McGuire Looking to Serve Again

Anna G. Agee, staff writer

John McGuire’s story is fascinating. Being dropped off on the side of the road in Richmond at age five could have given him an excuse to do the bare minimum to get by in life. Instead, McGuire says he has felt the urge to overcome his own obstacles while helping others overcome theirs. This is why Republican McGuire is running against Melissa Dart for the position of Delegate of Virginia’s 56th District.

After moving from foster home to foster home and attending nine different elementary schools, McGuire graduated from Henrico High School. Then he started Navy SEAL training. He was one of the only 19 graduates out of a class of 200 trainees.  He became a Navy SEAL sniper, and after 10 years of service, started his own business. McGuire founded SEAL Team Physical Training in 1998 and today it is a prospering small well-known business on the East Coast.

As a former Navy SEAL, McGuire has missed serving his country. He is now looking to serve his country through politics, not combat. He says that being a SEAL was about “service and sacrifice” and he is “sick and tired of seeing divide in our country.” McGuire, wanting to live out his values of service and sacrifice, seeks election into Virginia’s General Assembly as a delegate. If elected, he will be the delegate representing Louisa, Henrico, Goochland, and Spotsylvania.

McGuire says he feels strongly about his qualifications and dedication to politics. His campaign signs list what he thinks are his highest qualifications: former Navy SEAL, small business owner, and father. McGuire stressed the importance of being a father of five and a husband to his wife Tracy. He says they have given him the strength and support he has needed throughout his campaign.

As a small business owner, McGuire has emphasized creating jobs and lowering taxes for the 56th District. He stated that if he could only focus on one main issue and fix it, he would choose job creation. McGuire believes if he can create jobs, other problems would be fixed through this one solution. He says the creation of jobs would put more money in citizens’ pockets, which would lead to less homelessness and increase the number of kids with higher education, leading to less crime and less opioid use. McGuire declared America is a “country of business” and job creation could be the fix-all.

Along with job creation, McGuire also says he wants to shine light on supporting our law enforcement officials and veterans. As he has gone from door to door over the last few months, McGuire has met many veterans who have shared their stories with him. As a veteran himself, McGuire says he knows the struggles veterans face and wants to help them gain the respect and assistance needed to move on and live a normal life.

McGuire always shares his life stories and his faith, but always says his experiences and his Christian beliefs “don’t make him better than anyone else.” The day after he won the primary election in June, McGuire stood in the town of Mineral with a homemade sign that simply read, “Thank you.” He says that when elected, his seat in the House of Delegates will not be his but “ours.”

McGuire has spent the last nine months sitting at different intersections throughout the district and visiting over 100 churches, two to three every Sunday. During these outings, he has talked with many community members and has kept a list of all the suggestions and ideas people have brought to him.

McGuire says he knows he will make decisions as delegate that some people will love and others will hate, but he says, “If you try to please everyone you’re going to upset everyone.”