Dear Friend,
Do you want more of the same, or are you ready for positive change? I am excited to introduce you to Michele R. Weslander Quaid who is immensely qualified to be our next representative in the U.S. Congress. I believe it’s time to send this independent woman to Congress and she needs your support to get there!
Raised in Santa Barbara County by a single mom whose income was below the US-defined poverty level, Michele understands the Central Coast's working class. Like so many families, the high cost of living ultimately drove them out of state. This experience has led Michele to value policies that maximize the opportunity to thrive.
Education is very important to Michele, who graduated as the valedictorian of her high school class and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Engineering Science from Seattle Pacific University, with honors, and a Master of Science in Optics from the University of Rochester. This foundation opened up many career opportunities for her. She was recruited out of graduate school into the national security community where she served for over a decade as an industry partner and was promoted to the rank of chief engineer at her company. School choice would give all students the best chance to build a strong foundation from which to find interesting and rewarding career opportunities, and Michele will fight in Congress to bring that freedom back to the families of the Central Coast.
Michele knows that we are the home of the free because of the brave, and she was honored to be recruited into public service in 2002 serving alongside our men and women in uniform. Sworn in as a senior executive in defense intelligence on her 33rd birthday, she served as a peer to generals and flag officers in the military. Michele led innovation and the cultural and technical integration of the national security community to provide better insight to the national decision-makers and warfighters. She will uphold liberty and bring that same spirit of transparency and collaboration to Congress, helping the people of the Central Coast realize the local impacts of national laws.
Innovation and entrepreneurship are important to Michele. Having worked as Google Inc’s Chief Technology Officer for Public Sector and Innovation Evangelist after nearly a decade in public service, and then later starting her own consulting and certified professional coaching company, Sunesis Nexus, Michele values a free market economy. In Congress, she will work to lift unreasonable burdens for both employers and employees to help our businesses to thrive.
In her 25-year national security career, Michele became known as someone who was able to achieve what others considered impossible. She willingly traveled to the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan to support our troops. Michele regularly interfaced with Congress and testified as a subject matter expert twice. She gained extensive experience creating new entities, enabling and leading cross-functional teams and cross-community groups of individuals with diverse perspectives and experience, managing and overseeing enormous budgets and contracts. Michele is a graduate of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Managers in Government and a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff CAPSTONE Fellow. She is ready to apply her experience and expertise to represent your interests in Congress.
Honors and awards Michele has received include the National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation (2001); National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Meritorious Civilian Service Medal (2005); Seattle Pacific University Medallion Award (2014); "DC's Top 50 Women in Tech" (FedScoop, 2014); "Power 100" list of influencers (Washington Life, 2014); "The 7 Most Powerful Women to Watch" (Entrepreneur Magazine, 2014).
Michele is deeply concerned about taking care of our veterans and first responders. Michele’s husband, Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Quaid, USAF, was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor and glioblastoma on his first day of retirement from the military in January 2016. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) rated him 100% disabled with 100% service-connected disability, unemployable and homebound. He qualified for maximum benefits but it was a battle with the VA to get them. Michele became his full-time medical advocate and caregiver while also caring for their seven-year-old daughter, and moved the family to California. He ultimately required 24x7 care and died less than 24 months after his retirement. Michele will work in Congress to ensure reforms are put in place so that veterans receive the quality care they deserve and they and their families receive the benefits to which they are entitled.
We are blessed that Michele chose to stay in her hometown of Santa Barbara after her veteran husband passed away. Her daughter, Sophia, is an American patriot who is homeschooled and in the 8th grade. Michele is a Classical Conversations Challenge Program director and has been leading the 9th-grade homeschool class. She recently married Michael English, a widower and software architect whose two adult sons reside in Santa Barbara.
Michele is an American patriot who has selflessly served our country in the executive branch and is now called to serve us in the legislative branch. She is a constitutionalist with a strong conservative platform. Michele is committed to defending our liberty, enforcing fiscal responsibility, removing unnecessary regulation, and enabling California’s Central Coast to flourish. She first took the oath of office 20 years ago and her run for Congress to represent California’s 24th District is a continuation of that oath.
As someone with an American Dream story, Michele wants to ensure that America remains the land of opportunity for future generations. We have all witnessed the disastrous results of progressive policies including skyrocketing debt and inflation, which are negatively impacting all of our lives. America was energy-independent, but now we rely on foreign oil — leading to skyrocketing costs for fuel, food, and other products. Our border is not secure, and there has been an increase in homelessness and crime. Government bureaucrats are trying to dictate every aspect of our lives, violating our inalienable rights in the process. Michele is committed to tackling these issues head-on in Congress. Most importantly, she will put a stop to the Progressive’s attempt to dismantle the U.S. Constitution and fundamentally transform America and will work to restore our constitutional republic.
While she is well respected and known in various circles, there are many in our District who do not yet know Michele. Time is short and she needs funding to produce ads and get them aired on TV and radio so that more people can learn about her, what she stands for, and why she is running to represent us in the U.S. Congress.
Michele has taken every opportunity to speak all over the District and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. People ask, “Where did you come from?” as they cannot imagine someone with her credentials. They are grateful that someone so talented, with a firm grasp of reality and a common-sense approach, that is so passionate about improving life for her fellow citizens, and keeping America a beacon of hope for all freedom-loving people, is willing to make the sacrifice to run for office. Michele embodies the servant leadership that is so desperately needed and I know we can count on her to lead with integrity and diligently represent our interests in Washington D.C.
Please generously support Michele in her campaign. Visit her website, MWQ2022.com, where you can learn more about her, and visit the Donation page to find information regarding where to mail a check or use the link to donate online (contributions are not deductible for federal income tax purposes).
This is our time for choosing. We must elect God-fearing American patriots who will act with integrity and protect our liberty. It is imperative that we all vote in the June 7th Primary for Michele Weslander Quaid to represent us in Congress, so that we can vote for her again on November 8th!
Sincerely,
Andy Caldwell
