David Schuster

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

David Schuster

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 6, 2020

Military

Years of service

1982 - 1992

Personal

Birthplace

Leominster, Mass.

Profession

Business owner

Contact

Campaign Twitter

David Schuster (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Tennessee. He lost in the Republican primary on August 6, 2020.

Schuster completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

David Schuster was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. He served in the United States Navy from 1982 to 1992. Schuster attended various military schools while in the Navy. His career experience includes working as the owner and operator of D&D Crane in Jacksonville, Florida.

Elections

2020

See also: United States Senate election in Tennessee, 2020

United States Senate election in Tennessee, 2020 (August 6 Democratic primary)

United States Senate election in Tennessee, 2020 (August 6 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Tennessee

The following candidates ran in the general election for U.S. Senate Tennessee on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bill Hagerty (R)	62.2	1,840,926
		Marquita Bradshaw (D)	35.2	1,040,691
		Elizabeth McLeod (Independent)	0.6	16,652
		Yomi Faparusi (Independent)	0.4	10,727
	Submit photo	Steven Hooper (Independent)	0.3	9,609
		Kacey Morgan (Independent) (Unofficially withdrew)	0.3	9,598
		Ronnie Henley (Independent)	0.3	8,478
		Aaron James (Independent)	0.2	7,203
		Eric William Stansberry (Independent)	0.2	6,781
		Dean Hill (Independent)	0.2	4,872
		Jeffrey Grunau (Independent)	0.1	4,160
		John Gentry (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	64

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,959,761
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Tom Kovach (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Tennessee

Marquita Bradshaw defeated Robin Kimbrough Hayes, James Mackler, Gary Davis, and Mark Pickrell in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Tennessee on August 6, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Marquita Bradshaw	35.5	117,962
		Robin Kimbrough Hayes	26.6	88,492
		James Mackler	23.8	78,966
		Gary Davis	9.3	30,758
		Mark Pickrell	4.8	16,045

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 332,223
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Diana Onyejiaka (D)
• Tharon Chandler (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Tennessee

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Tennessee on August 6, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bill Hagerty	50.8	331,267
		Manny Sethi	39.4	257,223
		George Flinn Jr.	3.4	22,454
		Jon Henry	1.2	8,104
		Natisha Brooks	1.2	8,072
		Byron Bush	0.8	5,420
	Submit photo	Clifford Adkins	0.8	5,316
		Terry Dicus	0.3	2,279
		Tom Emerson Jr.	0.3	2,252
		David Schuster	0.3	2,045
	Submit photo	John Osborne	0.3	1,877
		Roy Cope	0.3	1,791
		Kent Morrell	0.3	1,769
		Aaron Pettigrew	0.2	1,622
	Submit photo	Glen Neal	0.2	1,233

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 652,724
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Garrett Nichols (R)
• Johnny Presley (R)
• Larry Crim (R)
• Jim Elkins (R)
• Josh Gapp (R)
• Clyde Benson (R)
• Geoffrey Stokes Nielson (R)

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

David Schuster completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Schuster's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born in 1958. In Leominster MA. I am 61 yrs young. I graduated from Lunenburg High in 1977. Joined the Navy in 1982 . Served 11 yr as a Naval Aviation Storekeeper, got out in Dec 92, due to pain. I am a Disabled Vet, Took me form 1995 to 2013 to get my disability from the VA, no back pay. I was a Small Business Owner/Operator of D&D Crane/Jax, FL , from 97 - 07, After closing the business we moved here to Maryville TN.

I am an out going, kind, friendly and loyal person. I am a reasonable independent thinker with a lot of common sense. I look at all aspects before I decide the best path. I have been told many times by people when I applied for jobs that I come across as having above average intelligence. Like most I have gone through life's ups and downs and my views of life and the government, match a lot of other Tennessean's views.

I had a helicopter crush me to the flight deck, when hooking nets to its belly during Vert-Rep in the navy in 1986. I was struck by lightning in 1996. I am here to do something good and have been very interested in politics for a long time. I feel its my calling. So Vote David Schuster. Thank You.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I want to fight for you, the people of TN. Not the lobbyist or to get rich like the corrupt ones there now.

• I want to get term limits and a line item veto for the president to stop some of the bribery for votes. End the patriot act was only supposed to be in effect for 5 yrs. I want to get your freedoms back.

• I feel there is going to be a lot of technical and financial changes and want it to be done right for the people.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Getting our country and freedoms back for the people. Immigration has hurt many industries and taken American jobs. Fix the intel community and slim it down. Try to end the waste fraud and abuse of our tax dollars, (Welfare, Grants, Military) Get the Vets what they where promised to them when they signed the contract. Being a disabled vet I have seen where a lot of issues are. I want to help the state get what they need for projects/programs that may need Federal assistance. Get rid of the double standard in our justice system. I want to work for you the People of Tennessee and the American People. Not to get rich and screw the people and country. Like the left is doing. After all if I may borrow a quote. "WWG1WGA"

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I never really had anyone to look up to. My parents got divorced when I was 16 and have kind of been on my own from then. So I have always blazed my own path, and be and do the best I could at what ever I did.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

No. But there are a lot of movies out there to see how and what our government was and is doing in the intel sectors. Like the Jason Born movies about Manchurian candidates. American Made with tom cruse is also a good one. It shows how corrupt our CIA has been in the past. No better now. Just another cartel.


JUST WAY TO MUCH CORUPTION EVERYWHERE!

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty and loyalty to the people they represent.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Compassion, Honesty, Loyalty, Common Sense And a lot of life experience in a lot of aspects.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To defend the constitution and the rights of the people. But so few do and I believe it is getting better.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That is did a good job and represented the people well. If I get known as a disruptor that's ok to, because it will be for the right reasons and for the people.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

JFK assassination. 4 yrs old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was 14 and it was land scaping and tree removal. It was a part time and summer job for 2 yrs.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Superman Always on the right side and for the people.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Dealing with the active duty med department and the VA. I really don't like being made fun of and them making it seam as if I am lying to them. I don't lie. Very hard for me to do being that I am an honest person.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

To get our country back to the standard's it was meant to be and our freedoms back. Then all the world Issues with China, Iran and stop the endless wars.

What qualities does the U.S. Senate possess that makes it unique as an institution?

It approves appointees by the president for diff positions. It has diff oversight committees. All the branches are there to do what is right for the people. But they don't always do that. I will look out for the people and there rights.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for senators to have previous experience in government or politics?

No I don't. They lose touch with the people and what there needs are. That's why I believe we need term limits.

What do you think of the filibuster?

I think it can be useful if not abused. A waste of tax dollars when abused.

What criteria would you apply when deciding whether to confirm presidential appointees?

They should have the same characteristics as me. Honesty, Trustworthy and good moral standards.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other senators?

Yes

If you are not a current senator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Budget and intel.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2020 Elections

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External links

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Footnotes

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Tennessee's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Marsha Blackburn (R)

Bill Hagerty (R)

Representatives

District 1

Diana Harshbarger (R)

District 2

Tim Burchett (R)

District 3

Charles Fleischmann (R)

District 4

Scott DesJarlais (R)

District 5

Andy Ogles (R)

District 6

John Rose (R)

District 7

Vacant

District 8

David Kustoff (R)

District 9

Steve Cohen (D)

Republican Party (9)

Democratic Party (1)

Vacancies (1)