Today, United States Marine Corps Major and combat veteran Jon Camarillo (ret.), a candidate for Congress in Texas’s 22nd district, released the following statement regarding Pierce Bush:

“It’s good to see another candidate enter the fight for CD-22, because a competition of ideas is good. But this is the second candidate to enter the race that does not have residential ties to the district and is attempting to make up for that fact with millions of dollars in personal wealth and political connections. While I have nothing against millionaires or legacy names, I do have something against the idea of trying to buy a congressional seat.”

Major Camarillo continued, “With that in mind, I’d like to challenge Kathaleen Wall and Pierce Bush to a forum on Jan 7, 2020, so that they can have an opportunity to explain their ideas to the voters of the district. If candidates like Kathaleen and Pierce are not willing to show up and fight for their seat at the table among members of the same team, then how can we expect them to get in the trenches and fight for the voters of CD-22 and vigorously debate the likes of Nancy Pelosi and AOC? Right now, we have outsiders attempting to use their wealth and influence to buy our district, but this district is not for sale. I am extending this challenge to ensure that the great Americans of District 22 know exactly who intends to serve them, and who intends to serve themselves."

"I have walked the ground in the Middle East on three separate deployments, served in Asia, have an understanding of the Chinese 100-year plan, and represented the Marine Corps throughout Latin America. I have seen first hand the issues facing our hemispheric partners, which in turn affect us here in the United States. I plan to take these experiences and lessons learned and utilize them in Congress."

Major Camarillo grew up in Houston’s East End, and before departing for the Marine Corps he was a devoted member of Life Tabernacle Church and attended HISD schools. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin high school and attended Texas Southern University on a golf scholarship, graduating with a B.A. in History. Camarillo then joined the United States Marine Corps and entered Officer Candidate School, graduating with a commission as a second lieutenant. For the next twenty years he served as a Marine Corps officer, and deployed to the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America.

Camarillo’s actions during Operation Iraqi Freedom earned him the Combat Action Ribbon and the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat V device, an individual award highlighting actions during combat with valor.

To learn more about Major Camarillo and to support his election as a conservative Republican to Congress, visit www.camarilloforcongress.com.

Jon Camarillo is retired from the U.S. Marine Corps. Use of his military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform do not imply endorsement by the Department of Defense, nor the U.S. Marine Corps.