John Guevara

Below is more information about me and why I'm running for State Central Committee. I urge you to read on but if you're in a hurry I can summarize it for you: I love our country. I believe that we are the greatest nation on earth because we believe in individual liberty, limited government, fiscal responsibility, and the rule of law. These are turbulent times for our country and that is why more than ever the Republican Party must stand united against the corrosive policies of the Left. There is no time for petty games in our party. As a Fairfax County resident once told me: "There is a time for a healthy skirmish between Republicans but when it's time for war we all wear the same uniform."

I recently ran for office in Fairfax County. It was a marathon to say the least, one which I finished but came up short in the end. I was a first-time candidate and I, no doubt, learned much from this experience. On the up side, I met some great people many who will be my friends for life. I saw loyal, selfless Republicans give their time, energy, and money to the cause and asked for nothing in return. On the down side, I saw the intra-party laundry aired in public when it should've stayed behind closed doors. I was dismayed at the calculated moves by some to discredit good candidates when they should've been showing that they were 100% Republican. Politics is a blood sport, I know, but we can do better here in Virginia.

I believe that our differences should be resolved in party-run nomination contests. Once we have a candidate we must all fight the good fight and ensure the we have that person's back, 100%! If that's too much to ask then you're in the wrong party. Should you choose me to represent Republicans across the 10th district, I will make it my goal to help all Republicans win, promote unity around our core principles (creed) within the party, and persuade our friends and neighbors that with our principles and our team we will build a stronger Virginia and a stronger nation, with opportunity for all. I strongly believe that Republicans should choose the Republican nominee and then we should all come together to ensure election of that Republican nominee in November

The Beginning of the Journey
Like many before him, my father came to the United States looking for a better life. He settled outside of Los Angeles in the early 1970s and took a job at a local church. He made enough to barely provide for his young family but it was apparent that we were growing up in economic poverty. In the 1980s through hard work and much faith, my father took up a new trade in the commercial painting business. He worked long hours and often suffered from chronic pain from an accident he had when he was a boy. I remember my father often telling my siblings and me that what he was enduring was in order for us to have a better life.  Education, hard work, and faith, he would say, were our keys to the American Dream.

Service
I never made much of the grocery bags filled with food that were regularly left on our apartment door. I figured this was just a friendly gesture from a neighbor. It wasn’t until I was in my early teens that I realized that we were poor and that the grocery bags filled with food were from a local food pantry program donated to families in need. I was awestruck that people did this for each other. This experience marked a key turning point in my life, one that has guided me ever since.

At the age of seventeen while I was still in high school, I decided to join the Army Reserves. I did not join for benefits, or the pay, but instead for this reason: To serve my country. It made sense to me that if others could selflessly give of themselves to help me then I, too, could do the same for them. Serving in uniform was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

As a civilian, I would later serve my community in many ways:

• Sunday School Teacher
• Chantilly Youth Sports Coach
• Parent Teacher Organization Board Member
• HOA President
• Local Politics Committee Member
• Western Fairfax Christian Ministries Board Member

Giving back to my community is what calls me to serve. In particular, as Vice President of the Board for Western Fairfax Christian Ministries, I know that my service to others has now come full circle. You see, WFCM is one of Sully’s local food pantries that serves families in our community who are most in need – just like my family when I was growing up.

Professional
My exposure to several work streams in the military and civilian sectors has refined my skills as a seasoned consultant and manager. I have developed and managed budgets in excess of $120 million. I have developed policies, standards, and operating procedures for organizations small and large. I have worked for and with Flag Officers and Senior Executive Service members in the most trusted positions of our national government. And I hold a clearance commensurate with such responsibilities.

I have directly managed and rated soldiers and civilian employees providing mentorship, coaching, and professional advice.

On the Role of Government
The changing demographics of our country’s population does not mean we should abandon the core values that have made us a great nation. We can only remain a strong nation if the government that has been established by the people:

• Protects and respects the inalienable rights and freedoms of all individuals, born and unborn;
• Protects the 2nd Amendment;
• Protects personal property rights;
• Fosters a competitive environment for all businesses;
• Protects our borders;
• Holds firm on protecting right-to-work laws;
• Overhauls the federal government’s welfare empire so that humanitarian services for the “lesser of these” is appropriately delivered and therefore eliminates fraud, waste, and abuse, and;
• Maintains a strong armed forces and high-level of esprit-de-corps.