VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. — Today retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Phil Shutler, a Virginia resident and former Director of Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff endorsed Elaine Luria for Congress. He announced his endorsement in a video:
“I have lived in Virginia since 1964 and have been a lifelong Republican. I’ve never endorsed a candidate, but I do endorse Elaine Luria for Congress,” Shutler said. “She is clearly the best candidate to represent all voters, from both parties, in the Second District. She has demonstrated outstanding character and leadership in her 20-year career in the Navy as a surface warfare officer and a nuclear engineer.”
“We need Elaine Luria, Virginia needs Elaine Luria, and our country needs Elaine Luria, ” Shutler concluded.
Elaine Luria reacted to the endorsement, saying:
“Lt. Gen. Shutler dedicated his life to serving our country, both in combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and in his decades of military leadership,” Luria said. “I’m honored to earn his endorsement and will live up to the trust that he and other fellow veterans have placed in me throughout this campaign.”
A full transcript of Lt. Gen. Shutler’s video is below:
I am Lieutenant General Phil Shutler, United States Marines Corps, retired. I graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1947 and entered the Marines Corps. And after combat in both Korea and Vietnam, I retired in 1980.
I have lived in Virginia since 1964 and have been a lifelong Republican. I’ve never endorsed a candidate, but I do endorse Elaine Luria for Congress.
She is clearly the best candidate to represent all voters, from both parties, in the Second District. She has demonstrated outstanding character and leadership in her 20-year career in the Navy as a surface warfare officer and a nuclear engineer.
The guiding vision for our country is clearly stated in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.”
Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, those words have come to mean all girls, all boys, all women, all men of all races and all creeds are created equal under our Constitution and laws.
One result is the service academies opened up to women in 1975. Elaine chose a hard path to education and entered the U.S. Naval Academy and accepted a commission in 1997.
Through hard work and strong, steady character, she rose to the rank of Commander in the Navy, and the fulfilment of that vision.
I believe her leadership and integrity, developed through years of service, have prepared her to ably represent the people of the Second District. Elaine will be an outstanding member of Congress and is ready in every way.
She is honest, principled, and possesses a strong work ethic. She is a trained problem solver. These are the ingredients so important to national leadership.
We need Elaine Luria, Virginia needs Elaine Luria, and our country needs Elaine Luria.
Thank you.
