Goss announces congressional bid
Chauncey Goss, a Sanibel Island business man and council member, decided this past weekend he was gong to “jump in with both feet” when the Congressional District 19 Rep. Curt Clawson announced he will not seek re-election this year.
“I got in basically, for the same reason I ran in 2012, I don’t like the direction things are going in Washington D.C. The status quo is hurting this country and hurting us here locally,” Goss said in regards to water quality.
As of Monday afternoon, Goss said he had been vigorously and actively building his campaign for Congress for the past 48 hours.
“It will be an abbreviated campaign with the election in three months,” he said.
Goss said he has been phoning his supporters and finding they will help.
“I am really encouraged (with) what I have been hearing from people,” he said of his supporters, who live from Naples to Cape Coral. “That is excellent. I like the responses I have received.”
Although there are many reasons why he is running for Congress – over regulation, federal health care, federal debt – water quality and the discharge from Lake Okeechobee is an issue Goss deeply cares about.
“It needs to be brought to the forefront, in front of the radar screen of policy makers,” he said.
Goss said it is a real problem that needs fixing now, rather than 30 years down the road. He said although they have had advocates speaking up about the issue when the water quality goes bad, once the water clears up people begin forgetting about the issue.
“We need to fix the long-term problem,” Goss said. “That is going to, unfortunately, have to come from Washington.”
The issue is going to take a lot of money to fix, which needs a member of congress to get behind and fight for water quality.
Goss said although Clawson leaving is unfortunate, he had already begun sharing the strong message of fixing the large issue of Lake Okeechobee discharge.
“I want to pick up the baton from Curt and keeping running with it,” he said.
Goss would have to step down this December from his duties on the Sanibel council if he wins the race because he would be sworn into office in January.
“I would like to serve as long as I can,” he said.
Goss lives on Sanibel with his wife Allison and three sons. He received a bachelor’s degree from Rollins College and a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University.
He is the son of former U.S. congressman Porter Goss, who also served as the director of the CIA under President George W. Bush.
Chauncey Goss’s background include time in Washington where he served as a senior staffer for the Office of Management and Budget.