Brian Mast

Office you are running for:U.S. Representative - District 21Name:Brian MastDate of birth:07/10/1980City of residence:Fort PiercePolitical party, if applicable:RepublicanCurrent occupation and work history:Fighter for Florida’s 21st Congressional District consisting of St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach counties.Fighter for Florida.Fighter for America.Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.Previous: Combat Warfighter, Explosive Ordinance Disposal, Joint Special Operations Command, Counterterrorism Explosive Specialist with Department of Homeland Security, National Nuclear Security Administration, and ATF.Education:Harvard University.Volunteer and civic involvement:I am involved with numerous veterans organizations/charities, efforts to fight for clean water in our community, my church, Christ Fellowship, and more.List two accomplishments in your professional or public service life you are most proud of:Each time God put me in the right place to save the lives of my brothers in combat.I have been able to work with great people in our community to save our water by restoring the Kissimmee River, repairing the Herbert Hoover Dike, rewriting the Lake Okeechobee management book, raising the Tamiami Trail, and now building the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir.Why are you running for office? :I am not done fighting for our home, our community, or our country.What would be your top three priorities during your first year in office? Explain. :A new Lake Okeechobee management book will have to be written because of the completion of the EAA Reservoir. I will lead the project delivery team for our community again to make sure our water is managed properly.Veterans are being stripped of portions of their retirement. I will work to see the passage of the Richard Star Act to finally fix this.As Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, we cut more wasteful spending than any other committee, such as stupid programs like transgender job fairs in other countries or making maps queer. I will work to cut even more wasteful spending of your tax dollars abroad.These are my favorite things to work on!What distinguishes you from your opponents in this race?:I don’t BS anyone. You will know honestly if we agree or disagree, and I will always explain why I have a belief.I am a conservative and my opponents are liberals. Being a conservative means to conserve our ideals of the past. I work to conserve our constitutional ideals just as I work to conserve our lands and waters to be as perfect as God made them.Have you ever filed for bankruptcy? (If yes, please explain):Never.Campaign website:https://mastforcongress.com/Campaign social media links:Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/BrianMastFL/ X:https://x.com/BrianMastFLOffice you are running for:U.S. Representative - District 21Name:James MartinDate of birth:10/05/1992City of residence:Hobe SoundPolitical party, if applicable:Democratic PartyCurrent occupation and work history:USCGC VALIANT (Mayport, FL), 2015-2017—1st Lieutenant, Deck Watch Officer, Boarding OfficerUSCGC MONOMOY (Manama, Bahrain), 2017-2018– Executive OfficerUSCGC BLUEFIN (Fort Pierce, FL), 2018-2019–Commanding OfficerUSCGC IBIS (Fort Pierce, FL), 2019-2020–Commanding OfficerJoint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S) (Key West, FL), 2020-2021–Caribbean & Atlantic Targeting Officer and Maritime ChiefThe White House, Office of the Vice President (Washington, DC), 2021-2025• 2021-2022 Special Assistant to the National Security Advisor• 2022-2025 Chief of Staff for National Security Affairs and Executive Secretary of the Office of the Vice PresidentCandidate for Congress (2025-Present)Personal Awards: Defense Superior Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, USCG Commendation Medal (2), USCG Achievement Medal, Commandants Letter of CommendationAuthorized Insignia: Vice Presidential Service Badge, Command at Sea insignia, Permanent Cutterman insigniaEducation:U.S. Coast Guard Academy, B.S. Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (Honors)U.S. Naval War College, M.A. Defense and Strategic Studies (Highest Distinction)Volunteer and civic involvement:-Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Reserve-Member, The Council on Foreign Relations-Life Member, Society of the Cincinnati-Member, Hobe Sound Chamber of Commerce-Active in The Guardians of Martin County, Rivers Coalition, and Hobe Sound Historical Society-Senior Editor, The Center for International Maritime Security-Volunteer, Chris Dzavodsky for Fort Pierce City Commission-Volunteer, Emily Gregory for State HouseList two accomplishments in your professional or public service life you are most proud of:In a U.S. Coast Guard career characterized by delivering results for the American people, I am most proud to have earned assignment as the captain of two different Coast Guard cutters in Fort Pierce where I protected South Florida’s maritime border. I also had the distinct honor of serving as the chief of staff for national security affairs to two Vice President’s of the United States.Why are you running for office? :I am running for Congress to bring a mission focused mindset to Washington. For the first time in more than 80 years, working hard and playing by the rules does not guarantee you will have a better life than your parents had. The opportunities and rights my daughters will have are not the same as the ones I had growing up. People of all backgrounds across the Treasure Coast are being gripped by a cost-of-living crisis, a clean water crisis, and families are being stripped of their healthcare. The incumbent, Brian Mast, has taken his eye off the ball and is not focused on these existential concerns—instead he is focused on toeing his party line. I am running to be the congressman for everyone and to make the American dream achievable for everyone, not just the privileged few.What would be your top three priorities during your first year in office? Explain. :The cost-of-living crisis is the number one issue that comes up in conversations with voters across the Treasure Coast. I am laser-focused on putting money back into the pockets of hardworking Floridians. To do so, we need to curb the reckless tariffs that increase uncertainty for small businesses and drive-up costs of everyday household goods. Across the Treasure Coast, the property insurance crisis prevents young people from owning homes, pushes the elderly out of their homes, and squeezes the budgets of working families. If the state legislature is incapable of addressing this crisis, a federal backstop to Citizen’s Insurance must be implemented to stabilize property insurance rates.The clean water crisis is not a new issue to the people of the Treasure Coast. I appreciate the issue being elevated in the past, but there is a lot of work left to do to stop toxic discharges to the St. Lucie Estuary and Indian River Lagoon, clean up Lake Okeechobee, and send the water South to the Everglades. In addition to re-doubling efforts on these fronts, including advocating for federal infrastructure dollars for the EAA reservoir and to backstop septic to sewer conversions in coastal zones, I will be a staunch defender of bedrock environmental laws, such as the National Environmental Policy Act, which are being curtailed and revised by the current Administration at a breakneck pace to benefit special interests and harm the Treasure Coast’s environment.Finally, stringent anti-corruption legislation is critical to making meaningful progress in any policy arena, whether it’s regulating AI, healthcare, or clean water. If dark money is not expunged from our politics, special interests will continue to funnel hundreds of millions behind candidates who will do their bidding. This anti-corruption legislation also calls for term limits and a ban on stock trading, crypto, and speculative markets (e.g. Kalshi and Polymarket) for the Legislative Branch, the Executive Branch, and the Judicial Branch.What distinguishes you from your opponents in this race?:Three things set my candidacy apart.First, this is not the first time I would be serving the Treasure Coast. One of the unique aspects of my operational military career, is that while it took me all over the world, I also was able to serve in my hometown. From 2018-2020, the ships I commanded protected South Florida’s maritime border.Second, I am the only candidate in this race with substantive policy experience. As the chief of staff of the Vice President's national security team, I helped lead a team of policy professionals from across the U.S. government to advise two Vice Presidents on all aspects of foreign policy and national security, representing the Vice President in the National Security Council’s interagency policy process, and personally advising the Vice President on aspects of Defense and Homeland Security.Finally, unlike all the other candidates in this race who moved to the district within the last decade (in some instances with the singular goal of running for office), I am a fourth generation Martin County local and a proud product of Martin County public schools. I have a vested interest in the outcome of this race that is not tied to personal gain.Fundamentally, the job of a congressman is to make law and policy for the United States, advocate for the needs of their district, and decide whether the United States goes to war. By those metrics, my background and experience are the only choice for the job.Have you ever filed for bankruptcy? (If yes, please explain):No.Campaign website:www.jamesmartinforflorida.comCampaign social media links:Instagram: @martinforfl X: @martinforfl FB: https://facebook.com/people/James-Martin-for-Congress/61581331215858/ TikTok: @martin.for.congress BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/jamesmartinforfl.bsky.social Threads: @martinforfl YT: @JamesMartinforFLOffice you are running for:U.S. Representative - District 21Name:Bernard TaylorDate of birth:11/24/1988City of residence:Port Saint LuciePolitical party, if applicable:DemocratCurrent occupation and work history:Firefighter/EMT/ParamedicEducation:Technical SchoolVolunteer and civic involvement:Geared Up For Fire (Mentor Program)NAACPCommunity CleanupsHealth FairFood DriveList two accomplishments in your professional or public service life you are most proud of:Saving Lives and Mentoring future first responders.Why are you running for office? :I’m running for Congress because I’ve spent my career serving people on some of the worst days of their lives. As a firefighter, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges families face, rising costs, access to healthcare, affordable housing, aging infrastructure, and the growing impact of environmental threats on our communities.I’ve watched too many politicians talk about these problems without delivering real solutions. I believe public service is about showing up, listening, and getting results for the people you represent, not special interests or political parties.I’m running to bring the same commitment to service, accountability, and problem-solving that I’ve brought to my career in emergency services. I want to fight for working families, protect Medicare and Social Security, strengthen our infrastructure, create economic opportunities, protect our environment, and ensure every resident of Florida’s 21st District has a voice in Washington.This campaign isn’t about me, it’s about the people of our district and building a future where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”What would be your top three priorities during your first year in office? Explain. :My top three priorities are simple: First, lower costs and create economic opportunities for working families. Second, protect Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and affordable healthcare. Third, invest in infrastructure and protect our environment so our communities remain safe, resilient, and prosperous for future generations. Everything I do in Congress will be guided by one question: How does this help the people of Florida’s 21st District?What distinguishes you from your opponents in this race?:I’m not a career politician, I’m a Public Servant. I’ve spent my career serving people in their moments of greatest need. That experience has taught me how to lead under pressure, solve real problems, and put people first. That’s the perspective I’ll bring to Congress, and that’s what sets me apart in this race.Have you ever filed for bankruptcy? (If yes, please explain):NoCampaign website:BernardTaylorForCongress.comCampaign social media links:Instagram/Facebook/Tiktok/X: @BernardTaylorForCongress