Constitution. It’s time to rein in executive overreach and judicial activism and get back to proper constitutional roles. Likewise, Congress needs to take control of their Article 1 power of the purse! We have ceded control of budgetary policy to the executive, and Congress is complicit by kicking that can down the road with continuing resolutions and spending bills. It’s time for legislators to reclaim their fiscal oversight and craft a budget once again. We have to take a serious sledgehammer to our spending in order to tackle the debt and deficit addiction in Washington. Lastly, our immigration and border security policies are absolutely unacceptable, and both political parties are to blame! We have to stop the flow of sex traffickers, drug runners, asylum racketeers, and terrorists that are crossing into America unchecked. It’s time for us to finish the border wall, crack down on illegal crossings, end catch and release, and give Customs and Border Patrol the tools and manpower they need to effectively manage the flow of legal immigration into the U.S.
Personal History and influences
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
I recently answered a similar question at a debate, discussing which presidents I most respect. I gave a two part answer, because two different of our recent leaders inspire me in different ways. I loved Ronald Reagan’s strength and boldness in defense of America in the world. He cast a vision for our nation and offered people great hope. A shining city on a hill, he called our us. Likewise, I have great admiration for some of the choices Donald Trump made — leaving fame, fortune, and being well-liked to take up a political cause that he would be vilified for. He sacrificed in his own way because he saw a need in America. Similar to Reagan, he wasn’t afraid to go against the grain, to be guided by what he thought was right rather than approval polls. I, too, hope to bring independence, thoughtfulness, and boldness to the Senate as we do the business of We the People.
Your Views on the U.S. Senate office:
What are your thoughts on term limits?
I believe that public office should be a season of service, not a lifetime career. Politics has become profitable, financially and in power and influence. It feels like all the wrong kinds of people find their way into office and never leave. It’s time to put a stop to that! I term limited myself after two terms in the Georgia House and I am proud to be the first candidate in this Senate race who signed the term limits pledge. But make no mistake, we cannot stop at term limiting elected office holders. We need term limits for unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats, too, if we are ever to tackle the corruption in D.C.!
What kind of relationships would you build with other senators?
I would strive to be known by my Senate colleagues as an honest broker, someone who is thoughtful about the issues and honest about his opinion. Too often, Washington suffers from ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ syndrome, but that doesn’t serve our constituents! I will build relationships with any colleague from any political party who is after transparency, responsibility, and an authentic desire to serve their constituents, not themselves.
How would you evaluate a judicial nominee?
The primary quality I will look for is for a nominee to be a textualist! What that means is someone who sticks to their job of interpreting the law and not writing the law. Too often we see judges legislate from the bench, fabricating laws by ‘precedent.’ The Constitution is clear — Congress writes the law, the Executive enforces the law, and the Judiciary interprets the law. These checks and balances are vital to our republic, but they only work if Congress stops shirking their legislative responsibility and judges and bureaucrats stop taking on responsibilities the Constitution doesn’t give them.
Political Philosophy:
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
What is most important and, unfortunately, most often missing in elected officials today is integrity. If we are to restore confidence in our public institutions and respect from our allies and adversaries alike, we must be governed by men and women who speak truthfully, deal honestly, and walk the talk they give to the public. When the public makes us the trustee of their vote and voice in Washington, D.C., we must operate in honesty, transparency, and consistency!
Background:
DOB: June 14, 1979
City of birth: Atlanta, GA
State of birth: Georgia
Gender: Male
Religion: Born again Christian
Most recent career to date? Executive Vice President for NeoLife North America
Other professional experience you’d like voters to know about? Two-term Georgia Representative, Small Business Owner, and Entrepreneur.
Have you served in Military? While I have not, I am grateful to be a family of military service, having 13 immediate family members who served, four of which are brothers who served in Afghanistan.
Qualities and Character:
What legacy would you like to leave?
I want the legacy that I leave for my children and all of the next generation to be one of hope and strength! No matter how depressing or desperate our situation seemed, I was not afraid to stand up and be a part of the solution. Taking action is about self-sacrifice, hard work, and service to others. That’s what I hope to leave as a lasting impression of my time in public office.
Culture and fun:
Tell us your favorite joke
A senator meets an untimely end after getting hit by a truck while walking down the street, and he finds himself in front of heaven’s gate. St. Peter, the entrance guardian, meets the Senator and explains that he had to choose between heaven and hell after spending a day in each.
Without hesitating, the politician mentions that he would love to be in heaven. However, St. Peter asked that he play by the rules first, so they took the elevator down to hell.
Upon reaching the destination, the Senator is surprised to see himself in a fascinating field of green grass and a golf course. In no time, the new soul got entertained by a group of other politicians whom he knew well on earth, and they welcomed him, chatted, ate lobster and caviar, and even played a friendly game of golf. Within what seemed like a few minutes, the Senator gets distracted by St. Peter, who tells him his time is up and he would now need to spend a day in heaven.
When the door opened, angelic souls were singing melodiously with their instruments. The Senator spent an enjoyable day there but was convinced he preferred hell since most of his friends were there already.
St. Peter wasted no time in escorting the soul back to hell. When they arrived, the land looked barren, hot, and filled with garbage. He found his friends dressed in rags and picking dirt off the ground.
The Senator seemed confused and blurted out his concerns in a teary voice. The devil smiled and replied: “Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted.”
