Campaign Website:
https://merritthaleforcongress.com

Campaign POC:

Phone Number:540-554-1671

Campaign Email: teamhale@merritthaleforcongress.com

Vetting Panel Selected: Pending

Structured Interview Completed: Pending

Biography: I am a Christian, common sense, conservative, who has lived my entire life in Virginia, outside of a few years in my military service. I attended the University of Virginia where I studied systems engineering while enrolled in Naval ROTC. Upon graduation, I commissioned as a United States Naval Officer and was stationed in Charleston, SC and Virginia Beach, VA. I am incredibly proud to have served alongside the brave men and women who serve our country. Following the military, I accepted a position as a systems engineer supporting the intelligence community, with the mission set of defending our country and providing critical information in support of the front-line troops.

Why you? I am a young, political outsider who wants to bring a fresh perspective to politics. I believe in servant leadership, not making politics a life-long career. I want to focus on policies which will actually help my constituents, not the typical political grand standing which helps no one and just divides people. I feel the current incumbent of my district only serves to maintain the status quo and has done little to actually help the people of the 6th district. He has voted to send $40 billion to Ukraine but cannot bring himself to vote for the PAWs act which would only cost $10 million and provide service dogs to wounded veterans. I first got the idea for running when my father passed away last Christmas Eve after a long fight with a degenerative brain disease. He was a navy veteran like and dealing with the VA and other government bureaucracies, not to mention the conditions in memory care facilities, was a nightmare. You shouldn’t need a PhD in tax law and government policy in order to navigate the impending death of a loved one. Regardless of political viewpoint, we will all need end of life care, and the current system is broken.

What are your priorities? Improving the efficacy and efficiency of government initiatives, taking care of our veterans and our elderly, and a strong American First agenda.

Endorsements: Veterans for America First

Education: Bachelors in Systems Engineering, UVA 2016

Relevant Employment History: 
US Navy: 2016-2020
Intelligence Community Contractor: 2020-Present

Military Experience / Branch / Years of Service / Rank / Type of Discharge: US Navy: 2016-2020 where I worked in Submarines and Intelligence.

Past Offices Held and Tenure: None

Community Service: Lay Leader and alternate lay delegate to annual conference with Bethany United Methodist Church. USO volunteer and Toys for Tots volunteer while stationed in Virginia Beach. Volunteering at Elder Care facilities to better formulate initiatives to provide the quality of care that every American deserves.

Leadership Experience: US Naval, Officer from 2016-2020.

Personal Strengths: My military service and my determination in a political world where young people are not getting involved. 

What is the most important thing Virginians need to know about you? I am a candidate that does not want to maintain the status quo and ensure that ALL generations have active representation in government.

How would your friends and family describe you? Compassionate, dedicated, determined, and someone whose faith a key tenet of my everyday life.

What are your thoughts on the Constitution as the Law of the Land? I took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution when I was in the military, and I will continue to protect and defend the Constitution as the Law of the Land when I’m in Congress.
    

What are your thoughts on religious liberty? My faith is very important to me. Religious liberty is a right enshrined in the Constitution and must be protected.

What are your thoughts on the preservation of our history? We must teach our history as it happened, the good and the bad. History is to be learned from, not erased. Modern efforts to demonize our Founding Fathers and history are misguided and divisive.   

What are your thought on government transparency? I believe the smaller the government is and the more transparency there is, the better. Too much of government is opaque and non-accessible to the average citizen.

What are your thoughts on national defense? As a Navy veteran and civilian who works in the intelligence community, I am very passionate about foreign policy. We need to project leadership to the world and stand up to Russian and Chinese aggression. Our leaders need to stop creating red lines which they are not ready to enforce. Our troops should only be sent into battle as a last resort, but when they are sent in, they should have the complete backing of the government. We should not intervene with boots on the ground unless we are willing to finish the job. That means we should oust whatever government was in power, make sure the civilians are safe, and get out. We cannot be nation building for decades at a time.

What are your thoughts on the free enterprise system? The free enterprise system is what allowed our country to flourish into an economic power house. There need to be protections for workers, but in general less regulations are better.

What are your thoughts on the protection of the unborn? Abortion is one topic where ideological axiomatic differences prevent compromise. If one fundamentally believes that life begins at conception, then there is no room to support abortion; however, if one views an unborn fetus as a clump of cells rather than a life, very different conclusions can be made. I am 100% pro-life, except for when the mother’s life is at risk. Poor socio-economic conditions of perspective parents is also not justification for abortion We must do more than just fight to overturn Roe vs. Wade. We must hear, be sympathetic, and provide choices (adoption) beyond abortion to those contemplating such action. Providing love, education, support, and resources will go much further towards saving not just the lives of children, but also alleviating the torment and guilt that can afflict those who have gone through with an abortion. I also think it’s important that society view abortion as not just a woman’s issue. I want us to become a society that values life, and at a local level a society where the community supports new parents and young children.

What are your thoughts on the role the family plays in America? Families are the backbone of America. It is an unfortunate reality that a lot of people don’t have a great family life, but the more our society as a whole values families the better.

What are your thoughts on equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity, as opposed to equal outcomes? People are born into different socio-economic conditions and dealt different hands through out life. Life isn’t always fair. But every single American should be given equal rights, equal justice, and equal opportunity. We are all children of God, regardless of the circumstances we are in and no one should be treated as second class to anyone else. We are equal before the law and before God, but efforts to ensure equal outcomes are misguided and divisive. 

What are your thoughts on the 2nd Amendment? The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and will fight to defend your right to own a gun and protect your family. The Second Amendment provides a check on tyrannical government and I will oppose any attempts to unconstitutionally take away the rights of law abiding citizens.

Additional sources of information on this candidate:

https://www.instagram.com/merritthale/
https://www.nvdaily.com/nvdaily/northern-valley-young-republicans-hold-2nd-annual-barbecue/article_9e2804cc-c726-5f17-96cf-e410e160f859.html
https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/6th-congressional-district-candidates-differ-on-gun-control-measures/article_5f8bf324-b28a-59c6-b629-baa3c79ac21a.html