Chris Myers (born December 2, 1965) is an American business executive and politician, ex-Mayor in

Medford, New Jersey Medford is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the township's population was 24,497, an increase of 1,464 (+6.4%) from the 2010 census count of 23,033,Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

nominee for

New Jersey's 3rd congressional district New Jersey's 3rd congressional district is represented by Democrat Andy Kim of Moorestown who has served in Congress since 2019. It is one of seven districts that voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election while being held by a ...

, a seat which was open due to the retirement of incumbent

Jim Saxton Hugh James Saxton (born January 22, 1943) is an American politician from New Jersey. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he represented parts of Burlington County, New Jersey, Burlington, Ocean County, New Jersey, ...

, in 2008.

Biography

Myers was raised in Medford Township in southern

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, where he attended public schools and graduated from Shawnee High School. He graduated from the

University of Colorado at Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder, CU, or Colorado) is a public research university in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a state, it is the flagship university of the University of Colorado sys ...

with a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

and subsequently earned a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

in public administration from

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

.Home page
Chris Myers for Congress. Accessed August 14, 2008.

Military experience

Myers, a decorated combat veteran of the

Persian Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...

, served as the Combat Information Center (CIC) officer, anti-air warfare officer, and operations officer on the Navy's first forward deployed Aegis-equipped cruiser, USS ''Bunker Hill''. In this position, Chris directed the actions of four aircraft carriers and hundreds of land and sea-based aircraft, as well as missile ships from U.S. and allied nations. After leaving USS ''Bunker Hill'', he served as the joint air defense officer for the combined U.S. and NATO Staff of Commander, Second Fleet and Commander Striking Fleet Atlantic aboard the flagship USS ''Mount Whitney''. In this capacity, Myers designed and coordinated Air Defense and Tomahawk plans for exercise and real world operations. His military decorations include: a

Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include: *Meritorious Civilian Service Award *Meritorious Service Med ...

Joint Service Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...

Joint Service Achievement Medal The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious service of military personnel who were not eligible to rece ...

Navy Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...

(with Combat V), several

Navy Achievement Medal The Achievement Medal is a military Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious se ...

Combat Action Ribbon The Combat Action Ribbon (CAR, ), is a high precedence United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States Marine Corps military decoration awarded to United States sea service members "who have actively participated in ground or sur ...

and

Liberation of Kuwait Medal Liberation or liberate may refer to: Film and television * ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War * "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode * "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode Gaming * '' Liberati ...

Professional career

Upon leaving the Navy, Myers joined

Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It ...

and became a program manager in the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program Office at NE&SS-Surface Systems. He led the High Range Resolution Program, which consisted of a series of radar enhancements and at-sea tests to support Navy BMD efforts. He was promoted to "Director, Missile Defense and Radar Programs," overseeing Lockheed Martin's radar business and role in BMD domestically and internationally. Ultimately, he was promoted to "Vice President, Business Development." In this capacity, he is responsible for new business acquisition, technology research and development for MS2. Myers has also been "Vice President, Advanced Programs," and "Vice President, Sea-based Missile Defense." Myers was released from his duties at Lockheed Martin after a sex scandal with a gay prostitute was uncovered, and is currently spearheading the solar energy projects with his company Global Resource Advisors LLC.

Political career

Myers was elected to a four-year term on the Medford Township Council in 2001, and he was re-elected in 2005. After each election, the Township Council selects a

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

and

deputy mayor The deputy mayor (also known as vice mayor, assistant mayor, or mayor ''pro tem'') is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official that is present in many, but not all, local governments. Duties and functions Many elected dep ...

from its members. Myers was selected as mayor in 2003, 2008. and 2011. As councilman and mayor, Myers' chief goals have been stabilization of property taxes and preservation of open space. Myers won re-election in November 2009, along with fellow council members Joe Lynn and Dave Brown.

Positions on issues

Myers calls himself a "Jim Saxton Republican", "a conservative on taxes and spending, a supporter of the environment and a friend of working men and women." Myers is a vocal opponent of the

Affordable Housing Affordable housing is housing which is deemed affordable to those with a household income at or below the median as rated by the national government or a local government by a recognized housing affordability index. Most of the literature on affo ...

Mandate bill in New Jersey. Myers opposes the bill as a result of its inclusion of a section that creates government imposition of fees on non-residential development in order to build an affordable housing fund. He argues that this concept will be bad for taxpayers and will also destroy the preservation of environmental open space Myers is

pro-life Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life or abolitionist movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in respons ...

. Myers supports expanding child health coverage through SCHIP. He had been an outspoken critic against President George W. Bush's veto of the expansion of SCHIP in 2008.

2008 Congressional campaign

Myers announced his bid for Congress in January 2008, receiving the endorsement and support of the retiring incumbent

Primary

Other candidates for the Republican nomination included

Ocean County Ocean County is a county located along the Jersey Shore in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east. Its county seat is Toms River.Freeholder John P. Kelly and former Tabernacle Township Committeeman Justin Murphy. The campaign in the Republican

primary Primary or primaries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Primary (band), from Australia * Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea * Primary Music, Israeli record label Works * ...

included disputes over taxes. Myers criticized Kelly for having voted to raise Ocean County's spending and taxes. Kelly responded that Myers's attack was hypocritical in light of the 50% increase in Medford's spending during Myers's term on the township's committee. Kelly also charged that Myers's lobbying for the defense industry created a conflict of interest. Myers won the primary with 49% of the vote to Kelly's 26% and Murphy's 25%. Kelly endorsed Myers after the primary, offering his "full support" and any help he could give.Spahr, Rob
"Ocean County Republicans welcome Myers"
''

Press of Atlantic City ''The Press of Atlantic City'' is the fourth-largest daily newspaper in New Jersey. Originally based in Pleasantville, it is the primary newspaper for southeastern New Jersey and the Jersey Shore. The newspaper designated market runs from Ware ...

'', August 4, 2008. Accessed August 11, 2008.

General election

Myers' Democratic opponent was State Senator

John Adler John Herbert Adler (August 23, 1959April 4, 2011) was an American lawyer, politician and a member of the Democratic Party who served for one term as the U.S. representative for from 2009 until 2011. He lost his 2010 congressional election to f ...

, who ran unopposed for his party's nomination. The only independent candidate in the race was Edward Forchion, who ran under the "Legalize Marijuana (G.R.I.P.)" Party slogan. Much of Myers' campaign focused on painting himself as a Washington and Trenton outsider and portraying his opponent as a career Trenton politician who favors higher taxes and more government spending. On July 2, Myers announced he would be taking a leave of absence from his job as a vice president at Lockheed Martin to focus on the remainder of his Congressional campaign. After being endorsed in January 2008 by the 3rd congressional district's retiring Congressman, Jim Saxton, several organizations also gave him their support, including Vets for Freedom, National Vietnam and Gulf War Veterans Coalition, Veterans for Victory, the

National Federation of Independent Businesses The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is an association of small businesses in the United States. It is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, with offices in Washington, D.C., and all 50 state capitals. The goal of NFIB is to ad ...

, the

NRA Political Victory Fund The Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) is the political action committee (PAC) of the National Rifle Association (NRA). The Fund contributes money to political campaigns of candidates endorsed by the NRA. Chairman Chris W. Cox, who has been the NRA' ...

(receiving a grade of A−), Wake Up America, and Free and Strong America PAC. Most newspapers favored Adler over Myers. ''

The Press of Atlantic City ''The Press of Atlantic City'' is the fourth-largest daily newspaper in New Jersey. Originally based in Pleasantville, it is the primary newspaper for southeastern New Jersey and the Jersey Shore. The newspaper designated market runs from Ware ...

'', ''

The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...

'', the ''

Courier-Post The ''Courier-Post'' is a morning daily newspaper that serves South Jersey in the Delaware Valley. It is based in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and serves most of Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties. The paper has 30,313 daily paid subscriber ...

'', ''The

Burlington County Times The ''Burlington County Times'' is a daily newspaper located in Westampton, New Jersey, U.S. The paper, which is part of the Gannett chain of newspapers, covers municipal and county issues in Burlington County, New Jersey as well as local and pr ...

'', and ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' all gave their endorsement to Adler, often citing his economic policies as their reason for endorsing him. Myers did, however, receive the endorsement of the ''

Asbury Park Press The ''Asbury Park Press'' is a daily newspaper in Monmouth and Ocean counties of New Jersey and has the third largest circulation in the state. It has been owned by Gannett since 1997. Its reporting staff has been awarded numerous national hon ...

'' on the basis that he is an outsider and not a career politician Myers faced a 10–1 funding gap against Adler, having spent a majority of his early warchest on an expensive primary battle against Kelly and Murphy.

Election results

On November 4, 2008, after polls closed, the 3rd district race was the last one to be called in New Jersey. With 100% of precincts reporting, Myers lost narrowly to Adler, with 48.4% to his 51.6%.

Sex scandal

On October 22, 2011, an alleged extra-marital affair was reported on a website about an encounter in a California hotel with Myers. Myers vehemently denied the accusation. Shortly afterwards, he was placed on administrative leave from Lockheed Martin. However, in an interview with '' The Courier Post'' Thursday Oct. 27, 2011, he said that he would not resign as Medford's mayor, but he did not deny the allegations made on an anonymous website that he had paid for gay sex while visiting California the previous October. When asked by ''The Courier Post'' if he was "gay or bisexual", Myers replied “I’m not commenting on my personal life.” On December 5, Myers submitted his resignation from the Medford Township council.

References

External links

Chris Myers for Congress
Official Campaign site {{DEFAULTSORT:Myers, Chris 1965 births Living people Cornell University alumni University of Colorado alumni Mayors of places in New Jersey People from Medford, New Jersey New Jersey Republicans