Thomas Speciale

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

Thomas Speciale

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 23, 2020

Education

Graduate

American Military University, 2014

Military

Personal

Birthplace

Peoria, Ill.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Intelligence officer

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal Facebook

Thomas Speciale (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Virginia. He lost in the Republican primary on June 23, 2020.

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

Biography

Thomas Speciale was born in Peoria, Illinois. He has served in the United States Army since 1987. Speciale pursued his undergraduate education from Illinois Central College and Illinois State University and his graduate education from the American Military University. His career experience includes working as an Army intelligence officer.

Elections

2020

See also: United States Senate election in Virginia, 2020

United States Senate election in Virginia, 2020 (June 23 Republican primary)

United States Senate election in Virginia, 2020 (June 23 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Virginia

Incumbent Mark Warner defeated Daniel Gade and Al Mina in the general election for U.S. Senate Virginia on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark Warner (D)	56.0	2,466,500
		Daniel Gade (R)	43.9	1,934,199
		Al Mina (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	0
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	4,388

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,405,087
= 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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Mary Knapp (Independent)

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Mark Warner advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Virginia.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Virginia

Daniel Gade defeated Alissa Baldwin and Thomas Speciale in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Virginia on June 23, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Daniel Gade	67.4	208,754
		Alissa Baldwin	18.1	56,165
		Thomas Speciale	14.5	44,795

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 309,714
= 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

• Victor Williams (R)
• Gary Adkins (R)
• Omari Faulkner (R)
• Scott Taylor (R)
• Roger Franklin (R)
• John Easley (R)
• Blaine Dunn (R)

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Thomas Speciale completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Speciale'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.

Thomas Anthony Speciale II has served in the United States Army from 1987 to the present. He currently serves as a Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) in the U.S. Army Reserves. Tom earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Illinois State University in 1999. He earned a master's degree from American Military University in 2014 in International Relations. Tom is a recognized Middle East and counter-terrorism expert and has worked on our nations most difficult national defense priorities both in and out of uniform since 2005.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I have four priority issues articulated on my website (www.thomasspeciale.com) - immigration, mental health, education and justice reform. These four issues, left unaddressed, are plaguing our country. The 2nd Amendment under assault and the criminal impeachment of our President are additionally severe threats to our Constitution and the fate of our country. Virginia is the front line against the Socialist agenda to dismantle our country. and that is why I am entering the fight. I would much rather be camping with my Cub Scouts, training my Soldiers and spending time with my family but something must be done to stop them.

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

Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Paine, Hamilton, Lincoln, Reagan, Patton, Eisenhower, Bush, Churchill, Rice, Powell, and Thatcher. I believe that calm disciplined leadership in time of crisis is exemplified by these men and woman. But also men like Martin Luther King and Gandhi who demonstrated uncompromising courage and perseverance.

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

I wrote my autobiography - Faith, Family and Fortitude. It contains everything you would want to know about me and where I came from. I give the proceeds to charity - cancer research, mental health services and veterans.

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

Faith, Family and Fortitude. Service, integrity, and loyalty. Defense of our Constitution not just support of our Constitution.

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

I am a servant leader.

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

Service.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That our children may have peace.

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

The Beirut bombing and the seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran. Also, the Soviets being defeated in Afghanistan.

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

I have worked since I was about 8 or 9, mowing grass, shoveling snow, cleaning house, newspaper routes. First actual job was as a security guard at a freight warehouse (1987).

What is your favorite book? Why?

The diary of Anne Frank.

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

James T. Kirk or Tony Stark

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

Bureaucracy.

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

Our divisiveness first and foremost. But topically, immigration, mental health, education and justice reform. These issues are all interwoven within the fabric of modern America. They address the gun conversation, racism, policing, poverty, healthcare, infrastructure, transportation, hopelessness, prosperity, and across the board the US economy. If we can address these four structural problems we will have nothing to fear from an emerging China or threats from militant Islamists, Russia or Iran etc.

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

Service, integrity, and loyalty. Defense of our Constitution not just support of our Constitution.

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

Not if they have been there so long they become part of the establishment. Then they become part of the problems with our government.

What do you think of the filibuster?

A valuable tool.

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

Can they do the job? Will they defend the Constitution? Are they a servant leader?

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

Of course, we all want the same things. Its how we get there that we differ.

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

Armed Services

Foreign Relations
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Select Committee on Ethics
Select Committee on Intelligence
Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Veterans' Affairs

If you are a current senator, why did you join your current committees?

To help advance our country into the future, protect our country, protect our Constitution and promote our prosperity.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the U.S. Senate, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

Of course. Whatever role they wanted me in.

Is there a particular senator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

None in particular.

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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Virginia's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Tim Kaine (D)

Mark Warner (D)

Representatives

District 1

Rob Wittman (R)

District 2

Jennifer Kiggans (R)

District 3

Bobby Scott (D)

District 4

Jennifer McClellan (D)

District 5

John McGuire (R)

District 6

Benjamin Lee Cline (R)

District 7

Eugene Vindman (D)

District 8

Donald Sternoff Beyer (D)

District 9

H. Morgan Griffith (R)

District 10

Suhas Subramanyam (D)

District 11

James Walkinshaw (D)

Democratic Party (8)

Republican Party (5)