Candidate for U.S. Senate, Mark Kirk (GNOC)

December 07, 2009, 8:00am

Summary:

The 2010 campaign to fill Barrack Obama’s Senate seat is heating up as the results of this race will determine the dominant power in Congress. Understanding the importance of such a high stakes race, Gen Next invited the republican contender Congressman Mark Kirk for a roundtable discussion. Kirk reviewed intense issues such as healthcare, education, and social security but the focal point of discussion was foreign policy and national security.

As a former Naval intelligence officer, Congressman Kirk expressed his concerns with the current security of our nation and the proposed plans for our military presence in Afghanistan. Kirk disagreed with the 2011 withdrawal date of our troops because that would force training to hasten and history shows that poorly trained units collapse. He proposed a short-term goal of re-expanding the space we control and a long-term goal of doubling the size of the Afghan police and army. As one of the founders of the United States House of Representatives' China Working Group, Kirk discussed the issues of piracy in Somalia by the Chinese Navy and the theft of intellectual property on a comprehensive basis.

On education, Kirk suggested teaching foreign language in the second and third grade, which would raise the set of expectations at a younger age resulting in accelerated gifted education. When asked by Members about the 2010 campaign, Congressman Kirk explained that electing a Republican to office will send a strong message to the White House.

This program proved to be invigorating and extremely informative. We would like to thank Mark Kirk for his time and valuable insight. Also, a big thanks to Gen Next member Michael McClellan for hosting this program at the Newmeyer & Dillion LLP.

Detail:

The campaign to fill Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat will be battle royale in 2010 and Gen Next is pleased to bring to our Members one of the main contenders, Congressman Mark Kirk. The seat is now held by controversial Blagojevich appointee, Roland Burris. Because the results of this race will be viewed as a referendum on Barack Obama and given the controversy surrounding the appointment, few races in the 2010 election cycle will be watched as closely as this one.

The first Member of Congress in over 60 years to have served in an imminent danger zone, Congressman Mark Kirk has first-hand knowledge of the situation in Afghanistan and the complex situation there. Kirk served as a Commander in the Navy who served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti, and Bosnia and was also named “Intelligence Officer of the Year” for his service in Kosovo. He is currently a Naval Reserve intelligence officer.

As Co-Founder and Chairman of the bipartisan US-China Working Group, Kirk and over 20 other Members of Congress meet monthly to discuss everything from trade and economic policy to space exploration as it relates to China.

This program is welcome to Members and guests of Members only.  RSVP is required and space is limited.

When: December 7th - 8:00 a.m.
Where: Michael McClellan's Office
Newmeyer & Dillion LLP
895 Dove Street  2nd flr - Newport Beach 92660
RSVP: Natalie@gen-next.org

Kirk attended Blackburn College and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and earned his B.A. from Cornell. He also holds a Masters degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from Georgetown.  Kirk has worked for Congressman John Porter, served in the World Bank, the State Department, the law firm Baker & McKenzie, and the U.S. House International Relations Committee.