Mediaboss Marketing

By Peggy OHare, Staff Writer

U.S. Air Force veteran and national security expert Gina Ortiz Jones, who is from San Antonio, announced Wednesday that she will challenge Congressman Will Hurd for the U.S. District 23 seat. She is a Democrat.

U.S. Air Force veteran and national security expert Gina Ortiz Jones, who is from San Antonio, announced Wednesday that she will challenge Congressman Will Hurd for the U.S. District 23 seat. She is a Democrat.

Congressman Will Hurd, a Republican from Helotes, has represented the 23rd Congressional District of Texas since 2014.

Congressman Will Hurd, a Republican from Helotes, has represented the 23rd Congressional District of Texas since 2014.

San Antonio Democrat challenging Hurd for congressional seat

A U.S. Air Force veteran and national security expert from San Antonio announced Wednesday that she will challenge Congressman Will Hurd for the U.S. District 23 seat.

Gina Ortiz Jones, 36, a graduate of Jay High School and a veteran of the war in Iraq, is running as a Democrat against Hurd, a 39-year-old Republican from Helotes first elected to lead the district in 2014.

Jones is a first-generation American and a former Air Force intelligence officer. She said she will work to protect peoples health care and the environment.

As a veteran, she said she wont oppose or vote against the wishes of the U.S. secretary of defense.

I know that national security starts at home. It starts with the type of opportunities that I had the type of opportunities that allow our most vulnerable to become our most promising, Jones said Wednesday. And those opportunities are protected or erased based on how people vote in D.C.

Ive talked to folks that are tired of being told one thing and then their representative (votes) against their interests in D.C.

Hurds campaign brushed off news of a Democratic challenger.

Will Hurd is focused on building upon his record of being the most effective member of Congress since 2014, Hurd campaign manager Justin Hollis said in a prepared statement. He delivers for the district while the Democratic challengers only deliver tired talking points.

Jones was raised by a single mother who came to the United States from the Philippines. After graduating from high school in San Antonio, Jones attended Boston University on a four-year Air Force ROTC scholarship. She went on to serve in the Air Force for nearly three years, deploying to Iraq in 2005.

She then pursued a 12-year career in national security, intelligence and defense, including serving in the Defense Intelligence Agency. She most recently was a director for investment at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, reviewing foreign investments coming into the U.S. for national security risks.

After serving for eight months under President Barack Obamas administration and seven months under President Donald Trumps administration, she resigned in June and returned to San Antonio.

pohare@express-news.net

Read the original post:
San Antonio Democrat challenging Hurd for congressional seat ... - mySanAntonio.com