Retired U.S. Navy commander to challenge Mo Brooks for Congress
 

Retired U.S. Navy commander to challenge Mo Brooks for Congress
By: Paul Gattis - AL 4-15-19
RE: https://www.al.com/news/2019/04/reti...-congress.html

Photo link: https://www.al.com/resizer/Zx---267I...65AVWSBI7M.jpg
Chris Lewis, a retired U.S. Navy commander, announced April 15, 2019 he will run for the 5th Congressional seat in north Alabama in 2020.

For the second straight Republican House primary, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks of Huntsville will face a challenge from a decorated serviceman.

Chris Lewis of Florence, a retired U.S. Navy commander, announced his candidacy for the 5th Congressional District on Monday at an event in his hometown.

Last year, Brooks defeated Clayton Hinchman in the GOP primary. Hinchman, a Huntsville businessman, lost a leg while serving in the Army in Iraq.

Issues he plans to address include establishing term limits for elected politicians, reducing the national debt, supporting the Second Amendment and defending the sanctity of life as well as support for veterans.

“As a retired Naval Officer, I believe it is our country’s duty to stand in support of our veterans,” Lewis said in the announcement. “I personally understand the difficulties in navigating the Veteran’s Affairs bureaucracy and the challenge of re-entering society after military service. It is imperative we provide our men and women in uniform the caliber and level of commitment that they gave to protect our country and our rights.”

Lewis graduated from Bradshaw High School in Florence before receiving his degree from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

In his military career, he served as a Naval flight officer, a strategic analyst for NATO's Strategic Commands in Portugal as well as in defense acquisition.

After retirement, Lewis worked with the Department of Defense by providing program management support to Arnold Engineering Development Center at Arnold Air Force Base in Tennessee. He also operates a farm and owns a consulting firm.

Lewis is also involved with several community organizations, including as board president of the Children's Museum of the Shoals.

Brooks, serving his fifth term in Congress, has not announced his plans yet for 2020. He has not ruled out a run for U.S. Senate next year, though he has said it was unlikely he would run.