District 73: Tommy Gregory

Name: Tommy Gregory

Age: 46

Occupation: Small business owner and commercial litigation attorney

Education: I received a JD, with honors, from the University of Texas School of Law and a B.S. in Economics from the U.S. Air Force Academy, where I graduated with Military Distinction.

Elected government experience: None. However, I served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years, including 14 years as a judge advocate or “JAG.”

Why do you want to serve District 73?

I’m a retired lieutenant colonel, Florida native, and proud American. I’m running for the Florida House because I’m passionate about continuing to serve our country. My wife, Erica, and I both retired from the United States Air Force as lieutenant colonels after serving 20 years on active duty. Erica and I have three sons, and their futures are a driving reason for me wanting to continue serving our country in the Florida Legislature. I want to make sure that this community has strong representation in Tallahassee that will provide the framework for a thriving area for them and everyone else in District 73 for years to come.

If elected, what will be your top three priorities during your term?

• Creating jobs: When government gets out of the way, entrepreneurs are unleashed to follow their dreams and create new opportunities for workers and their families. We must invest in transportation infrastructure and education to create jobs, fill those jobs, and improve the economy.

• Protecting rights: The rights our founders laid out in the Constitution have made America the longest-enduring republic in history. The right to life and to keep and bear arms must be cherished and protected.

• Lowering taxes: Limited government keeps taxes low. We must constrain the bureaucratic growth that always ends up taking a bigger bite out of hardworking taxpayers. Further, business owners are able to hire more people when taxes are low.

How do you plan to address those priorities?

The Florida Legislature is a collaborative body of representatives that requires vision and skill to work within and accomplish goals. I’ve demonstrated those abilities in the Air Force and in the private sector. I will work with the House leadership to fashion legislation that creates jobs and lowers taxes — much of which is in the budgeting process — and to ensure that all of our rights are protected as individuals.

What specifically do you see as the biggest challenge for the greater Lakewood Ranch area and what do you plan to do to affect that area?

The greater Lakewood Ranch area is thriving right now because of many good and wise policies that have been put in place. One overarching challenge is to keep the state government from trying to interfere with the workings of local communities, primarily through regulations and strings being attached to funding. There are many individual issues — from education to the environment — but keeping the community free of burdens from Tallahassee is important. The most important and critical need is transportation infrastructure. There is simply too much traffic and too many tragic accidents in District 73.

What makes you a better candidate for this position than your opponent?

I have extensive experience in large and diverse organizations, in management and in making tough decisions to get things done. My track record for accomplishment is unparalleled in this race. And my views on the role of government and confidence in the individual over that government, is far more representative of the people of the greater Lakewood Ranch area. In contrast, my young opponent’s experience is almost entirely in academia, and her platform is too much left-wing big-government — neither of which are adequate to represent this region in Tallahassee. I’ve worked with and for general officers, CEOs, fighter pilots, police officers, and even astronauts in high profile, high-pressure situations, lived in six states and four countries, and deployed all over the world. I know the United States is the most exceptional country in the history of the world because of the rights enshrined in the Constitution and I will always defend them.