Ex-CIA officer running for Congress: ‘I’ve been in real fights’

Once an undercover spy who made his living in the shadows, Will Hurd suddenly finds himself thrust into the national spotlight as he is locked in a tight congressional race with Democratic incumbent Rep. Pete Gallego for Texas’ 23rd district.

The Texas Republican and former CIA operative gave the weekly GOP address Saturday morning, calling for voters to “take our government back” in the upcoming midterm elections.

{mosads}”I want to get this mess in Washington cleaned up once and for all,” Hurd said.

“Let’s stand together and take our government back from bureaucrats in Washington and put the power where it belongs: in the hands of the people,” he added.

Hurd finds himself battling freshmen Gallego in what pollsters say promises to be one of the few close congressional races in the nation — and the only competitive contest in Texas.

Hurd’s newly found popularity within the Republican Party is a drastic change from his days in the CIA, where he worked as a covert operative turning foreign assets and collecting intelligence information in the Middle East. 

Hurd is using his intelligence background to sell himself as an expert on counterterrorism, cybersecurity and protecting the border at a time when issues like these are making headlines each day. 

“I’ve been in real fights,” Hurd said. “As an overseas office in the CIA, I witnessed folks struggling for freedom and stared down those trying to end our way of life.”

“We need to make border security, countering drug traffickers and fighting cyber criminals all national priorities,” he added.