Meet 11th Congressional District Republican candidate Tim Wilkins

BIOGRAPHY INFO

Age: 57

City/town of residence: Windermere, FL

Family: Amber (wife), 3 kids, 2 grandkids

Education: USMC, Some college, multiple certifications

Qualifications: U.S. Marine veteran, business owner and entrepreneur with broad professional experience across multiple industries. More than 30 years as a professional communicator, with a background built on leadership, discipline, problem-solving, accountability and service.

What makes you the best candidate for Florida’s 11th Congressional District?

I bring a combination of real-world business experience, military service and more than 30 years as a professional communicator. My career has taken me through multiple industries and given me firsthand experience with many of the challenges American families and businesses face every day.

I know how to lead, communicate, solve problems and bring people together to get things done. Most importantly, I live in this district. The decisions made in Washington affect my family, my neighbors and my community, too. I believe that combination of experience, communication and personal connection to District 11 will allow me to be an effective advocate for the people who call it home. 

What are the key differences between you and your opponents?

Among the five candidates in this race, three of us have built businesses from the ground up and two have served our country in uniform. I am the only candidate who has done both.

I am also the only leading candidate who actually lives in Florida's 11th Congressional District. This isn't simply a district I want to represent; it's my home.

I'm not a career politician. I've spent my life in the real world—serving in the Marines, building businesses, making payroll, raising a family and working in our community. I believe that experience gives me a different perspective on both the challenges people are facing and the kind of leadership they expect from Washington.

Evaluate outgoing U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster’s performance over his tenure in Congress. What did he do well? What would you do differently?

Congressman Webster has been a dependable conservative vote in the House and has maintained strong constituent services throughout the district. I respect his years of public service and the foundation his office has built.

I want to build on that foundation by expanding constituent services, taking a more active role in authoring and co-sponsoring meaningful legislation, and dramatically increasing communication between our congressional office and the people we represent.

My goal is for residents to know what I'm working on in Washington, why I'm doing it and how it affects them. Representation shouldn't begin and end on Election Day. It should be an ongoing conversation with the district.

Give the current U.S. House a letter grade — A-F — and share how your presence would change that grade.

I would give the current House a B at best. There has been progress, but Americans expect Congress to turn promises into results.

My goal would be to become an active, effective member from day one—not simply another vote. I want to help author and sponsor legislation, build coalitions around good ideas and help move important bills across the finish line.

I've spent more than 30 years communicating with people from every imaginable background. I bring positive energy, leadership and the ability to communicate across boundaries. In a closely divided Congress, relationships and communication matter. One effective member can help turn a good idea into legislation that actually gets passed.

Discuss three tangible ways constituents will experience your presence as their representative in the U.S. House.

First, communication. I intend to maintain a strong, direct connection with the people of District 11 so constituents know what I'm working on, where I stand and what's happening in Washington.

Second, accessibility and visibility. I plan to be highly active both in Washington and here at home. I don't want constituents wondering where their representative is or what he's doing for them.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, constituent service. I intend to build an exceptional constituent-services team so residents throughout District 11 can get help when they're dealing with federal agencies, veterans' benefits, Social Security, Medicare and other federal matters. When someone calls their congressional office for help, they deserve a responsive human being who will work hard to find an answer.

District 11 is a diverse district with many needs. What are the district’s three most pressing issues?

Affordability, protecting Social Security and supporting agriculture.

Families are being squeezed by the cost of groceries, housing, insurance, healthcare and everyday necessities. Seniors need to know that the Social Security benefits they've earned will be there for them. And agriculture remains critically important to our district and to Florida's economy.

These aren't abstract Washington issues. They directly affect people's livelihoods, retirement security and ability to provide for their families.

Discuss the impending Social Security shortfall and your solutions. 

Social Security is approaching a serious financial challenge by 2032, and unlike many issues Congress debates year after year, this is one we cannot afford to procrastinate on.

The first step should be aggressively identifying and eliminating waste, fraud and improper payments to ensure benefits go to those legally entitled to receive them.

But that alone won't solve the long-term problem. Congress must also examine how the Social Security Trust Fund is managed and invested and review the actuarial assumptions affecting long-term solvency. We should be working now toward solutions designed to strengthen Social Security for the next 30 years and beyond.

Millions of Americans spent their entire working lives paying into this system. Congress has an obligation to protect it for today's seniors and future generations.

Discuss the current state of health care in the United States and your solutions.

The Affordable Care Act failed to deliver the affordable healthcare Americans were promised. Too many families are paying enormous premiums and deductibles while having fewer choices about their care.

We need meaningful reform that puts patients—not insurance companies or Washington bureaucracies—at the center of healthcare.

That means greater price transparency, allowing individuals and small businesses to pool together to negotiate better rates, increasing competition and giving consumers greater control over their healthcare dollars. I also support President Trump's approach of directing healthcare assistance toward consumers rather than simply sending more taxpayer dollars to insurance companies.

Healthcare reform should ultimately be measured by a simple standard: Are Americans paying less while receiving better care and having more choices? That's the goal.

Do you support term limits for Congress? Why or why not?

Yes, I support congressional term limits.

Public service should be exactly that—service. When elected officials remain in Washington for decades, it becomes far too easy to lose touch with the people they were elected to represent and become dependent on the institutions and special interests that help keep them in office.

Our founders envisioned citizen legislators who would serve their country and then return to their communities. Congress should never become a lifetime career.

Term limits would bring new ideas, new energy and greater accountability to Washington.

Discuss how you plan to work with your fellow representatives, the U.S. Senate and President Trump.

The work begins before I'm ever sworn into office. I intend to start building relationships with fellow House members immediately, developing alliances and working toward committee assignments where I can have the greatest impact for District 11.

When legislation moves between the House and Senate, communication is critical. I want to establish relationships with key senators early so potential disagreements can be addressed before they become roadblocks to passing important legislation.

With President Trump, I intend to be a dependable partner in the House on legislation that advances our shared priorities. I want the administration, House leadership and my colleagues to know that when something matters to the people of District 11 and to the country, I'll be ready to work, communicate and help get it done.