Tom Dunn

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

Tom Dunn

Republican Party

Education

Associate

State University of New York, Alfred, 1981

Personal

Birthplace

Rochester, N.Y.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Marketing Consultant/Business Owner

Tom Dunn (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent South Carolina's 7th Congressional District. He did not appear on the ballot for the Republican primary on June 14, 2022.

Dunn completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Tom Dunn was born in Rochester, New York. He earned an associate degree from the State University of New York Alfred in 1981. His professional experience includes owning a marketing consulting business. He previously worked in finance for the automotive industry and helped co-found the nonprofit OverWatchUSA.

Elections

2022

See also: South Carolina's 7th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House South Carolina District 7

Russell Fry defeated Daryl Scott in the general election for U.S. House South Carolina District 7 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Russell Fry (R)	64.8	164,440
		Daryl Scott (D)	35.1	89,030
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	395

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 253,865
= 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.

Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Daryl Scott advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 7.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Ryan Norris (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 7

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House South Carolina District 7 on June 14, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Russell Fry	51.1	43,509
		Tom Rice	24.6	20,927
		Barbara Arthur	12.3	10,481
		Ken Richardson	7.1	6,021
		Garrett Barton	2.5	2,154
		Mark McBride	2.0	1,676
		Spencer Morris	0.5	444

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 85,212
= 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

• Tom Dunn (R)
• William Bailey (R)
• George Kite (R)
• Jeanette Spurlock (R)
• Justin Davison (R)
• Steve Reichert (R)
• Graham Allen (R)
• Louis Bushay (R)

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for U.S. House South Carolina District 7

No candidate advanced from the convention.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Keenan Dunham (L)
		Larry Guy Hammond (L)

---

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

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Tom Dunn completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dunn'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 am a political outsider who understands the frustration and feeling of powerlessness normal people experience as they watch republican after republican fail miserably in their charge of protecting and defending the US Constitution, and of standing up for the people they claim to represent. I have been married to my wife Denise for 39 years, and together we raised - and home-schooled - 3 kids, and are currently spoiling our six grandchildren. I am a successful small businessman and conservative activist. I will aggressively and passionately push back against the vile socialist Biden-Harris agenda, and use every tactic to block them. The US Constitution cannot defend itself. It requires men and women with the moral will to uphold and enforce it. It requires lions, truth-telling warriors who are unafraid to use the bully pulpit of congress to stand in the face of the woke cancel culture mob, and even to stand against the lay-down republicans who are too weak and cowardly to fight back. I am 100% pro-life, committed to protecting and expanding our Second Amendment rights, and devoted to the task of reigning in the federal government and bureaucracy.

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'll aggressively fight against the Biden-Harris socialist agenda.

• I'll passionately support and defend conservative causes.
• I'll use the truth and the bully pulpit of Congress to stop leftists and those who want to cancel our great American culture.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am 100% America First, committed to ending abortion, pro Second Amendment, and determined to stand against the Biden-Harris agenda. I will fight with everything in me to restore the rightful place of the US Constitution in our government, and to restore the foundations of our Judeo-Christian heritage. I am particularly passionate about seeing the US Constitution restored to it's rightful place in our culture and our government, and to see that it is closely followed and adhered to in matters of public policy and the affairs of government. I am also passionate about eliminating federal bureaucracy and pushing power and control back to the state and local government, as close to the people as possible. I will challenge our current socialist concept of the US military, and force them to retreat from their current woke, sensitive philosophy, and instead return to the single minded purpose of being the most effective fighting forces they can be, in order to carry out American objectives, and protect and defend our national interests. First and foremost, I am passionate about educating colleagues, and all Americans, on the truth of American goodness and exceptionalism, the value and worth of our natural, God-given rights and why they are worth defending and even dying for, and our great United States Constitution.

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

There are two men from different eras who come to mind, George Washington, and Winston Churchill. You can't read about Washington without coming to an admiration for his unique combination of authority and humility. He was no self-promoter, even though he clearly understood where he needed to be to effect the greatest amount of good. He had self-doubts, like most men, but at the same time believed that he was up to the task, first of leading the army, and then of being President. He trusted in Divine Providence, the hand of almighty God, to govern in the affairs of men, and he stirred his countrymen to do the same. His willingness and capacity to set aside power, at a time when his fellow citizens would likely gladly have elevated him to king, had he been willing, stands as a challenge and an inspiration to everyone who desires to take on the responsibility of representing their fellow American citizens in any government capacity.

Winston Churchill inspires me because of his intense love of his country and his utter and complete bulldog determination to save her, regardless of how unpopular his positions might have been, or how much opposition he faced. He was gracious in victory over his detractors, but he never wavered in either his understanding of the nature of the enemy, or his willingness to confront them and tell the truth about them, over and over again, even to the point of being considered an annoying nuisance. It could honestly be stated that, without Churchill, Germany may well have won the Second World War. He seemed to understand, at some level anyway, that he was the right man for the hour, and he embraced his role. I honestly think that he believed that he was the only one who could do it, and therefore that he was supposed to do it. He was an inspiration and a light to his countrymen, when everything around them was utter darkness.

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

"Statesmanship, Character, and Leadership in America" by Terry Newell (2013)

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to have my children and grandchildren say, "He left us a better America. He defended our cherished liberties, he fought for the freedom of both thought and speech in the public sphere, and he helped restore a clear understanding of, and love for, the promise of America which the founders envisioned."

What is your favorite book? Why?

"Burning Daylight" by Jack London

Daylight lives a rich, full life of huge exploits, culminating in massive success in business which he achieves by smashing his opponents. But when he finds a love and seeks to win her, he learns that the things he valued in his youth, like hard work, perseverance, and friendship are worth struggling to hold on to.

A great book if you are struggling to define "success" in your own life.

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

I believe that experience in government is a neutral factor.

On the one hand, having experience can certainly give a person a jump start on the day to day workings of government, as well as practical experience with creating and managing public policy.

On the other hand, too many lifetime politicians causes insular thinking, and can lead to circular reasoning, a "we've always done it this way" mindset which I believe is deadly to representative governance.

The founders never intended politicians to become members of the club for life, or anything even close to that. They meant for citizens to bring their practical, unique life experiences and perspectives with them, serve for a few years, and return home, enabling others to serve.

They never envisioned the career politician.

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

1. A reawakening of our appreciation for Liberty and a true understanding of natural rights by all American citizens. Citizens who understand these things simply must passionately explain and defend them to their family and friends who do not.

2. A rebuilding of the bedrock foundation of the US Constitution as our framework for the function and limitation of government. These must be passionately and forcefully defended and advanced in Congress, and in state and local governments.

3. A restoration of our Judeo-Christian heritage, upon which our understanding of natural rights and our system of law and justice is based. A people without a common understanding and appreciation of these things will soon cease to be a people.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I met a man named Dave, at a town hall meeting in Georgetown. Dave was speaking that night on an issue that both of us were passionate about. I took an immediate liking to him, and we conversed for several minutes before the meeting. Dave, a man in his middle fifties, told me he was bricklayer, and that he had been working in the area for over twenty years. I asked him how business had been, and he got quiet for a moment and then said, "Well, I only work about half the time that i used to work."

When I asked why, he said, "There are too many people willing to do the work for a lot less than I can." I sensed there was more he wanted to say, so I let a few moments of silence tick by, hoping he would go on.

"I'm the only American bricklayer left around here, at least that I know of," Dave continued. "All the others are immigrants who came over the border with Mexico, and most of them are illegal."

"How do you know they are illegal?" I asked.

"They tell me, once I get to know them," he replied. "I know quite a few of them. Some of them are here legally, but most aren't."

Needless to say, Dave's story made a powerful impression on me. Dave had no animosity toward the immigrants who were here legally, who had taken the path to citizenship that America has always offered to people from every nation on earth.

To say we need to secure our southern border is an understatement. It's utter chaos there, and the ramifications of simply throwing it open to all who would come is ridiculous in the extreme.

American citizens expect their federal government, indeed the Constitution REQUIRES the federal government, to maintain secure borders, to enact and uphold common sense immigration policies, and to safeguard American lives and livelihoods.

To intentionally fail in these tasks, as the current administration is doing, I believe rises to the level of treason, and certainly qualifies as an impeachable offense.

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

2022 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Heart of the Primaries The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

South Carolina's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Lindsey Graham (R)

Tim Scott (R)

Representatives

District 1

Nancy Mace (R)

District 2

Joe Wilson (R)

District 3

Sheri Biggs (R)

District 4

William Timmons (R)

District 5

Ralph Norman (R)

District 6

James Clyburn (D)

District 7

Russell Fry (R)

Republican Party (8)

Democratic Party (1)