Steven St John

Steven St John earned a high school diploma from New Trier High School and a master's degree from San Diego State University.[1] As of 2014, St John was retired, but he previously worked in advertising, marketing, business development, and as a chaplain.[2][3][4]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

After nearly a decade serving as a hospital chaplain in Las Vegas, I am running for Congress because I have listened to thousands of families facing rising healthcare costs, housing challenges, and the increasing cost of living. I believe government should work together to solve problems that strengthen families, seniors, veterans, and the middle class.

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?

After years of standing beside patients and families during some of the hardest moments of their lives, I began hearing the same concerns over and over: healthcare, cost of groceries, the cost of gas, the cost of renting or buying a home and most importantly the uncertainty about you and your family's future. What makes me different from other candidates is not simply what I believe—it's what I have witnessed on a daily basis as hospital chaplain. I know life. I know the harships that you face first hand. My approach is to work with others, regardless of party, and focus on practical solutions that matter to you and your family based on what I have learned from listening to thousands of families as a hospital pastor.I believe government works best when people are willing to listen, find common ground, and solve problems together. My commitment is to work with anyone, regardless of party, to advance practical solutions that strengthen healthcare, reduce the cost of living, expand affordable housing, and support seniors, veterans, and working families.I believe every family deserves the opportunity to build a secure future. That means protecting access to healthcare, supporting economic opportunity, expanding affordable housing, strengthening Social Security and Medicare, and ensuring that Southern Nevada remains a place where families, seniors, veterans, and future generations can call home with pride.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Healthcare is my highest priority because, as a hospital chaplain, I have seen firsthand how illness, rising medical costs, and uncertainty affect patients and their families. I believe access to quality, affordable healthcare is essential to the well-being of every community. I am also passionate about lowering the cost of living, expanding affordable housing, protecting Social Security and Medicare, supporting veterans, and creating greater economic opportunity through workforce training and job growth. These issues are closely connected. I believe public policy should focus on practical solutions that help people today while creating greater opportunity for future generations.

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

I look up to people whose lives have been defined by service rather than recognition. Throughout my life, I have been inspired by healthcare professionals, first responders, military veterans, clergy, and countless family caregivers who quietly put the needs of others before their own.

As a hospital chaplain, I have had the privilege of working alongside many of these individuals. Their compassion, integrity, humility, and commitment to serving others have reinforced my belief that leadership is not about personal ambition—it's about earning trust, listening with respect, and helping people through difficult times.

The example I hope to follow is one of servant leadership: leading by listening, treating every person with dignity, and always putting the people I represent before politics.

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

I believe the most important qualities of an elected official are integrity, compassion, accountability, and the willingness to listen. Public office is a responsibility to serve the people, not a position of personal advantage.

An effective representative should be accessible, honest, and willing to work with others, regardless of political party, to solve problems that improve the lives of the people they represent. Decisions should be guided by facts, sound judgment, and the real experiences of the community.

Above all, an elected official should earn the public's trust by listening first, leading with respect, and always putting the interests of the people before politics.

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

The core responsibility of a member of Congress is to represent the people of their district with integrity, honesty, and accountability. That means listening to constituents, understanding the challenges they face, and ensuring their voices are heard when laws and public policies are debated.

A member of Congress should carefully evaluate legislation, provide responsible oversight of the federal government, and work with colleagues from all political backgrounds to find practical solutions that strengthen our communities and improve people's lives.

I believe elected officials should remain accessible to the people they represent, communicate openly, and always place the interests of their constituents above partisan politics. Public service is about earning and maintaining the trust of the people through transparency, respect, and a commitment to serving the public good.

What legacy would you like to leave?

If I have the privilege of serving in Congress, I hope my legacy will be that I listened, treated every person with dignity and respect, and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the people I represented.

I want to be remembered as someone who brought people together to solve problems, worked across political differences, and always put the interests of families, seniors, veterans, and future generations first. Success is not measured by how many speeches are given or headlines are made, but by whether people's lives are better because of the work we accomplished together.

Above all, I hope people will say that I served with integrity, compassion, and humility, and that I never forgot who elected me or why I chose to run in the first place.

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

My first job was being self-employed, providing fence refinishing and home improvement services for my neighbors. I took on a variety of projects, learned the value of hard work, and discovered the importance of earning people's trust by doing quality work. I continued this work for several years, and it taught me responsibility, self-reliance, and the importance of serving others well.

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

One of the greatest struggles in my life was experiencing homelessness for several months during the early 1980s. That experience gave me a lasting understanding of how easily people can find themselves in difficult circumstances and how important it is to treat every person with dignity and respect.

Years later, while serving as a chaplain under Mayor Goodman's faith initiative and ministering to people experiencing homelessness in Las Vegas, one man thanked me by saying, *"Thank you for treating me as a human being."* At that moment, a woman nearby was yelling at him from a bus stop. His words have stayed with me because they reminded me that every person deserves compassion, regardless of their circumstances.

I have also spent time with many veterans in Las Vegas and Laughlin, including Vietnam veterans who shared the lasting emotional scars of their service. Some described turning to alcohol as a way to cope with traumatic memories that never left them. Those conversations deepened my respect for our veterans and reinforced my belief that we must do more to support their physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

These experiences have shaped the way I approach public service. They have taught me to listen without judgment, treat every person with dignity, and remember that behind every policy are real people whose lives are affected by the decisions we make.

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

The U.S. House of Representatives is unique because it is the branch of the federal government that is closest to the people. Members are elected every two years, represent relatively small districts, and are expected to remain connected to the needs and concerns of their constituents.

The House was designed to reflect the changing priorities of the American people while balancing the other branches of government through its legislative, oversight, and budgetary responsibilities. Its diversity of perspectives allows representatives from communities across the nation to bring local concerns to the national stage.

I believe the House is most effective when its members listen to the people they represent, work together across political differences, and remain focused on solving problems that strengthen their districts and the nation as a whole.

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

I believe one of the greatest challenges facing the United States over the next decade is restoring trust through truth. Our nation cannot solve its biggest challenges if Americans cannot agree on basic facts or have confidence in the institutions that serve them.

We also face significant challenges in healthcare, the rising cost of living, affordable housing, the national debt, and caring for an aging population. Addressing these issues will require leaders who are willing to listen, work across political differences, and make decisions based on facts rather than fear or division.

I believe our greatest strength has always been our ability to come together during difficult times. By restoring trust, encouraging respectful dialogue, and focusing on practical solutions, we can build a stronger future for ourselves and our children.

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

I believe compromise is both necessary and desirable in policymaking. Our country is diverse, and lasting solutions usually require people with different views to work together.

Compromise should not mean abandoning core values or ignoring the people we represent. It should mean listening, finding common ground, and making reasonable adjustments when they lead to better results.

The goal should not be for one side to win and the other to lose. The goal should be to create policies that are practical, responsible, and improve the lives of the people we serve.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

My campaign is in its initial phase and is currently meeting with community leaders in Las Vegas, Henderson, and Boulder City. As the campaign continues to grow, I look forward to earning the support and endorsements of individuals and organizations that share my commitment to strengthening our communities and improving the lives of the people of Southern Nevada.

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

The first historical events I clearly remember were the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. I remember the sense of shock, sadness, and uncertainty that these events brought to the nation. They impressed upon me that leadership matters, that words and actions have lasting consequences, and that our country is strongest when people work together with respect, compassion, and a commitment to the common good.

Note: John submitted the above survey responses to [the profile publisher] on July 11, 2026.

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June 18 submission

**Who are you? Tell us about yourself.**

My name is Steven St John, and I am an independent candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Nevada's 1st Congressional District. For nearly ten years, I have served as a hospital chaplain in Las Vegas, standing beside families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Through that work, I have listened to the concerns of thousands of Nevada families facing challenges related to healthcare, housing, rising costs, employment, and caring for loved ones.

I am not a career politician. I am running for Congress because I believe government works best when elected officials spend more time listening to the people they represent and less time focused on partisan conflict. My campaign is built on three principles: listening, trust, and working together.

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 have spent nearly a decade listening to Nevada families as a hospital chaplain. I have seen firsthand the challenges people face with healthcare costs, housing affordability, inflation, and financial insecurity. My campaign begins with listening and making sure the voices of everyday Nevadans are heard in Washington.Healthcare is one of my top priorities. I support protecting access to Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, home healthcare, hospice services, and long-term care. No family should lose access to healthcare because of funding cuts, rising costs, or bureaucratic barriers.Nevada families deserve practical solutions on cost-of-living issues. I support policies that improve housing affordability, strengthen job opportunities, help small businesses, and address the everyday financial pressures facing seniors, working families, students, and future generations.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am particularly passionate about healthcare, senior services, housing affordability, cost-of-living relief, workforce development, and supporting family caregivers. Through my work as a hospital chaplain, I have seen how healthcare access affects every aspect of a family's life. I am also interested in strengthening Nevada's economy through job creation, workforce training, small business support, and responsible long-term planning for issues such as water resources, infrastructure, and public services. My goal is to focus on practical solutions that improve the lives of the people I serve.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

At this time, no formal endorsements have been announced.