In an effort to help you make informed decisions during the General Election, ABC Action News has reached out to dozens of candidates running for office. The following statements have been submitted to ABC Action News by the candidate. Every candidate was given the same set of questions. These are their responses in his/her own words.
Name: Scott Franklin
Party: Republican
Office: U.S. House of Representatives, District 15
Experience:
I served in the Navy for 26 years - 14 years on active duty and 12 years in the Navy Reserves. As a Naval Aviator, I flew jets from the decks of 13 aircraft carriers. I was deployed to the Mediterranean,
Persian Gulf and the North Atlantic, and I participated in combat operations in the Gulf, Bosnia and Kosovo. After 9/11, I was recalled to active duty with the U.S. Central Command.
I know what it takes to run a business, and I know how government can get in the way of economic growth and American prosperity. I owned and operated a small business in Lakeland for the past 20 years. I know what it takes to meet payroll, lead a team and serve customers.
I’ll bring that same business acumen and customer service approach to representing Congressional District 15.
Education
- Bachelor of Science, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD – 1986
- Master of Business Administration, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL – 1994
- Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, AL – 1996
- Executive Leadership Development Program, The Wharton School, Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA – 2003
Employment
- Baldwin Krystyn Sherman Partners (BKS Partners), Managing Partner – 2020 to Present
- Lanier Upshaw, Inc., President and CEO – 2000 to 2019
- United States Navy (Ret.), Commander, Naval Aviator – 1986 to 2012
Elected Office
- City Commissioner and Mayor Pro Tem, City of Lakeland – 2018 to Present
Why should voters vote for you?
I’m running for Congress because I believe America is in danger. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs this year and civil unrest is growing.
Socialists like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes think they have the solutions. If they have their way, they would turn us into a welfare state. They’d increase taxes on Americans to pay
for massive new government programs like Medicare for All, Universal Basic Income and the Green New Deal. They would weaken our military by redirecting funds that support our troops and closing down bases at home and abroad. They’d dismantle our free market economy and crush our chance at the American Dream.
Now -- more than ever -- we need strong, conservative leadership in Washington. We need someone we can trust to get the job done.
If elected, what are your top priorities?
My number one priority when I am elected to Congress will be to help Floridians get back to work. The forced closure of so many businesses has left millions of Floridians without a job and struggling to make ends meet. During a crisis, I believe it is the government’s role to support response and recovery. The fundamental principle of this effort should be to help make someone whole, but not make them better off than they were before the crisis.
While I am grateful that Congress acted quickly to provide Americans with relief, I am concerned their actions have resulted in many unintended consequences. In some cases, for example, government relief benefits are greater than the wages some would have received on the job. As a result, those workers are not motivated to return to their jobs.
Federal spending needs to be reined in. With the COVID-19 relief funds and stimulus package, the federal government will spend more than $7 trillion this year, or about twice the amount it would have collected in taxes and fees before the economic downturn. Our national debt is already nearly $25 trillion, the largest external debt in the world. We cannot continue down this path. Instead, I will work to enable private sector businesses to grow, prosper and create jobs. I believe it is the American entrepreneurial spirit – not the government – that will bring us back from this crisis.
Next, it’s critical that we strengthen our national security. During my 26-year career in the U.S. Navy, I got a first-hand look at the threats we face. These threats evolve over time, and with the spread of the coronavirus, we have seen just how devastating biological warfare could be to our health and our economy. We must strengthen our nation’s protections against these and other evolving threats to keep Americans safe from harm.
Finally, we need to bring safety back to American communities. With the violence and civil unrest, American families are living in fear. We must ensure it is safe for people to go to work, kids to go
to school and people to enjoy community activities. While civil protests are an acceptable demonstration of free speech, violence, looting and destruction are not.
What are three key messages of your campaign?
Our top priority is to help Americans recover and rebuild from the devastating economic consequences of COVID-19. Second, I believe a strong national defense is critical to our nation’s safety and security. Finally, we must bring law and order back to our communities so that American families can go to work, go to school and enjoy daily activities without the threat of violence.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Given my experience as a former Naval Aviator and as an owner of a small business in the insurance industry, I am focused on creating jobs, strengthening national defense, and investing in our nation’s transportation and infrastructure.
As it relates to the role you are seeking, how has that governmental body handled the Covid-19 pandemic? What would you do differently/the same in handling both the public health risk and the economic recovery?
During a crisis, I believe it is the government’s role to support response and recovery. The fundamental principle of this effort should be to help make someone whole, but not make them better off than they were before the crisis. While I am grateful that Congress acted quickly to provide Americans with relief, I am concerned their actions have resulted in many unintended consequences. In some cases, for example, government relief benefits are greater than the wages some would have received on the job. As a result, those workers are not motivated to return to their jobs.
Federal spending needs to be reined in. With the COVID-19 relief funds and stimulus package, the federal government will spend more than $7 trillion this year, or about twice the amount it would have collected in taxes and fees before the economic downturn. Our national debt is already nearly $25 trillion, the largest external debt in the world. We cannot continue down this path.
Instead, I will work to enable private sector businesses to grow, prosper and create jobs. I believe it is the American entrepreneurial spirit – not the government – that will bring us back from this crisis.
In the role you are seeking, what will you do to address issues of racism and inequality?
No one should be discriminated against for their color, their religion or their choices. While civil protests are an acceptable demonstration of free speech, violence, looting and destruction are not. We must bring safety back to American communities.
What motivates you to run for public office?
Like many Americans, I am frustrated with Congress. Just as “Nero fiddled while Rome burned,” our country is in danger and the general public sees its Congress more interested in political one-
upmanship than actually solving problems. Millions are without jobs, civil unrest is growing, and our national debt is soaring out of control. We need strong conservative leadership to support our
nation’s economic recovery, help Americans get back to work and bring safety back to American communities. The voters of Central Florida can trust me to get the job done.
