Robert Huskey / Daily Titan
Sitting in his political science class on policy-making last fall sparked the beginning of a dream for Gregory Raths.
After talking with his professor, Judy Stambaugh, Raths said he found himself in front of a classroom of students rallying his fellow students to help him run for Congress.
Raths, 59, a history major, plans to run for the 45th District, south Orange County, in the U.S. House of Representatives for the June 2014 primary.
Raths said he plans to run on the conservative ticket and push for smaller government and better veteran care and support if he is elected as a representative.
He added that he is continuing to prepare for his campaign by looking to secure more student support.
“I’ve done all my hard stuff raising kids, did my military career, was a combat veteran in Desert Storm and now I have a new chapter in my life,” said Raths.
“The young students and (professor Stambaugh) got me interested, so I’m going for it. I’m going to run for U.S. House of Representatives,” he added.
Still, running for Congress was not where Raths’ story began.
Growing up in Phoenix, he said he grew up extremely poor.
Raths began working at age 7 mowing lawns and washing windows to help out his parents.
It was at that Catholic school that Raths said a priest inspired him to follow his dreams of becoming a Marine Corps fighter pilot.
“My father was a pilot in World War II and I always loved hearing his war stories … and so when I was in high school the jet age was coming up and I was like I want to fly jets,” Raths said.
After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in business from Arizona State University, Raths then joined the Marine Corps and went to flight school to become a fighter pilot.
He spent 32 years in the Marine Corps where he obtained a master’s degree in military strategy and climbed the leadership ladder to eventually become and retire as a colonel.
Before retiring, Raths was on President Clinton’s military staff.
“I grew up dirt poor,” Raths said. “And next thing I know, 20 years later I’m working at the White House for the President.”
After more than 30 years in the military, Raths moved on and began working for JetBlue.
He said going from fighter pilot to a commercial airline pilot was a boring transition.
“You’ve got to remember this is what I used to fly,” he said pointing to the fighter jet on the cover of his book. “And now I’m sitting going from Long Beach to Boston with nothing to do.”
After leaving JetBlue, Raths began working in the auto industry, importing car parts from China and distributing them across the United States.
He was president of the auto parts company for three years before it was bought out.
He then decided that he wanted to pursue another bachelor’s degree in history.
After attending Saddleback College in Mission Viejo for a year, Raths transferred to Cal State Fullerton.
Now, after years and many experiences over his lifetime, Raths said running for Congress is only the beginning of a new chapter for him.
After writing a memoir of his tales and adventures throughout his life, this next chapter in Raths’ life is one he said he believes in.
A chapter that was sparked in a classroom and one that he believes will make a difference in other people’s lives.
Stambaugh, a political science professor, said she really enjoyed having Raths in her class and she is confident he will reach his victory in 2014.
“He has a stunning record of service at the most prestigious levels and would serve his constituents with integrity and experience beyond many current serving legislators,” said Stambaugh.
Raths will be graduating with his bachelor’s degree in history this May and will continue campaigning and working with Cal State Fullerton students.
“I can relate to this generation because I’ve sat with them for three years in class and it’s open my eyes to the quality of the students and the diversity,” Raths said.
“I’m just one person, but I can have a voice in Washington,” he added.