Kevin McGovern

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Kevin McGovern
Image of Kevin McGovern

Republican Party

Elections and appointments
Last election

August 23, 2022

Education

High school

Thomas Carr Howe High School

Bachelor's

Purdue University, 1981

Other

Defense Acquisition University, 2007

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Navy

Years of service

1971 - 2012

Personal
Birthplace
Indianapolis, Ind.
Religion
Catholic
Profession
Military officer
Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign YouTube

Kevin McGovern (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Florida's 15th Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on August 23, 2022.

McGovern completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Kevin McGovern was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1971 to 2012. McGovern earned a high school diploma from Thomas Carr Howe High School, a bachelor's degree from Purdue University in 1981, and a degree from Defense Acquisition University in 2007. His career experience includes working as a military officer, working in telecommunications as an electrical engineer, and teaching flight.

McGovern has been associated with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Central Florida Habitat for Humanity.[1]

Elections

2022

See also: Florida's 15th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Florida District 15

Laurel Lee defeated Alan Cohn in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 15 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Laurel Lee
Laurel Lee (R)
 
58.5
 
145,219
Image of Alan Cohn
Alan Cohn (D)
 
41.5
 
102,835

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 248,054
Candidate Connection = 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 15

Alan Cohn defeated Gavin Brown, Eddie Geller, Cesar Ramirez, and William VanHorn in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 15 on August 23, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Alan Cohn
Alan Cohn
 
33.1
 
14,928
Image of Gavin Brown
Gavin Brown Candidate Connection
 
22.3
 
10,034
Image of Eddie Geller
Eddie Geller Candidate Connection
 
21.9
 
9,859
Image of Cesar Ramirez
Cesar Ramirez
 
17.3
 
7,817
Image of William VanHorn
William VanHorn Candidate Connection
 
5.4
 
2,435

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 45,073
Candidate Connection = 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

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 15

Laurel Lee defeated Kelli Stargel, Jackie Toledo, Demetries Grimes, and Kevin McGovern in the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 15 on August 23, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Laurel Lee
Laurel Lee
 
41.5
 
22,481
Image of Kelli Stargel
Kelli Stargel
 
27.8
 
15,072
Image of Jackie Toledo
Jackie Toledo
 
11.6
 
6,307
Image of Demetries Grimes
Demetries Grimes Candidate Connection
 
10.4
 
5,629
Image of Kevin McGovern
Kevin McGovern Candidate Connection
 
8.7
 
4,713

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 54,202
Candidate Connection = 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

Campaign themes

2022

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia
Released June 8, 2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Kevin McGovern completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by McGovern's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I am a retired Navy Captain and engineer who is running as a conservative Republican Congressional candidate in Central Florida CD-15. I have served across the globe over decades with the U.S. Navy and have firsthand experience in Foreign Affairs. A veteran of the war in Afghanistan, my service was as a Senior Officer assigned to NATO, the International Security Assistance Force under GEN Petraeus. I have patrolled the East China Sea and have developed specific knowledge concerning Taiwan and the threat China poses to the U.S. My assignments include experience in Washington, D.C. overseeing production of F-35s, America’s latest generation of supersonic, stealth, multirole fighter planes. My civilian engineering expertise in the telecommunications industry has given me keen insight into the issues we currently have with electronic media censorship. As a decorated war veteran, prior small business owner and successful businessman, my belief is that I am well suited to lead our nation in Congress.
  • Leadership
  • Integrity
  • Experience
Economy - The incredibly bad policies of the current administration have put the U.S. economic health in jeopardy. The Biden White House was warned about a sustained inflation surge early in 2021 when it prepared a $1.9 trillion stimulus plan, but the warnings were ignored. Inflation has risen to the highest in 40 years. Surging prices for food, energy and shelter accounted for much of the gains. Again, bad policies have caused disruptions in labor markets and supply chains, fueling this inflation and forcing an "inflation tax" on those least able to afford.

Election Integrity - I have lived in countries where corrupt political parties controlled the outcome of elections. Voting laws in America belong to the states and any reforms need to focus on making sure elections are “fair and free of voter fraud.” I am against “ballot harvesting” and in favor of measures that include the following: presenting voter ID, signature verification, chain of custody controls, bipartisan observers, and cleaning up voter rolls.

Our Immigration system is broken. We need border sucurity and we need to stop mass illegal entry that is being allowed at our borders. We are a nation of LEGAL immigrants, having an administration that makes a mockery of our coveted citizenship has to stop. We must secure the border first, then stop the cartels, drug trafficking, sex trafficking and illegality of the current crisis.
My mother and father. My father was a WWII vet who lost his vision in one eye due to a war injury, but never complained and never missed a day of work. My mother was the most compassionate woman I ever met and raised six kids in a two-bedroom, one bath house. As a kid from the lower end of the economic scale, my High School English teacher encouraged me to join the Navy and improve my chances in life. He also taught me life lessons I still use to this day.

The values of my parents and my favorite teacher have been my North Star and guided me in very difficult times. And they taught me the importance of service and showed me that life is more about giving than receiving.
There are so many. Right now I am reading "American Marxism" by Mark Levin.
Leadership. Integrity. Experience. Understanding of and having experience in world affairs and experience in D.C. would go a long way to be successful in Congress.
I believe the path I have chosen in life has given me the required Leadership, Integrity, and Experience. The values instilled in me by my parents, my community, and my religion of compassion and understanding will go a long way in my once again serving my country. I understand perfectly how difficult this task will be having served in D.C. for five years and around the globe in both war and peace. No one said being a Servant Leader would be easy. I did not pursue this endeavor because it would be easy, I did it because it will be hard. “If not me, then who?”. I always remember these words worn on the back of a shirt by a young Marine who had lost his leg in Afghanistan. We must fight for what we believe in or perish wishing that we had.
First and foremost, you are to represent the people of your district. Follow the constitution and understand how legislation will impact the people. Tough job, you need to have experience dealing with people (leadership), money (understand the budget) and foreign affairs.
Provide inspiration for others to serve in whatever capacity one is able in order to build a better society.
Assassination of John F. Kennedy. Nine years old.
Other than high school jobs, my first job was in the U.S. Navy when I was seventeen. I began my Navy career by taking the oath of office for the delayed enlistment program. In December of that year, I commenced basic training at the Naval Training Center, in Orlando, Florida. After completion of avionics class “A” school at Naval Air Station Memphis, Tennessee, I was designated an Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Technician. My first fleet assignment was to Commander, Fleet Activities in Okinawa, Japan. During this deployment to Okinawa, I volunteered to serve in several operations in support of the Vietnam conflict, including Operation Frequent Wind during the evacuation of Saigon.

After serving 37 months in Japan at the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department, and being promoted to 2nd Class Petty Officer, I left active duty to pursue an education but remained affiliated with the Navy Reserve. After completion of my B.S. Degree in Electrical Engineering, I was employed by Martin-Marietta Aerospace as the Electrical Lead Engineer at Vandenberg AFB, CA in support of the Space Shuttle launch complex. I re-entered active duty after one year to pursue a Navy commission and received my commission from the Aviation Officer Candidate School, in Pensacola, Florida.

After the attacks of 11 Sep 2001, I returned to active duty several times, serving in engineering, acquisition, and operational billets at NAS Pt. Mugu/China Lake, California, NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Kabul, Afghanistan.

Due to my aviation, engineering, and leadership background I was recruited as the Deputy Director for Production, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. This allowed me to lead the joint effort between the U.S. and our international partners, the United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Australia, Norway, Denmark, and Canada. My final deployment was to Kabul, Afghanistan for a 14-month deployment as a Senior Staff Officer to the NATO Mission under GEN David Petraeus.
Shogun by James Clavell. I spent my late teenage years in Japan and studied the Japanese language. The political intrigue really interested me as a young man in Japan who had became somewhat immersed in the culture.
For this job I will need the powers of Superman.
I have had to overcome many struggles in the life I have chosen, but none greater than losing both of my younger brothers. Both at a young age, I lost one to heart disease and the other to suicide.
Make laws

Declare war
Raise and provide public money and oversee its proper expenditure
Impeach and try federal officers
Approve presidential appointments
Approve treaties negotiated by the executive branch
Oversight and investigations

Congress has the "power of the purse". But of late, the "big spenders" in D.C. have completely failed all Americans. Also, we have an Executive Branch that has forgotten that the Constitution does not provide that branch the ability to spend us into oblivion.
It is critical to have experience but not necessarily political experience. You need the right experience in business, military, or some sort of public service. Five years of my Navy career was spent in D.C. and I managed a part of the largest acquisition program in the history of the Republic. I am certified as a Level III Program Manager and have been designated as an Acquisition Professional. I understand the budget and the budget process. As a prior small business owner and successful businessman I understand how government regulations can harm business. As an Engineer I understand technology, have international and wartime experience and hold a certification as an FAA certified Commercial Pilot. With the issues facing us today, broad experience is critical.
Financial, Energy, Keeping Social Security and Medicare solvent and overcoming our divisions.
Armed Services

Budget
Education and Labor
Energy and Commerce
Foreign Affairs
Homeland Security
Oversight and Reform
Science, Space, and Technology
Small Business
Transportation and Infrastructure

Veterans' Affairs
Yes. But we need to reform Campaign Finance laws. And we need Term Limits.
I was the first in my district to sign the term limits pledge.
Congressman (GEN) Jack Bergman MI-1.
I spend my days in the district speaking with voters. I met an elderly woman who lives on Social Security ($1,400/mo.) and described her situation to me. The "inflation tax" has doubled her monthly mandatory bills (rent, utilities, gas, and insurance) and left her with less than $300/mo. for groceries, car repairs, unexpected expenses, etc. Bad public policy in D.C. has the most impact on those on the lower end of the economic scale. She told me how frightened she was of her future. This woman could have been my mother.
A skeleton walks into a bar and sits down. The bartender says, "What will you have?". The skeleton says, "I’ll have a beer. And a mop." Very corny and my wife hates it, but there you go.

Compromise is sometimes necessary, but never give up your beliefs or values. Having leadership is more valuable and being able to understand the bills presented to vote upon and being able to explain them to others is critical. We currently have legislators that have no idea how the budget works or basic economics. The budget is not unlimited and we as a Nation are in great jeopardy due to a flood of costly legislation passed for political expediency.
One of my priorities is to stop out of control spending. I am a proponent of a "Truth in Legislation" law. Provisions would include mandatory debate time, time for legislators to READ & UNDERSTAND the proposed legislation, simple language delivered to the American people so we can all understand the spending bill. Now we have bills that include massive "pork" spending. Legislators are threatened in their next election if they don’t vote for a bill because it will contain one good provision for their district even though the bill is overall a bad deal for America. We need legislators with leadership, experience, and integrity.

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.

Campaign website

McGovern's campaign website stated the following:

“

Inflation & Taxes

Mac has served around the globe in senior positions in both war and peacetime. He is an engineer and a businessman. He has seen firsthand how the actions in D.C. have far reaching and dire consequences internationally, that will then impact the citizens of Central Florida. Reckless “Tax & Spend” policies must stop.

America was energy independent and enjoyed low inflation. Now at a 40-year high, we are begging dictators for oil. Surging prices for food, energy and shelter are destroying our paychecks. Mac will bring sanity and control to Washington where taxes, corruption and wasteful spending are destroying our National Security and our way of life.


Military Strength & Law Enforcement

Mac spent years in D.C. as a Navy Captain overseeing the production of our next generation stealth fighter jet, the F-35. He has a lifetime of military experience from Asia to Afghanistan. Our military cannot sacrifice readiness and strength over “diversity” and “equity”. The only question should be, are military members fit to serve and get the job done?

Mac has family members in law enforcement. Good community policing is critical to the safety of all our citizens. Mac supports law enforcement and will vigorously resist any attempt to “de-fund” the police and will never sacrifice safety and security for an ideology that gives criminals the upper hand.


Election Integrity

Mac has lived in countries where corrupt political parties controlled the outcome of elections. He believes our voting laws in America belong to the states and believes that any reforms need to focus on making sure elections are “fair and free of voter fraud.”

He is against “ballot harvesting” and is in favor of measures that include the following: presenting voter ID, signature verification, chain of custody controls, bipartisan observers, and cleaning up voter rolls.


Constitutional Rights

Mac has sworn many times in his Navy career to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic”. He understands our constitution is absolute, yet under attack.

Mac recognizes the republic cannot survive without a free press. He maintains the legal, Constitutional right to own guns. He knows the states and the people have been given the rights that are not specifically delegated to the Federal Government by the Constitution. As always, Mac will fight vigorously to defend the entire Constitution.


Border Security

Mac has defended borders across the world. Yet he has witnessed our own border left open for anyone to enter. Mac will fight to stop mass illegal entry at our border, eliminate cartels from importing illegal drugs, and stop the human trafficking.

This administration has made a mockery of our coveted citizenship. Mac believes we are a nation of LEGAL immigrants. He will vote to secure the border first, then stop this insane, unfair, illegal, and inhumane policy of open borders. Mac will fight to restore the rule of law and enact legislation so that immigrants once again can be fairly and legally welcomed into America.


Education and Parental Rights

Mac’s parents had school choice and sent him to parochial school. He believes a child’s education needs to be determined by the parents, not the Government or the Teacher’s Union. There is no place for progressive educators inserting racial politics and inappropriate sexually oriented material into K-12 education.

Mac understands America is in dire need of an educated workforce, whether that be a technical school, trade school or college education. He believes the federal government should step aside and return all education responsibilities to the states and the parents.


Agriculture

Mac’s Uncle was from Crawfordsville, IN and was once the largest pork producer in the State of Indiana. Mac spent summers on the farm and worked his after-school job in High School for Kroger Supermarket. He understands how vitally important agriculture and food distribution is to our nation.

He knows we can never overlook our food supply, especially knowing what a food shortage would represent to our national security and the wellbeing of our citizens. He established one of the largest supply chains in the history of the Department of Defense and is keenly aware of the potential problems that could lead to empty shelves.

Mac has vowed to support favorable legislation, and cut unnecessary regulations to enable our farmers, growers, ranchers, and distributors the ability to produce and distribute products safely and efficiently for our kitchen tables.[2]

”
—Kevin McGovern's campaign website (2022)[3]

See also

2022 Elections

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External links

Candidate

U.S. House Florida District 15
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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 1, 2022
    2. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    3. ↑ Kevin "Mac" McGovern Republican for Congress, “Priorities,” accessed August 22, 2022


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