John Tilford
John Tilford (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Indiana's 9th Congressional District. He was disqualified from the general election scheduled on November 3, 2020.
Tilford completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. Click here to read the survey answers.
Tilford was a 2012 Democratic candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 9th Congressional District of Indiana. He lost in the Democratic primary on May 8, 2012.[1]
Biography
Tilford graduated from Bloomfield High School in Indiana. He obtained a B.S. in education from Indiana University. In 2003, Tilford graduated from the post graduate intelligence program with the National Defense Intelligence College where he obtained a master of science of strategic intelligence. When he was 41 years old, Tilford graduated from the United States Army Airborne School at Fort Benning.[2]
Tilford served as a private, E-1, in the United States Marine Corps at the start of the Vietnam War. He served for 18 months in Vietnam with Marine Air Control Squadron 4. Tilford served in the Indiana Army National Guard from 1976 to 1977. From 1979 to 2006, Tilford was part of the Army Reserve. He worked as a Drill Sergeant, advanced to Staff Sergeant, and accepted a direct commission to First Lieutenant in the Infantry.[2][3]
In 1996, Tilofrd worked on South Asia intelligence in Washington, D.C. He worked for four and a half years in the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Ground Intelligence Center.[2]
Tilford also worked in a series of civilian positions, including the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Department of the Navy.[2]
Elections
2020
See also: Indiana's 9th Congressional District election, 2020
Indiana's 9th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 2 Republican primary)
Indiana's 9th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 2 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Indiana District 9
Incumbent Trey Hollingsworth defeated Andy Ruff and Tonya Millis in the general election for U.S. House Indiana District 9 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Trey Hollingsworth (R) | 60.9 | 218,606 |
 | Andy Ruff (D)  | 34.8 | 124,826 | |
 | Tonya Millis (L) | 4.3 | 15,601 | |
| Total votes: 359,033 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- John Tilford (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9
Andy Ruff defeated Mark J. Powell, D. Liam Dorris, Brandon Hood, and James O'Gabhann III in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Andy Ruff | 43.7 | 21,626 |
 | Mark J. Powell | 19.9 | 9,872 | |
 | D. Liam Dorris | 15.8 | 7,813 | |
 | Brandon Hood | 13.9 | 6,899 | |
| James O'Gabhann III | 6.7 | 3,306 | ||
| Total votes: 49,516 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9
Incumbent Trey Hollingsworth advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 9 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Trey Hollingsworth | 100.0 | 62,962 |
| Total votes: 62,962 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Libertarian convention
Libertarian convention for U.S. House Indiana District 9
Tonya Millis advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Indiana District 9 on March 7, 2020.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Tonya Millis (L) |
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
2012
Tilford ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent Indiana's 9th District. Tilford and three other candidates lost to Shelli Yoder in the May 8, 2012, Democratic primary.[1][4]
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
 Shelli Yoder |
47.7% | 13,186 |
| Robert Winningham | 20.2% | 5,590 |
| John Tilford | 8.1% | 2,233 |
| John Griffin Miller | 7.5% | 2,062 |
| Jonathan George | 16.6% | 4,591 |
| Total Votes | 27,662 | |
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
John Tilford completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Tilford's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
Tilford accepts no campaign donations and would accept no more than one half of the $174,000 Congressional salary: "I've been called up through the Army Reserve for national service in DC before and after 9/11 and know what it costs. My paper 'Too Much Money in Politics' is available through the website. It's become obvious the current system for filling the 9th's seat favors government by and for the wealthy, and only of the people." Tilford's website says he would fight for a seat on each of three committees: Veterans Affairs, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Oversight and Government Reform. He lists his qualifications for each. Tilford is locally known for successfully assisting veterans and surviving spouses with VA appeals; has a Master's in Strategic Intelligence and served as a senior intelligence analyst for both the Defense Intelligence Agency (in DC and later in the Pentagon as Chief, Afghanistan Cell) and the National Ground Intelligence Center (where he retired as Deputy Commander); and in his civilian career was a management and organizational analyst for both IRS in Indianapolis and the Navy at Crane, and was a member of two national task forces.
- Accept no donations.
- Accept only one half of $174,000 congressional salary.
- Fully qualified for three committees: Veterans Affairs, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Oversight and Government Reform.
"Something else" would include my campaign website https://tilfordforcongress.com/ and personal blog https://johnwtilford.com/ .
Ethical. Goes without saying, especially given what we have seen the last few years - and, really, for decades earlier.
Stewardship of personal, public, and national resources. Includes money, lives, tangible and intangible such as the formerly positive image of the United States.
Consistency of positions, regardless of to whom speaking or what situation. BUT with the courage to change in consideration of new evidence.
Empathetic.
Experienced.
Intelligence (dropped MENSA membership as not productive)
Dedicated.
Read and understand legislation being considered, including expense and effects at all levels.
Participate fully in committee and other meetings. Contribute ideas and apply judgement.
Show up to votes.
If that barrier is broken, others can continue toward the ultimate goal of taking back the US government from moneyed interests.
I've done everything from loading and transporting human waste (the "Honey Run" in Vietnam) to being invited to brief the Office of the White House regarding the 2001 standoff between Pakistan and India, both nuclear powers who had already fought three wars. I've scrubbed floors at Burger Chef, and chose which of my subordinate West Point grads would be sent to work for Special Operations Command and which to Iraq. I've repacked expansion joints in still-hot steam pipes below the Indiana University Bloomington campus and repaired air traffic control computer systems while the planes were still in the air in a combat zone. I've worked hard at real jobs.
Frustration of seeing what things are and what they should be and not being changed.
Bio at https://johnwtilford.com/bio-longer/
Climate change.
China.
She won. BVA reversed the lower level VA denial. $85,000+ back DIC and $1,309 per month. Makes a big difference in her independence, self-respect, and quality of life.
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.
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Tilford married his wife, Polly (née Bruce) Tilford, on August 7, 1970.[3] They are the parents of two children: Aaron James and the late Sarah Beth.[2]
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Indiana Secretary of State, "2012 Primary Election Results," May 8, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 John Tilford for Congress, "About John" accessed March 5, 2012
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ballotpedia staff, "Email communication with John Tilford," December 21, 2019
- ↑ Indiana Secretary of State "2012 primary results"
