The race for Florida’s 18th Congressional District features Republican Brian Mast, Democrat Randy Perkins and independent candidate Carla Spalding.
The seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, a Democrat who vacated the seat to challenge incumbent Marco Rubio for his seat in the U.S. Senate.
District 18 covers St. Lucie and Martin counties, and extends into the northern portions of Palm Beach County. In the western communities, it includes most of The Acreage and parts of Royal Palm Beach. An open seat, it is one of Florida’s few closely divided districts that could easily be won by either political party.
Mast, a U.S. Army veteran and former bomb disposal expert, lost both of his legs during an improvised explosive device detection operation while serving in Afghanistan.
“From my background, and what I’ve experienced personally in life, I think a good deal of what’s going to help me is my time in the military, my time with federal agencies in counterterrorism and my time recovering from some pretty major challenges in life,” he said.
Mast learned leadership in the military, he said, stressing that good leaders never ask their men to do something they wouldn’t do themselves. He added that his friends who died in combat didn’t do so for themselves.
“They knew that they were serving a country that was bigger and more important than themselves. They were willing to put America first and themselves second. I think that’s the most important trait that anybody can have, who wants to go out there and represent this country,” he said.
Mast said that terrorism is a national, and local, threat to all Americans. “It has been my life’s work to defend against terrorism. It’s something I take very, very seriously,” he said.
Yet it is a threat that Americans can defeat by working together, he said.
“In times of great challenge, we pull together. We’ve defeated these challenges in the most amazing possible way, 9/11 being a great, modern example of that,” Mast said.
One of Mast’s biggest concerns is that bankruptcy will bring the United States to its knees due to waste and abuse of tax dollars.
“I take it very seriously, making sure that these agencies cease to spend the way that they do,” he said. “I think it’s our debt that’s going to destroy us.”
Key local issues, he said, are the destruction of the economy and quality of life through water issues such as the discharges from Lake Okeechobee into coastal estuaries. “They hurt every business at every level,” Mast said.
He also wants to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide veterans with the care and treatment they deserve.
“Talk is cheap,” he said. “Don’t trust somebody to do what they say. Trust somebody to do what they’ve proven in their actions… My actions, I think, prove a lot about how I really feel. People know that when I talk about terrorism, it’s not ambiguous to me.”
Mast’s strategy if elected is to get seated on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, because that panel has oversight over the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
For more information, visit www.mastforcongress.com.
Spalding, a registered nurse and professor, is running for the seat without a party affiliation. She moved to the U.S. from Kingston, Jamaica, at age 18.
Spalding served in the military, which helped her develop key skills, such as critical thinking, leadership and communication.
“As a Navy veteran, I can tell you that the military does prepare [you] to be a leader,” she said. “As an R.N. and a professor, I have the opportunity to motivate and inspire many individuals to reach their highest potential.”
Spalding’s experience includes managing facilities large and small, helping to create a better outcome for them.
“I have managed my own nursing clinic where I served many and, through that process, I am quite aware of the needs of the people in my district,” Spalding said.
Effective communication is key, Spalding said. As an active listener, she promised to be an independent voice for the people.
“I am a firm believer that it’s not about me; it’s about the people’s choice. In Congress, as an independent, I am the only individual who can advocate for my district regardless of which party wins. Effective communication will help me to communicate with all, both parties in Congress and my constituents.”
Spalding believes that a citizen politician, such as herself, should represent the 18th Congressional District.
“As a small business owner, I understand what is required to improve business, and I will fight to make those resources readily available. As a single mother working two jobs, I recognize sacrifice, selflessness and the dedication required to be victorious. As a nurse who worked in various departments at a VA hospital serving our veterans, I understand the desperate need for change within the broken system,” she said.
The top issues in her campaign, Spalding said, are veterans and the lack of timely access to quality healthcare, as well as homelessness; jobs, because the middle class is becoming poorer and single parents and young adults struggle to make ends meet; and immigration.
“As an immigrant from Jamaica, it is my responsibility to help solve the immigration problem,” she said.
Spalding wants voters to choose her because she is an independent voice.
“It is crucial to elect someone who will represent your voice and not the parties’ priorities. If you want change and a different outcome from the last decade, then vote for me,” she said.
For more information, visit www.vote4carlaspalding.com.
Perkins, the Democratic candidate, did not return calls for comment. A businessman, Perkins is the founder of AshBritt, one of the nation’s leading disaster recovery companies.
For more information, visit www.randyperkinsforcongress.com.
