House Candidate John Hugh Shannon Stresses Marines Background

Attorney John Hugh Shannon filed his papers on Monday to run for the House seat currently held by Rep. Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland, who faces term limits. Shannon is running as a Republican in this district which represents all of Polk County.

On Tuesday, Shannon weighed in on why he was running and pointed toward his service in the Marine Corps.

The values of faithful service, looking out for the little guy, and the greatness of this nation were instilled in me by my parents and forged in the Marine Corps, Shannon said. Sadly, those values sometimes get little attention in government. In their place we get bank bailouts, government takeovers of health care and property insurance, hostility to timeless American traditions, and career politicians.

I see this mission as an extension of the oath I took as a young Marine and a calling not a career, Shannon added. I intend to go to Tallahassee and ensure working-class Floridians get a fair shake, government is kept restrained and limited, and we focus on results, rather than who gets credit. One of the first lessons you learn in the Marine Corps is the value of teamwork. I hope to bring some of that ideal to Tallahassee and together with all citizens of goodwill -- we will leave a country better than we found it for our kids, grandkids, and future generations.

Community activist Colleen Burton, who worked with Polk Vision, has been in the race since March 2013. Burton lost out to longtime Polk County Elections Supervisor Lori Edwards in the 2012 election cycle. Since entering the race, Burton has been busy, raising almost $64,000 by the end of January and spending almost $9,900 of that.

This is a Republican-leaning district and there are no Democrats in the race to this point. Conservative adoption advocate Franklin Ed Shoemaker is running as the Americas Party candidate, though his focus appears to be on a U.S. Senate bid in 2018. (America's Party had been known as Americas Independent Party and nominated Alan Keyes for president back in 2008.)