Name: Chris Eddy
Campaign website: www.Eddy4Congress.com
Date, place of birth: 02 Oct 64, Olean, NY
Education:
⦁ PhD, Leadership and Organizational Change, Walden University, 2012
⦁ Masters, International Relations/International Affairs, Troy University, AL, 2004
⦁ Masters, Business Administration, Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA, 1988
⦁ Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Sales & Station Management (Radio/TV), Ashland University, Ashland, OH, 1986, Magna Cum Laude
Work history for the past 15 years, starting with the most recent.
City Commissioner, Weston, FL, Nov 2020 – Present
⦁ Elected with the most votes in City history, despite being in a 3-person race.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami, FL, Apr 2006 – Jan 2019
⦁ Led program of 160 intelligence and language analysts responsible for tactical, operational, and strategic analysis for FBI’s 5th largest Field Office, Miami, Florida.
⦁ Built the program into the #1 of 56 in FBI.
United States Air Force (Active and Reserve) Nov 1987 – Feb 2017
⦁ Various Intelligence Agency leadership experience, culminating in Brigadier General Officer position to 3-Star Headquarters USAF Intelligence Director.
⦁ Domestic and overseas assignments, including U.S. Embassies and deployments.
⦁ Extensive counterterrorism, counternarcotics, counterintelligence analytical experience.
Florida International University Adjunct Professor, Dec 2014 – Present
⦁ Responsible for developing and instructing courses on national security, foreign policy, criminal justice, and intelligence.
⦁ Developed a course selected as 2018 and 2019 Course of the Year at the Master of Arts in Global Affairs program.
Eastern Kentucky University Adjunct Professor, Aug 2017 – Present
⦁ Responsible for developing and instructing courses on national security, foreign policy, and intelligence.
Angelo State University Adjunct Professor, Jan 2013 – Dec 2017
⦁ Responsible for developing and instructing courses on national security, foreign policy, and intelligence.
Why are you running for this office, and what specifically makes you a better candidate than your opponent?
We need more normal people in Washington, more veterans, and more willing to sign term limit pledges. We also need representatives who will serve their District and not the Washington District.
I have lived, worked, and, with my wife, raised two children in the District for the last 15 years. As a current elected official, I have become familiar with the similarities and differences among the 11 cities that make up our District. I know many elected officials in each of the 11 cities and have asked them questions to learn about their unique issues, operations, and needs. I am a member of several Chambers of Commerce, the Rotary Club, VFW, and American Legion. I am also a Board of Director at the Prestige Club of Broward County which helps ill and disadvantaged children and their families. We are also active members of St. Bonaventure Church and I served in the Detention Ministry for three years.
I am the grandson of immigrants who came to the US to build a better life…maybe not for themselves but for their children and grandchildren. They stressed the importance of hard work and education, values that continue in our family and those of District 25 residents.
I have spoken with hundreds of business owners and religious and community leaders in the District, and fully understand their concerns and desires. I have over 30 years of leadership experience in federal law enforcement and military agencies which will help me effectively navigate the Washington bureaucracy.
My Primary opponent just moved to South Florida in 2022, lives in Miami Beach, and has no ties to the District or leadership experience. Prior to 2024, his only footprint in South Florida was unpaid traffic citations and a suspended driver’s license. He failed to file a financial disclosure form in his Congressional race in Philadelphia or this current race. He was admonished by the FEC for improper financial reporting and he has yet to file in this race either. He raised $18,000 in his last race and spent $11,000 of it with no accountability for the remaining $7,000.
Trust in government is at historic lows and we need proven, trustworthy leaders who are accountable and know our District’s needs.
What are the three most important issues facing this congressional district?
⦁ Inflation. My campaign has knocked on over 21,000 doors and nearly every single family sights inflation as their #1 concern. Inflation in South Florida is the highest in the US. This is driven largely by government spending. Mandatory government disbursements are now over 62% of our federal outlays and that rises to 90+% in 10 years. Without changes sparked by leadership, Social Security payments would need to be reduced 25% in 9 years to avoid insolvency. There is no sense of urgency in Congress to address these critical issues.
⦁ Property Insurance. Also tied to inflation. While the state made some legislative improvements which brought more insurers into the market, those impacts take 2-3 years to show improvement. I’ve proposed a nationwide catastrophic property insurance plan to help the private sector spread the risks among several states impacted by natural disasters.
⦁ Unsecure Border. While South Florida hasn’t seen the worst impacts other regions have, the large Hispanic community in District 25 sees the open border as inherently unfair since they came in legally and have family members still waiting to get in the right way.
What more should America be doing to protect our environment and critical ecosystems?
Our residents are concerned with clean air, water, and protection of the Everglades. The federal government can help with large-scale infrastructure projects to deal with these issues. These projects should be developed with the input from subject matter experts in our District from the ocean to the Everglades. For example, it’s important to partner with experts such as Ron Bergeron and others who lead conservation efforts in the Everglades. Similarly, our District includes significant beachfront areas which are threatened by rising seas which encroach on our fresh water supply.
I lead by example: I drove a Prius hybrid for 14 years (yes, the same one!) before electric vehicles were available and our family now owns three Teslas. Fifteen years ago, we put 38 solar panels on our roof; and I’ve been a strong proponent of recycling in Weston and South Florida, especially through my City Commission work. Our family has been involved in beach cleanups and we’ve sponsored and assisted with dune restoration to help control flooding and sand erosion in Broward.
What is your opinion of how Israel has conducted its military operations in Gaza?
My 30 years in the Air Force showed me the lengths this nation and its allies go to in an effort to reduce or eliminate civilian casualties; often avoiding hitting a significant target due to noncombatants in the area.
Hamas still holds hostages, including Americans, and there does not seem to be a sense of urgency from this administration on making the return of these hostages a precondition for anything. This administration’s vacillation in trying to dictate Israeli military options, including withholding weapons, only prolongs it. It should not be our government’s position to tell an ally who should run its country or how it should respond to terrorist attacks. We wouldn’t have accepted that following the 9/11 attacks. If you look at the data, Israel has the lowest combatant to civilian casualty in recorded history. The focus should be on Hamas not hiding its weapons and combatants (and hostages) below civilian homes and businesses. Prolonging this war’s inevitable Israel victory only brings more casualties on both sides.
Do you support or oppose the Florida abortion rights measure known as Amendment 4, and why?
I agree with the majority of our residents who do not want abortions available through nine months and this amendment would allow that. While the proposed amendment states “when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider,” there are health care providers who could claim they are protecting a patient’s mental, emotional, or financial health. The amendment also states parent or guardian notification must be given, but not the parent’s permission. As a parent, I want to be responsible for my child, and not let the state dictate what’s in my child’s best interests. The existing Florida law allows abortions to save the mother’s life or damage to a major bodily function. It also allows abortions for victims of rape, incest, and human trafficking up to 15 weeks and for fatal fetal abnormalities through 24 weeks.
Do you support or oppose reinstating the federal assault weapons ban? What other changes would you support to reduce gun violence in the U.S.?
As a former military intelligence officer and FBI intelligence leader, I generally tackle difficult issues by first researching all available statistics and evidence to inform and guide my decision-making. In this case, it all comes down to definition: what is an “assault weapon?” In 2022, there were 19,651 homicides by firearm in the US, which, on average, is just over one person per state per day in the US. Rifles were involved with only 3% of all categorized murders in 2020. In comparison, there were nearly 82,000 opioid (including fentanyl) overdoses in 2022.
Studies show inconclusive evidence on the impact of the previous ban which Congress let expire (with Democrat majorities over the years).
I’m in favor of tackling the root causes of gun violence and supporting legislation that specifically addresses it. The American Psychological Association has a good review discussing these. To reduce gun violence, we need to prosecute those who commit violent crimes and not release them without bail. A very small subset of the population commits the majority of violent crime. One study showed 1% of the population was responsible for 63% of violent crime. Other studies show similar results with recidivism and violent offenders.
Did Joe Biden legitimately win the 2020 presidential election? Why or why not?
Yes, although some states used COVID as an excuse to bypass their own rules for governing elections. In addition, US government Intelligence Community leaders, led by now Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in the midst of a campaign, wrongly interjected their opinions on the veracity of the Hunter Biden laptop. This, as well as other government missteps has led to the lowest trust in the federal government ever.
Win or lose, will you pledge to accept the results of your own campaign and the 2024 presidential election?
Yes, I trust the Broward Supervisor of Elections to maintain the integrity of the local, state, and federal elections. I became very familiar with the Broward Supervisor of Elections team as they certified my over 5,000 signatures to put my name on the ballot and avoid paying the $10,440 application fee.
Do you support or oppose an 18-year term limit for Supreme Court justices? What other changes would you support to restore respect for the court?
Why choose 18 years? Why not 15 or 20? Does it depend on the capability of the justice? Should there also be an age or cognitive limit for any elected official? I certainly support 18 years for members of Congress but I’m not sure my Democrat opponent would agree.
I think the term limits should be on members of Congress and I have signed a term limit pledge. Members of Congress certainly have more impact on peoples’ daily lives than the Supreme Court. Weston (and other local and state offices) have term limits and I believe it promotes new ideas…on both sides of the aisle.
I support measures of transparency to restore respect for the Court and all branches of government. For example, I believe all candidates and elected officials should provide transparency through compliance with FEC and Congressional ethics, including allegations of insider trading.
Describe in detail any demographic, economic or social factor about your congressional district that sets it apart from others.
45% of our residents are Hispanic and over 30% of Broward residents (and, by extension, District 25 residents) are foreign born and came here to achieve the American dream. Approximately 17% of our District’s population is over 65 years old, making Social Security sustainability and housing affordability significant issues.
We also have Port Everglades which consistently ranks in the top few of cruise ship and shipping ports worldwide. My time with the FBI also showed the vulnerability of the port as well as Ft. Lauderdale Airport. Our District is also in the hurricane zone; I’ve received several presentations from Broward County officials, including Dr. Jennifer Jurado, on how we can best mitigate storm surges.
We still have over 10% of our population who lives below the poverty line and their needs and wishes are often overlooked by those in public office. Our county representatives have focused on mostly private sector solutions to address the affordable housing shortage and we need to make it easier for private companies to build in our District.
Many want the government to be as least intrusive as possible and help them open businesses, enroll in schools, and promote the general welfare instead of being a hindrance to those advancement opportunities. We need to get inflation under control, secure the border, and reduce the chaos in DC to help our residents. America is still the shining beacon on a hill, and we need to continue to strive to build a more perfect union.
Have you ever been arrested, charged or convicted of a crime, received a withheld adjudication or had a matter sealed or expunged? If yes, please explain.
No.
Have you been a plaintiff or defendant in a civil action, including bankruptcy or foreclosure or had a restraining order issued against you? If so, please explain.
No.
