Gerardo Serrano

Gerardo Serrano earned a high school diploma from Lane Technical High School and attended South Suburban College. His career experience includes working as a farmer.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am Gerardo Serrano, an independent candidate for Congress, a small-business owner, farmer, father, and resident of Kentucky’s 5th District for over 25 years. I was born in Chicago and made Eastern Kentucky my home. After experiencing government abuse firsthand through civil asset forfeiture, I became a determined defender of the Constitution and individual liberty. I am not a career politician, and I am not controlled by either political party. I am running to give the people of Eastern Kentucky an independent voice in Washington.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I am independent—not controlled by either political party, political insiders, or special interests. I will answer to the people of Kentucky’s 5th District, demand transparency, oppose wasteful omnibus bills, and insist that Congress vote on major issues openly and individually.The Constitution is not optional. After experiencing government abuse through civil asset forfeiture, I understand how easily government power can destroy an innocent person’s life. I will defend due process, privacy, the Second Amendment, and Congress’s constitutional responsibility to decide when America goes to war.Our children should not have to leave Eastern Kentucky to build a future. I want to attract businesses, create good jobs, strengthen infrastructure, and make this district a place where families can prosper. Washington has neglected our communities for too long; I will put the people of the 5th District first.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am most passionate about protecting constitutional rights, ending civil asset forfeiture abuse, restoring due process, defending privacy and the Second Amendment, and holding government officials accountable. I also care deeply about fiscal responsibility, protecting Social Security, stopping wasteful omnibus spending, and requiring Congress to vote before sending Americans into war. Above all, I want policies that create jobs, attract businesses, improve infrastructure, and give young people a reason to build their futures here in Eastern Kentucky.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to George Washington because he understood that political power belongs to the people. He willingly surrendered power rather than treating public office as a lifetime entitlement. His example reminds elected officials that they are temporary servants of the people, not rulers over them.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, courage, humility, transparency, and loyalty to the Constitution above any political party. An elected official must listen to the people, tell them the truth even when it is unpopular, admit mistakes, and never forget that public office is a position of service—not personal power.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A member of Congress must uphold the Constitution, represent the people rather than party leaders or special interests, write and carefully review legislation, control federal spending, oversee executive agencies, protect individual rights, and vote before committing America to war.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to leave Eastern Kentucky stronger than I found it—a place where our children can remain, find meaningful work, raise families, and prosper. I also want to be remembered as someone who defended constitutional rights, challenged corruption, and treated public office as service rather than a career.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first real job was working at an A&P grocery store. I worked there for approximately three years, and the experience taught me responsibility, discipline, and the value of serving customers well.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

One of the greatest struggles of my life was when my young son was taken to Poland. Although a United States court awarded me custody, Poland refused to return him. Living through that separation showed me how powerless an ordinary person can feel when governments and legal systems fail to protect a family. It caused lasting pain, but it also strengthened my determination to fight for justice and never give up.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The House was designed to be the part of the federal government closest and most accountable to the people. Every member represents a specific district and must face voters every two years. The House also holds the power of the purse, originates revenue legislation, and can impeach federal officials. Its greatest strength is that citizens can directly replace representatives who stop listening to them. A member’s loyalty should therefore be to the Constitution and the people of the district—not party leaders or Washington insiders.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Our greatest challenges will be controlling the national debt, avoiding unnecessary wars, protecting constitutional rights, and restoring public trust in government. Both parties have spent beyond our means while ordinary families struggle with rising costs. We must also rebuild American industry, secure reliable energy and food supplies, and create opportunities in neglected rural communities. If we continue sacrificing liberty, financial stability, and our children’s future for short-term political gain, the country will face consequences that no party can solve alone.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Compromise is often necessary in a representative government, but it must never mean abandoning the Constitution or trading away individual rights. I will work with anyone—Republican, Democrat, or independent—when the result benefits the people and respects constitutional limits. Good compromise finds common ground on practical details; bad compromise hides unrelated provisions in massive bills or sacrifices principle for political favors.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I have not announced any formal endorsements from political organizations. I am running as an independent, and my campaign is supported by individual citizens across Kentucky’s 5th District who want honest representation, constitutional government, and an alternative to the two-party establishment.

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

The first historical event I remember is the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I was very young, so my memories are vague, but I clearly remember the shock and sadness it caused in my family. Seeing the adults around me react so strongly made me understand, even as a child, that something had happened that changed the country.

Gerardo Serrano did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Gerardo Serrano did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Serrano's Facebook page highlighted the following campaign themes:

Like many Kentucky citizens I am Pro Second Amendment. I believe strongly in our right to exercise a Carry and Conceal Weapon license. I currently have both a Carry and Conceal (CCW) and a Federal Firearms license class 6 (FFL6.) I am also a member of the National Association for Gun Rights. I am Pro-Life. I believe that life begins at conception and that we should protect every life. I believe that government should act as an individual citizen, balancing their checkbook, as we balance ours. I am Pro Right-To-Work. I believe every citizen has the right to work without government interference. The government should not burden our children with unnecessary debt spent just to stay in office. I am concerned with the debt Kentucky has, and I believe that it is far greater than what the people are led to believe. It is vital for our state to be educated on the money that is being spent. It is also wrong for the government to leave it's citizens in the dark.[5][6]