John Collick is the Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, Virginia’s 3rd District. The Congressional election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2020.
He is facing Democratic incumbent Robert “Bobby” Scott.
Candidate Name: John Collick
Race: U.S. House of Representatives, Virginia’s 3rd District
Party: Republican
Website: collickforcongress.com
Biography: I grew up in Abington, Mass., and joined the U.S. Marine Corps after high school. Spending 20 years in the Marines, requesting the most difficult assignments available, I was consistently promoted ahead of my peers. It was the honor of a lifetime to serve the country and lead Marines.
From April 2002 until my retirement in April 2016, I worked as a counterterrorism analyst throughout the U.S. government. I also served as the HUMINT issues manager and DoD subject matter expert for Yemen before becoming a supervisory senior intelligence specialist working in immigration.
I was especially proud to develop a program called asymmetrical threat methodology, which is still used today to identify and defeat threats to the United States, and has been part of the system protecting us from terrorist attacks. I retired as an immigration services officer in 2016, the culmination of 35 years of service to the country.
Since retiring from the military I have been proud to live in Hampton Roads, where I have continued building a life and staying involved in the community with my wife of 34 years, raising our four children and being able to watch my grandchildren grow.
Why should Virginians elect you to the U.S. House of Representatives?
Life hasn’t always been easy for me, and that’s a reality more elected officials should know. I grew up poor and enlisted in the military where I had the opportunity to become an expert in my craft. Eventually that led to becoming an advisor to senior policy makers, including to the undersecretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence. Helping to develop such national security and homeland security policy was key to ensuring I knew for myself that I could sponsor and pass legislation.
I gained the expertise to question and identify inconsistencies involving immigration, intelligence, and law enforcement information, and to identify and remove bias. Raising my children, including my special needs son who is also a cancer survivor, alongside my wife has taught me to identify the issues with education, healthcare, and personal freedoms that need to be addressed by Congress.
What is the most important legislative issue facing Virginia, and what is your position on it?
The most important legislative issue facing Virginia, and especially facing the 3rd Congressional District, is military preparedness. The military and American industry that supports it are a major aspect to the success of this district.
U.S. Navy leaders have sought for years to expand the Navy’s fleets to counter the threats of today and tomorrow. Right now we can see the clear need for this as America has relied on the Navy’s hospital ships and tensions with other major powers remain constant. I fully support this growth and making sure the work to get it done happens here in Hampton Roads.
What is the top challenge facing your district, and how would you address it if elected?
Many of our challenges in Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District stem from education. One-size-fits all solutions don’t work. The decisions for our children’s future must focus on what will work here.
Parents should be able to choose the school that is right for their child, and vocational technical high schools must be an option. There are many amazing jobs right here in our district that require the skills taught at vocational technical schools and our children should have the option to take them rather than companies and shipyards having to look for people from across the nation.
Whether education must focus on college prep, trade skills, special education, or a combination of these is a decision for families rather than government. This is a priority I will take to Congress.
In light of Virginia’s recent gun control debates, what, if any, gun laws would you support changing?
I do support background checks for gun purchases and concealed carry permits with checks looking over the past decade and for convictions of violent crimes and domestic violence at any time. I think this is how society can be reassured of the balance for freedom and personal responsibility. I stand firmly against “assault weapons” bans of any kind and would fully oppose these.
What are the top three issues created by the coronavirus pandemic in your district, and how would you plan to address them?
- Personal freedom: I would encourage the Department of Justice to continue its oversight, ensuring the rights of all people are fully intact.
- Destroying small business: I support tax forgiveness of small businesses that were shut down for more than half the quarantine period.
- Business operations: I support legislation preventing governments from shutting down any business in the context of stay-at-home orders while allowing other businesses providing the same service to continue operating.
