The nation’s former highest-ranking Marine has weighed in on the race to replace Jeff Miller. U.S. Marine Corps General (Ret.) James T. Conway, the 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps, endorsed candidate Cris Dosev in a statement released by Dosev’s campaign.
Dosev, a Pensacola real estate developer and veteran, is one of a dozen candidates running to succeed Miller, who announced in March that he would not run for reelection. Miller has served as Northwest Florida’s representative in Congress since 2001.
General Conway served as Commandant from 2006 to 2010. Conway served two combat tours in Iraq, including the 2003 invasion of Iraq, where he commanded 90,000 U.S. and British troops.
“After a lifetime of service in the Marine Corps, fighting to protect our country, I choose not to sit on the sidelines and passively accept a diminished future for our children,” Conway said. “We need men of proven character leading the country in Washington D.C., and that’s why I support Cristov Dosev for Congressman from the First District of Florida.”
Conway praised Dosev’s military experience, saying Dosev understands the challenges America faces from first-hand experience. “He joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served as a combat aviator,” Conway said. “He flew attack missions during the Gulf War and was recognized for his courage and skills in the air with combat decorations. This man has seen the face of America’s enemies, up close and personal. He understands that, if they are to be defeated, those who would attack us must be met by a bias for action on our part.”
“It is a special honor to have General Conway’s confidence, one I will work every day to merit,” said Dosev. “Retired service chiefs very rarely engage in campaigns. General Conway doing so on my behalf means I am ready for this job and I will go to Congress to vindicate his trust.”
In a statement, Dosev urged active duty servicemembers and veterans to speak with one voice. “If we split our vote, at this time of maximum peril, we might send a career politician with no knowledge of national defense or our concerns,” said Dosev. “That would be an unacceptable lost opportunity.”
