By Allen Payton

William Martinek, a financial advisor and decorated combat Army veteran from Brentwood, has decided to throw his hat in the ring and take on seven-term incumbent Congressman Jerry McNerney.

After serving in the Army and doing two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2014 Martinek became a financial advisor for a major national company in 2016.

Asked why he’s running, Martinek responded, “I want to represent my home area in Congress and because McNerney hasn’t done a whole lot. He’s very comfortable in his position and just sitting there not doing much.”

“That’s a common theme among Democrats and Republicans that I speak with,” Martinek continued. “He’s not responsive at all and from what I hear, doesn’t call anyone back or respond to emails.”

Martinek is committed to being much more accessible and responsive to the people he’s running to represent. “Either I or someone on my staff will call you back,” he promised.

Martinek’s top priority if elected will be to help create jobs and continue to grow the economy.

“With an extremely robust economy we will also be able to help solve some of the social issues, such as homelessness,” he stated. “There is still a lot of room left to grow the economy. We need to continue reforming regulation that is making it difficult for small businesses to grow. I hate it when people say corporations are corrupt. In a real, free market economy corruption is stemmed because there is more competition.”

Martinek is also focused on protecting the Constitution and making sure what happens in Washington complies with it. He has a challenge with parts of the Patriot Act, which are overreaching and “violating our rights.”

He will also work to protect the agriculture industry, “making sure our farmers have the water and resources they need to continue growing crops in the 9th District.”

The congressional district includes most of Antioch, all of Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay and the rest of Far East County, and most of San Joaquin County.

“Transportation is also a big issue for me, especially with having had to commute to San Francisco to work,” he mentioned. “I’m fortunate now to both live and work in Brentwood. But others aren’t so fortunate. That’s why I want to bring jobs to the area.”

Martinek grew up in Fremont and moved to Brentwood in 1998 as a teenager. He graduated from Liberty High School in 2003, where he played football and was a long-distance runner on the track and field team. Between his junior and senior year, he joined of the Army National Guard split option and did the one weekend a month training and continued that for about a year.

But it wasn’t until after he attended Los Medanos College for a few years that he decided to join the Army at age 21.

During his military service he received Army Accommodation and Army Achievement medals, Combat Infantry and Expert Infantry badges and several ribbons.

Martinek is currently a board member of the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Advocacy Committee, and a member of the Brentwood Rotary Club. He served on the Parents Club board for his children’s elementary school and is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10789 in Brentwood.

Martinek is married to Lauren, and they have three children ages 5, (almost) 7 and 8, and his parents and two brothers still live in East County. His dad is a glazing contractor with his own commercial window business in Tracy and his mom works at Lowe’s in Antioch.

There is one other candidate in the race, Tony Amador of Lodi, the former Chairman of the San Joaquin County Republican Central Committee. He ran twice before in the 9th District and once before in another district, and once for State Assembly, all unsuccessfully. Amador filed his papers the final week before deadline long after Martinek was in the race.

Learn more about Martinek and his campaign visit www.williamforcongress.com or Facebook.com/williammartinekca9 or call (925) 238-8407.