An Interview With Florida District 11 State Rep. Candidate Cory Jett

Across the United States, election campaigns are ramping up. As Americans, the four-year election cycle for President looms in many people's minds, but often forgotten are the mid-term elections. That cycle of 2 years when House and Senate representatives across the nation face their voters.

As old candidates retire, or suffer from political gaffes that damage their ability to run for election, a field of aspiring new candidates arises. During President Trump's first term, we saw a variety of young, and politically charged faces emerge in the Democrat party. From Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to Jasmine Crockett, Ilhan Omar, and so many others.

Likewise, the Biden administration brought forth a slew of new Republican powerhouses like Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Andy Ogle. Both have landed in Congress and appear to be here to stay.

I got the opportunity to sit down for an interview with Florida’s newest State Rep. candidate Cory Jett. Cory will be on the ballot in November 2026 for Florida's 11th district. Here is the full transcript from our interview.

“Cory, let's get started by sharing a bit of your background. I understand you are a veteran. May I ask how many years you were enlisted?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“I was in for four years.” -Cory.

“Thank you for your service to our nation. During that four-year period did you see active combat?”- Mr. Sullivan.

“I was on a 1-year deployment to Afghanistan with 10TH Mountain.”-Cory.

“What made you decide to shift from military service to pursue a career of public service?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“I’ve been out a long time. Seeing what happened under the previous administration made me decide to pursue this. I’ve always thought about it, never acted until now though.”-Cory.

“And to clarify what actions under the previous administration spurred this decision?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“The majority of it. The stuff that affected everyone. The jobs lost to illegals. Giving away benefits meant for citizens to illegals. You see all the stuff DOGE found out we were funding. I’m sure I’m far from the only person it motivated. I mean, seeing young girls get raped and killed by illegals who have orders to not be here but were let go, people call them got-aways - I call them let go's. You've got parents carving up their kids to make them into something they aren’t. Letting men in drag do strip shows for 5-year-olds and they let their kids tip them in their thongs. It's just wild that American society has reached that point compared to how it was for me as a kid, even if it’s just a small portion of the population. You don't even have to be conservative to see all that for what it is - wrong. Full stop.”- Cory.

“Definitely a variety of cultural issues at play. With that in mind, what are your thoughts on the hot button issue of due process rights for immigrants in the United States?”- Mr. Sullivan.

“I'll defer to Stephen Miller on that. Due process is for citizens. Legals who did it the right way are half of the backbone of America. With the blue collar native born citizens being the other half.

If you came here illegally and have contributed, self-deport and come back the right way, we WANT you back. But the illegals who put a stain on all aspects of that through violence and any other crimes disturbing our *general welfare* or *domestic tranquility*, they need to be deported to their country of origin.

Those are protections promised to us in the preamble to the Constitution, which I believe is overlooked as the most important part. The preamble is the WHY, the articles of the Constitution are only the HOW. Lose sight of the why, and the how cannot be executed properly. I believe our founding fathers knew this.”-Cory.

“With that in mind, is your view that rights are bestowed only to citizens by the government as enumerated in the Constitution as opposed to inalienably granted to all men by god?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“Everyone has basic human rights. The right to enter another country illegally, according to that country's laws, is not a basic human right. We live in civilization. Without laws we're just animals. It's not a human right to break laws. It's a right to follow laws of civilized society and be granted access to a place. Hence "civilized. Other countries enforce their border laws fiercely, but people are mad that America wants to. It's foolishness.”-Cory.

“And I completely agree with you in regards to law and order. If you commit a crime, you should be held for trial, and if found guilty, punished. But I believe a lot of voters' biggest question is how can we know who is illegally here, and who isn't, if we do not have due process in regards to these cases?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“Easy. If you are here legally, you have your documents. If you're not here legally, you don’t.

These things are tracked with systems and databases. But if you don’t work in that sector, you wouldn't be able to name specific systems or databases that law enforcement and border patrol all of them use. Not unless you just did a quick Google search to sound like you know something. I’m not in the business of following up on things I didn’t know about to begin with.

I just know we don't need violent foreign illegal aliens committing crimes in America. No one had to tell me that. It's an easy concept.”-Cory.

“Thank you for sharing your views on such a contentious issue. Moving on, you said that the actions of the previous administration spurred your decision to enter the political field. As a combat veteran of the Afghanistan conflict, how did you feel watching the withdrawal of American troops from a land you had fought in?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“Withdrawing is great, if done properly. As with everything else, they failed. Soldiers died. We lost billions in top-notch equipment to the Taliban whom we still send $40M dollars every week. It was a national embarrassment. I don't know a soldier, sailor, marine, or airman who wasn’t irate about it. The places I walked are now occupied by the Chinese. It's a shame.”-Cory.

“Do you feel the Trump administration would have handled the withdrawal better?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“Yes. Without a shadow of a doubt, competent leaders often outperform incompetent ones.”-Cory.

“I recall as a teenager watching the president speak of a mission of reconstruction in Afghanistan. Currently, an estimated 60% of Afghans do not have access to clean water despite over two trillion dollars being spent on this reconstruction. When I interview refugees, citizens of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, as well as members of the Taliban, I hear only stories of corruption and embezzlement. As a veteran of the Afghanistan conflict, what are your feelings on the work we did in that nation?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“Well, when you send in people and spend lots of money to fix things and the Taliban just blows it up because oppressed people are easier to control, it's hard to point out the infrastructure and say, hey, that was us. The rebuild failed. But we did a lot of good for the people there. Now, embezzlement and all that, I'm sure it happens when you start throwing around millions of dollars at a time. It didn't fail for a lack of effort though.” -Cory.

“And to follow up, how do you feel the Afghanistan conflict has made America look on the global stage following its end?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“As far as our stance on the world stage. We're America. A failure isn't going to change that. President Trump has restored the respect Joe Biden lost for our country.”- Cory.

“In regards to President Trump, what are your feelings about his first six months in office?” Mr. Sullivan.

“Going great. Too much opposition around him from past admins. Judges enjoining in his duties or deciding on national policies as just a district judge. If he didn't have all that going on, it could be better. Jerome Powell also refuses to lower rates at the Fed. No help there. Congress is who needs to work harder. They've hardly codified any of his EOs. President Trump works 20 hours a day it seems.”-Cory.

“My next question is in regards to the Israel and Iran conflict. Do you support U.S. Intervention in Iran?” -Mr. Sullivan.

“Targeted air strikes are not full-scale war. Ask Barack Obama, the bomber and deporter in chief. I'm against boots on the ground in Iran. Missiles and bombs could accomplish the goal. But Israel said today they can handle it themselves. Let them. Same as Senator Kennedy said. Defending our allies without having to invade their attackers with troops is part of being an ally. We can't just let people attack our allies. Then we won't have any. They don't all have our capabilities.”-Cory.

“And what do you say to those who feel that Israel started these aggressions?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“It doesn't matter. You protect your ally. Us shooting down missiles and helping protect their civilians is our duty as their ally. It doesn't require boots on the ground.

You let their armed forces handle it. We provide support; that's a good ally.

Now, if someone invaded, the situation becomes different. Just because something is being fired doesn't mean America is at war. It means we're sending support to an ally engaged in battle with an enemy. America is at war once Congress declares war.”-Cory.

“Thank you for your insights. Moving on, can you detail for me how your Florida reform act will accomplish your goal of protecting our cities from hurricanes?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“No, I cannot. That intellectual property. easily stolen, but I will tell you it's all based on Florida's reporting of their numbers. Nothing in it is calculations of mine, so it's based on their factual data put out to the public. Once I have a team around me to help with that, more details will be released. It involves using technology employed elsewhere. Just not here. But it's how we pay for it. The savings I find and the way they change your everyday life, those are the biggest points. Every county benefits, small to big. Lobbyists who will try to fight this are wasting their time. The people they will be fighting for will profit more than ever before once full implementation is released.”-Cory.

“Understood. Are you able to discuss how you intend to create between 1.5m to 2m jobs for the state of Florida?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“It's an 8-year plan. Two gubernatorial terms to turn Florida into a financial paradise and a creditor to other US states. The jobs come from reinvesting the savings. I actually created a whole new sector of work in Florida, which simultaneously increases transportation jobs.

The bill will have trickle-downs like reduced insurance costs and things of that nature that help the middle and lower class. It has benefits I probably haven't even registered in my mind yet. The State legislature and Governor who get this bill signed into law will go down in the books.

It's a phased plan to avoid disruption. And the best part, we don't even have to hit 100% of the projected savings I have calculated to achieve all this. If we hit 75-80% on the savings, it's still a massive success. The payoff of the state debt is the only thing that slows in that scenario. But the economic stimulus provided from all the reinvesting counteracts that and keeps it from prolonging it too much.

It's really one of a kind. I have a sheet for the lobbyists and stakeholders showing they'll increase their revenue. This bill is for ALL. Individuals to corporations. Fighting it, in my opinion, is being against Florida becoming a national model for how to run a state. Even more so than it already is.”-Cory.

“And what do you perceive as Florida's largest economic obstacle?”-Mr. Sullivan.

“The debt, which I will pay off in 8 years. After the debt, its inefficiency and redundancies.

We will open whole new financial markets and opportunities through this bill. I stand by it being one of a kind. Even if it hits 70% success, that gets it done, as I stated before. It brings things to Florida people didn't think could be done this fast.

We restore the Everglades through this legislation, along with the rest of our coastline and major inland waterways. We have pay raises for teachers, firefighters, first responders, all of it. Funds they don't have to negotiate with the city for. It is allocated from savings. I'm sure some allocations would be adjusted during markup. Small things. But this framework is very strong and detailed. It even helps out folks in the rural areas.

A bill for the people's boss. I mean that. It improves the readiness of our military bases also. Another thing I'm proud of.” -Cory

“I think that is about all the space we will have for an article. Thank you for giving me and voters a chance to get to know you and your policy positions, Cory. The best of luck to you in your congressional race!”-Mr. Sullivan.

Wrong Speak is a free-expression platform that allows varying viewpoints. All views expressed in this article are the author's own.