PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Six-term Republican Congressman Gus Bilirakis hopes to serve the residents of Florida's 12th Congressional District for a seventh term. To do it, he'll have to fend off Democratic challenger Chris Hunter, a former prosecutor, on Election Day.

Rep. Bilirakis was first elected to Congress nearly twelve years ago.

“I’m most proud of the fact that we’ve transformed the VA, with regard to mental health, PTS, and TBI – traumatic brain injury – by giving veterans alternative therapies,” Bilirakis said, referring to the PROMISE and COVER Acts. “It’s been an alternative, in some cases, to taking opioids right away. So, I think we’ve saved a lot of lives.”

Bilirakis said veterans will continue to be a top priority if he's re-elected, as will school security.

“We need to fund the school districts so that we can put more resource officers in our schools. That’s so very important. We want to keep our kids safe,” Bilirakis said.

The congressman is sponsoring a bill known as the PROTECT KIDS Act. It would authorize the attorney general to set up a five-year pilot program to award matching grants to school districts to help with hiring school resource officers and other security needs. The legislation would set aside $225,000,000 for each year of the program. 

“Every school is different and every district is different, but they need the funding,” said Bilirakis. “What I’m going to do is bring down the federal funds and give those schools the flexibility to use those funds to harden the schools.”

A spokesperson for the congressman said that bill has been filed and Bilirakis is working to gain co-sponsors.

Leaving prosecuting cases behind

Hunter left his job as a federal prosecutor to run for the 12th Congressional District seat.                 

“I care very deeply about our country and about our community, and I decided to resign from the Justice Department to stand up for what’s right," he explained. "To stand up for what’s right locally and to stand up for what’s right nationally.”

Hunter said this isn’t the first time national events or political climate have influenced his decision about how to serve the country. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, were directly responsible for his decision to join the FBI. 

One of his main goals if elected: protecting the environment.

“Climate change is a serious present challenge. I believe in science, and I believe we can harness the power of the federal government and the private sector to respond to the climate change challenges,” Hunter said.

He said that includes investing in water infrastructure and that building a sustainable economy for the district is also tied into environmentally-friendly measures.

“We can do things in our congressional district that will help us not merely, for example, respond to the challenge of climate change, but also create new jobs and new businesses to deal with the threat of climate change,” Hunter said.

One issue, very different stances

An issue once again in the spotlight following the mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue is gun control. 

“What we need to do is to put more money into mental health. I think that’s the issue. Put more money into mental health, get people treated,” said Bilirakis when asked if he would support a ban on assault weapons.

Bilirakis noted he’s a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and reiterated his support for strengthening security in schools.

“I’m a gun owner myself. I respect the Constitution, including the Second Amendment, but I also believe that we have to change our approach in Florida and nationally to what we all recognize is acceptable and unacceptable when it comes to weapons of war that are in circulation,” said Hunter.

“Military-style assault weapons belong in the hands of men and women who are trained to use them to defend our country," he added. "They don’t belong in the hands of people who do things like what happened in Pittsburgh.”

Also on the ballot in the 12th Congressional District is Angelika Purkis, who is not running on a specific party line.

The district includes all of Pasco and northern sections of Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.