Conservatism is in flux. The divisions between Trump supporters and other conservatives are real. The need for conservatives who have a record of public service and a desire to unify has never been greater (unless you go back to the Civil War).
Enter Dan Crenshaw.
Crenshaw is running in the Republican primary for Texas’ 2nd Congressional District. After graduating from college, Crenshaw went through selection with the Navy SEALs and graduated to earn his Trident. Joining SEAL Team 3, based in Coronado, California, Crenshaw first deployed to Fallujah, Iraq to join SEAL Team Three in its fight against al Qaeda in Iraq – the precursor organization to ISIS.
But on his third deployment, this time to the Taliban hotbed of Helmand, Afghanistan, Crenshaw was hit by an IED and lost his right eye. Recovering and regaining sight, Crenshaw would serve two further deployments before being medically retired in September 2016 with ten years of loyal service. He then earned a masters degree from Harvard University. On Thursday, the Washington Examiner interviewed Crenshaw. Here’s what he had to say.
1) How does a Coronado-based SEAL come to run for Congress?
Well, as many people who know me will tell you, I loved being a SEAL and serving our country; however, after I was medically retired following ten years with SEAL teams, I sought new ways to contribute to our great nation. That commitment to public service led me to pursue my graduate degree in public administration. As a SEAL, one of the tenets of our creed is to serve the greater good and fight for those who are unable to fight for themselves. Standing up for others has always been one of the motivations that drives my life, so running for Congress is an ideal way to continue serving my country and fellow Texans. This is my home, and I was back here during Hurricane Harvey helping my neighbors muck out their houses. There is so much more I can do to help this great district.
2) What sets you apart from your primary competitors?
My unique experience of service, both military and humanitarian, has allowed me to travel all over our country and throughout the world; this has shown me the direction we need to move in as a society and a nation. The campaign I’m running is dedicated to the ideas of the good people of the Second Congressional District of Texas and is not beholden to special interests. I’ll bring a fresh perspective to the issues that my constituents care about most and novel policy proposals to address their most pressing concerns. I am the only candidate with recent and relevant experience in places like Korea and the Middle East. I know first-hand what it takes to keep Americans safe and I have the operational experience to work on pressing issues such as border security, an important issue for Texans. I am also the only candidate with a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. I am uniquely qualified to understand the complexities and nuances of federal policy issues facing our nation.
3) One issue concerning millennials like yourself is entitlement reform. How do we get a fair deal for our elders while ensuring that our generation isn’t buried in debt?
Those are obviously difficult issues and I’ve talked about how we must gradually transition to a mixed pay-as-you-go and investment-based system for our next generation of workers so that they aren’t saddled with the burden of trying to prop up a Social Security system that is headed for insolvency within ten to fifteen years. The current political discourse in Washington has failed to focus on these issues and so we’re stuck in a pattern of kicking the can down the road. Until we get enough people in Washington willing to deal with these issues, we’re not going to be able to address the concerns of either our younger or older generations. We need real leaders in Washington with the courage to do what is right.
4) You’re not the only veteran running for Congress this year, Chelsea Manning is another. How do you two differ?
Chelsea Manning, because of some of the illegal actions she has taken in the past and the consequences for those actions, has a singularly unique experience that makes her unlike any other candidate, perhaps in the history of our political process; and it’ll be up to the voters in that constituency to decide whether that experience makes her a viable candidate for U.S. Congress. Personally, I would never support Chelsea Manning because of her unapologetic betrayal to our country. My focus has always been on the issues facing the people of Texas, specifically in my district, and how I can improve their lives and those of their loved ones.
5) If you’re elected, what will be your top legislative priority?
The defense of our nation, its people, and the American way of life are my highest priorities and should also be the highest priorities of the Congress. My experience as a SEAL has exposed me to the highest levels of strategy, operations, and logistics in regard to securing our public and private institutions. I have an overwhelmingly thorough understanding of what is and is not working for our national security, and how a proper framework of policies will secure the nation against future threats. I am fully prepared to work on these issues and so, if elected, I will immediately hit the ground running in Congress to ensure that our people, our markets, our homeland, and our way of life are protected from any and all threats. This experience also translates to a keen understanding of what is needed on our border. Securing our border is a huge priority for Texans, and a number one priority for me.
6) Why did you stay in the naval service for repeated combat deployments?
To be honest, doing anything else but serve my country has never really occurred to me. I define my purpose on this earth as service to the American people. As a military officer I have seen the stress and strain that our soldiers have endured over sixteen years of war and so my feeling has always been that as long as I was capable of deploying I would do so. Our young men and women serving in the military deserve to be supported, and oftentimes that requires doing so on the frontlines where they serve. That commitment to service has always been a priority for me, and it’s that same commitment I’ll take with me to Congress to ensure that we rebuild our military and support our military service-members and veterans.
7) What is the GOP doing well and what is it failing to do well at?
I think the GOP is doing a lot well, specifically as relates to tax reform and rebuilding and modernizing our military. We’ve seen great progress in those areas over the last year and that has led to improvements in the lives of everyday Americans, with more to come. There are obviously things I think the GOP could improve upon, such as dealing with immigration, border security, and healthcare in ways that are effective and sustainable. The aforementioned issues are difficult and immeasurably complex, but that’s why I’m running for Congress, so I can bring the energy and focus needed to resolve these problems.
8) Who is your political hero and why?
Condoleezza Rice. She is an incredibly intelligent, well-educated, and experienced leader who has devoted the better part of her professional life to serving our nation in a number of different capacities, both foreign and domestic. Her remarkable understanding of the political and economic issues facing the country and her devotion to service has and continues to inspire me. Her example serves as a reminder for those of us engaged in the political system, of why we do what we do.
9) How do we persuade more Americans to take up the cause of national service?
I think we have to appeal to their love of country, and prove to them that everyone can contribute to the idea of American betterment. It’s important that we remind people that national service doesn’t have to mean military service; there are a number of different ways that people of all ages and capabilities can serve the nation. I think we need to do a better job of educating the public on what some of those non-military roles are, and get people to understand that national service can create pathways to significant career opportunities and successes.
10) What kind of foreign and domestic policy landscape would you like to see twenty years from now?
It is my hope that with the right foreign and domestic policies in place over the coming months and years, we can make the proper course corrections to ensure that America maintains its status as a world leader. I want to make sure that people still see this country as Reagan’s “city on a hill,” a place that the world looks to and relies upon for leadership on issues concerning the global landscape. The world I want to live in twenty years from now, is one that continues to look to American leadership as a guarantor of stability and prosperity across the globe, thanks to American values.
To be specific on domestic policy, I want to see a fiscally responsible government that has saved Social Security from insolvency and reigned in our runaway healthcare costs; an education system that is flexible and dynamic and free from federal overreach, and prepares our children for all types of careers, not just a four-year degree; and a Congress that has taken back control of federal agencies that create massive amounts of regulations and rules that burden our economy.
My notes: I like that Crenshaw has a distinguished SEAL career as well as a top notch education from Harvard. In addition, he deserves credit for pushing back against those who Republicans who wrongly claim entitlement reform isn’t necessary. Taken together, these various facets of his life story and character speak to a very impressive guy.
