Interview with Kevin Gaffney - The Wake up Call with Jeff Bergosh on WPNN FM 103.7: Radio UNRESTRAINED.

Wake up Call for Friday: D1 Congressional Candidate Kevin Gaffney Joins us to Talk about his Campaign

 

 

 

We welcomed in special guest Kevin Gaffney this morning on the Wake up Call live on WPNN 103.7 FM.  Gaffney is one of the TEN Republican candidates vying to take the D1 Congressional seat vacated by Matt Gaetz.  We talked national defense, the budget deficit, saving social security, Ukraine, government efficiency, and a host of other national topics. 

You can hear the interview on Jeff's blog.  

You can hear a complete recording of today’s live show,here.

(Replay of Dimmock interview plays first, then interview with Gaffney)

The Wake up Call with Jeff Bergosh on WPNN FM 103.7:  Radio UNRESTRAINED.

Interview with the Thornton Review hosted by Pueschel Schneier

Guest: Kevin J. Gaffney, Candidate for Congress, 1st District Florida. Political Science Teacher at Rocky Bayou Christian School, Niceville Florida. Host: Pueschel Schneier, Manager & Executive Producer, The Thornton Review Show.
-January 7,2025-
**Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/1045444475?share=copy#t=0
Additional Links for Sharing
Website: https://www.thethorntonreview.com/wp/the-thornton-review-show-kevin-j-gaffney/
**YouTube: https://youtu.be/7CpLTR9YDdc?si=4LCa9Jyn39UCVRas
**Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheThorntonReviewShow

Kevin J. Gaffney Endorses Terms Limits for Members of Congress

Kevin J. Gaffney Endorses Terms Limits for Members of Congress as this is a major issue in his campaign.    https://x.com/USTermLimits/status/1872312824334348613  

Kevin J. Gaffney Ballotpedia Background and Issues

https://ballotpedia.org/Kevin_Gaffney_(Florida)   

Bio: 

Kevin Gaffney was born in St. Charles, Illinois. He graduated from Naples High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Stetson University in 1981 and a graduate degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1996. His career experience includes working as a civil servant, adjunct professor, and teacher. He has been affiliated with the Destiny Worship Center, Samaritan's Purse, St. Charles History Museum, and Titanic History Museum.[1]

GOP Santa Rosa Hosts Debate Forum for all the Candidates - Pictures from the Pensacola News Journal

GOP Santa Rosa Hosts Debate Forum for all the Candidates

Kevin Gaffney had a strong showing in the debate among the candidates for Congress, D1 at the Grille House Emerald in Navarre. A notable absentee candidate was Jimmy Pratronis. Candidate Gaffney had a list of questions for Patronis which was provided to the press and included with this release. Gaffney emphasized his broad experience including his service with three federal agencies and being an adjunct professor and teacher. He addressed questions relating to immigration, the economy, Social Security, foreign policy, and the national debt. Mr. Gaffney's message is to all who feel Washington and Congress is nonresponsive to the average citizen - those who are hurting due to inflation, high medical and prescription costs, and living pay check to pay check. He believes now more than ever a new leader, such as himself, not the old and tired career politicians, needs to go to Washington to tirelessly represent all within the district.  Vote for Gaffney who will represent the service personnel,  Veterans, the blue collar worker, and the younger and older generations who feel government has left them behind.   

Questions to Mr. Patronis from the Gaffney campaign and the citizens of D1:

1. Several residents have asked, how can you adequately represent and serve the entire district as a candidate who lives outside of the district? For example, how will you effectively represent all the citizens of D1, including the far west portion of the district, including Pensacola?

2. You state that you have resigned immediately from your CFO position with the state of Florida. But if that is true, why are you not fully cutting ties and immediately resigning from the board position, but rather delaying the resignation to March 31^st, a day before the election?

3. Does your delaying the actual effective date of your resignation allow you to raise funds state-wide under your current title for your campaign for Congress? 

4. Do you intend to use the nearly $2 million in state campaign funds for your Congressional campaign? Do you intend to comply with FEC regulations pertaining to state PAC’s or nonfederal campaign committees? 

5. Allegedly, in the past you have been accused by former employees of your office of putting pressure on them for campaign contributions. Do you commit today to forgo all contributions raised under any association with your current office? Would you, as with my campaign, limit contributions to $1,000 per individual and PAC?  

6. Can you further explain the circumstances that while CFO, you allegedly made  multiple phone calls to a high powered Tallahassee lobbyist on the day you allegedly released a not fully redacted woman’s sexual harassment complaint, relating to the firing of then, the state’s banking regulator? As the CFO did you fully understand Florida’s whistleblower law when releasing the sexual complaint before it had been investigated?

7. Do you agree that your former office of CFO should be apolitical? Did you, as alleged, play politics with the office, i.e., hiring and firing based on who were political friends and campaign donors?

8. Will you, if elected, follow the proposed House and Senate Ethics Act of 2024 relating to stock trading? Will you and your spouse stop the purchase or selling of certain investments, including those pertaining to your business? Will you resign your role as a partner in your business?

9. You tout the budget surplus and your role as CFO, but would you comment on the FY 2026-2027 projections of a $6.9 billion deficit if spending growth continues on the state level?

10. If elected to Congress, would you vote to extend the subsidies that earlier expanded the access to health insurance under the Affordable Care Act or go along with the insiders in Congress and not extend those subsidies? Would you show the political courage to go against party leadership and vote to extend the subsidies and thereby continuing to cover nearly half a million Floridians with their health insurance?

11. Finally, what were the circumstances of your appointment as CFO by then Governor Rick Scott? Did you support Scott for governor both publically and with a financial contribution? If so, how much did you contribute to his campaign?

Candidate Forum on 12/9/24 11:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m.

Florida Politics: 16 candidates remain in the mix for a Special Election to replace Matt Gaetz

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/710346-16-candidates-remain-in-the-mix-for-a-special-election-to-replace-matt-gaetz/ 

Good coverage in Florida Politics, 12/3/24:  

Kevin Gaffney: The Freeport Republican filed with the state on Nov. 26, and touted his background working for the Justice Department. An online biography said Gaffney worked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Unit in Chicago and for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Enforcement Division in Washington. He also worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of General Counsel, in Illinois. Gaffney now teaches on American government and economics at Rocky Bayou Christian School in Niceville.

11/21/24 Florida Phoenix Announcement of Kevin Gaffney's Candidacy

The GOP field of candidates who have filed to run for the congressional seat in Northwest Florida vacated by Matt Gaetz has expanded to six. Kevin Gaffney, a teacher at Rocky Bayou Christian School in Niceville who describes himself as a “Reagan Republican” and a fiscal and social conservative, announced overnight that he is running in Florida’s 1st Congressional District. According to his website, Gaffney has had several years of federal government experience, including work for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and DOJ Criminal Unit in Chicago, as well as the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of General Counsel, also in Illinois. He also worked at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in Washington, D.C.     https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/11/21/two-more-republicans-file-to-run-for-matt-gaetz-congressional-seat/

Kevin J. Gaffney Announces His Intention to Run for Congress, 1st District of Florida

Kevin J. Gaffney Announces His Candidacy for Congress, 1^st District of Florida

• Kevin has several years of federal government experience including working for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, DOJ Criminal Unit, in Chicago, Illinois, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Division of Enforcement in Washington, D.C., and for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of General Counsel, in Illinois. He served in the areas of criminal investigation, FOIA, management analyst, and administrative law
• Kevin also has several years of teaching experience as an adjunct professor at Judson University, Elgin, Illinois, and at Northwest Florida State College, where he taught courses in criminology, public sector budgeting, and American government respectively.
• He currently teaches American government, economics, and history at Rocky Bayou Christian School in Niceville, Florida.
• Kevin graduated from Stetson University with a B.A. in political science. He graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology with a Master’s in public administration.
• Kevin and his wife Jane have lived in Freeport, Florida, Hammock Bay, for nearly six years. They have five adult children and four grandchildren.
• Kevin is a Christian and he and his wife attend Destiny Worship Center in Freeport, Florida.
• Kevin has been active and supportive of the Republican Party both in Illinois and Florida. He previously served in the GOP, worked on campaigns, and earlier ran for office. He describes himself as a Reagan Republican and fiscal and social conservative. 
• Finally, Kevin is running because he feels strongly about the direction of this country and the 1^st District of Florida. If elected to Congress, he states he would support and propose:

• Better healthcare accessibility and care for Veterans. New VA facilities and free market options for medical care for all Veterans.
• No taxes on Social Security, pensions, or tips. Lower taxes for all Americans.
• He will propose a Constitutional Amendment to balance the budget. He will propose a Constitutional Amendment for term limits for both members of the House and Senate. He states he would limit himself to a maximum of three terms or six years in office.
• He would drastically limit foreign aid and the U.S. role in foreign entanglements.
• He favors the support of alternatives to government education, including charter and private schools.
• He supports the reduction of federal government spending at all levels and at the same time ensure the viability of both Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid for the future generation now paying into the system.
• He supports a total realignment of the Department of Justice, F.B.I., C.I.A., and Secret Service with accountability at all levels of these agencies. He would support the elimination of the FISA Court.
• He strongly opposes illegal immigration. He supports a secure northern and southern border. He would favor immigration reform based on merit, the shortening of the process for entry, and shortening of the administrative review process.  

• If the people of the 1^st District of Florida choose me I would seek membership on the House Judiciary Committee and Veterans Affairs Committee.
• Finally, I will serve all the residents of the 1^st District, whether poor, middle class, or the wealthy; whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent. Don't vote for the status quo and Republican politicians who make a career on the taxpayer's backs. All deserve a public servant who will listen and act upon the needs and views of the constituents of the 1^st District. I ask for your prayers, support, and vote.

Kevin J. Gaffney 

Campaign Kickoff at American House, Niceville, FL, Saturday 11/30 at 10:00 a.m.

Kevin J. Gaffney Announces His Candidacy for Congress, 1^st District of Florida

Come and listen to Kevin J. Gaffney as he kicks off his campaign for Congress on Saturday, November 30^th at 10:00 a.m. at the American House Theater, 5^th Floor. He will speak on the issues pertinent to the 1^st District and have a follow-up Q & A session. Refreshments will be served following his remarks.

Thank you for all that attended this kick off event! It was a well attended event with a lot of encouragement, discussion of the issues, and plan for the campaign! Lets go Team Gaffney!