It’s been a decade since I returned home from serving active duty in the United States Marine Corps. I am appalled by the current state of our domestic politics, specifically our local South Florida politics. As a lifelong Florida resident, I have watched our politicians emerge with words of promise and betterment but witnessed the opposite; self-serving career politicians solely focused on reelection and retaining their seats until they term out. This is not my purpose.
My name is Justin Thomas Eggen, and I am running for Florida State Representative in District 89. Born at Good Samaritan Hospital off Palm Beach Lakes, I am a third-generation Palm Beach County resident. I was raised in D89 from Greenacres, West Palm Beach, and Lake Clarke Shores to Palm Springs, Lake Worth Beach, Lantana, and Hypoluxo. Whether riding my bike with my mom as a boy or driving the streets as a teen, to now being a father taking my son to the beautiful locations within our District, I have been here and will be here, a true spokesperson of the District.
D89 has shaped and molded my perceptions of the world and my understanding of the human experience. My first job at 14, as a Publix bag boy, opened my eyes to a structured lifelong meticulous work ethic. The next few jobs working around the District built my empathy for the downtrodden and ones like me, the average resident trying to make their way. Serving overseas in combat in the direst and most severe conditions allowed me to grow into a critical thinking, unwavering, and strong leader, proving myself time after time in the face of enemy combatants leading my Marines to a safe return home.
Upon returning home, like many war-torn individuals, I struggled in a world that failed to understand our experiences overseas and shut us out from adequate resources. I turned to the pen. I published my combat experiences in numerous poetry books, two of which have become national award-winning pieces of literature. By addressing my mental health struggles from combat, I cleared a path for myself to find enlightenment and a purposeful path to pursue.
While on my path, I wanted to gain an education and grow my knowledge of domestic politics and the geopolitical arena of international politics. I graduated from Florida Atlantic University with my Bachelor’s degree in Political Science in the spring of 2021 and am currently pursuing my Master’s degree in the same discipline. I have an inherent and passionate desire to learn, adapt, and grow for the better, sharing knowledge with others and learning from others each day.
Now, it’s 2022, there are new district lines, new political faces, but it’s the same sunny south Florida that deserves adequate and strong representation we should be familiar with and proud of. My name is Justin Thomas Eggen, and I am running for Florida State Representative, District 89.
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- New district lines, new politicalfaces, same sunny South Florida - March 31, 2022