Photo: Adrienne Bresnahan / Moment / Getty Images
The most crowded race in this week's primary in our area is the one for Republicans in the newly redrawn Congressional District 22. This new district runs through parts of Southwest Florida as well. It includes portions of western Palm Beach County like Wellington, Loxahatchee and Royal Palm Beach, into Broward and then runs through Hendry and Collier counties. It's a Republican-favored district with no incumbent. There are seven candidates in the GOP primary.
David Burck is a Marine Corps veteran and a former West Palm Beach police officer and detective, currently working as a realtor and business owner. He also worked with Turning Point USA, managing fundraising initiatives across the state.
"I was not a fundraiser. I had no history in fundraising, but I loved these ideas. I've loved conservative, you know these foundational ideas that make the west as a whole, specifically America, the greatest country to ever exist."
I asked him about the importance of the SAVE America Act, in case it doesn't get passed this Congress and he's in the House next year.
"I look at it from the first principles of if you have one voter who is disenfranchised, that's one too many. We cannot let this go. We have to fight this tooth and nail."
That's a question we also asked Richard Evans, a CPA and risk manager. He's not happy that the Senate went on recess without getting the bill passed.
"It appears that the person who's currently the Majority Leader in the Senate is going to fail miserably in that. And is already, I'll say, equivocating and with a half dozen...'I just don't have the votes.' I'm telling you if it was the private sector, people would kind of chuckle and go well, you're not doing the job so we're going to get somebody else."
On why he should be elected...
"I have practical knowledge, I will be a working congressman. I will be accessible...very very active."
Terri Hasdorff calls herself a 'pro-life Second Amendment candidate,' and adds...
"I'm the only candidate in this race who's had a background working as a congressional staffer. I worked on Capitol Hill for six years."
She worked under former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and later in other positions on Capitol Hill.
Today, she is the President of Capitol Solutions Consulting, a government relations consulting company. Hasdorff urges listeners to do their homework on each candidate and wants to ensure the U.S. doesn't go Socialist or Communist after visiting the Soviet Union as one of 40 student leaders in high school. She was horrified with the poverty she witnessed. Hasdorff adds that with this district being rated a 4 point favorite for Republicans, it could easily go in the other direction and claims she's the candidate who can make sure that doesn't happen in November.
"I've done a lot with draining swamps and I'm looking forward to doing more of that. But in addition to that, I have no baggage. I'm not somebody who's going to be vulnerable to some of the attacks that some of my oponents may be."
Our next candidate is Belinda Keiser, an educational executive and Vice Chancellor of Keiser University.
"I'm not a politician. I'm a business leader. I do believe that I'm an individual who has learned to build things...also knows how to solve solutions and get results."
She also served on several advisory boards for President Trump, calling herself a 'Trump Conservative.' Keiser says this affordability is a key issue in this district.
"I will be a good steward of taxpayer dollars and I think that as we look at our agenda, we need to make sure that we're manufacturing more at home. We need to make sure that we're keeping dominance with regard to energy."
Michael Thompson has been a real estate broker and is a past Chairman of the Lee County Republican Executive Committee, serving on the state Executive Board of the Republican Party of Florida. On what makes him unique in this race.
"I'm the only candidate that actually has a reach on both sides of this district...being born and raised over here in the Palm Beaches, spending the first 25 years here, but the last 25 years in Southwest Florida."
In addition to familiarity with the communities, Thompson cites these as reasons why he should get your vote.
"Political experience...I've got it. I don't believe any of the other candidates have it as much as I do. I've proven that I'm willing to stand up, not only fight for America First values but Christian values are extremely important to me as well. I think Christians are being persecuted, even here in our own country."
Candidates Casey Askar and Michael Carbonara did not respond to our attempts to interview them for this race.
The winner in Tuesday's primary will face the winner of the CD 22 Democrat primary, which features two candidates. They are Pia Dandiya, a former high school principal and one time White House Fellow, and Parkland attorney Kaysia Earley.