Vern Buchanan

Vern Buchanan was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1951. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Cleary University in 1975 and an M.B.A from the University of Detroit in 1986. His career experience includes serving in the Michigan Air National Guard and working as a business owner, working with printing and selling automobiles.[1][2]

Vern Buchanan did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Vern Buchanan did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Vern Buchanan did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Vern Buchanan did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Buchanan's campaign website stated the following:

Creating Jobs

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is a self-made businessman. He knows what it means to balance a budget, meet a payroll, and to exercise fiscal discipline that keeps a business moving forward. Giving small businesses the resources they need to create jobs, making sure our government spends no more than what it takes in, and keeping taxes low will ultimately mean greater economic growth and prosperity for everyone.

We have had an anemic economic recovery from the Great Recession. What the country truly needs is a common-sense plan to boost our economy and protect and produce more American jobs in the United States.

In order to achieve these goals, Vern Buchanan has a 10 point plan to create jobs and restore our economy:

1. Tax Reform: Broadly restructure our tax system in order to help struggling families and to encourage businesses to keep their jobs in America.

2. Regulation Reform: Abolish costly onerous government regulations on employers that drive up costs while keeping job growth down.

3. Eliminate the New Health Law’s Mandate on Business: Repeal the new, heavy-handed requirement that all businesses buy health insurance for their workers.

4. BBA: A Balanced Budget Amendment will help bring stability to our economy.

5. Trade: Support free and fair trade to open global markets and create jobs in the United States.

6. Tort Reform: Pass far-reaching legal reform that removes frivolous lawsuits from our court system.

7. Energy: Propose expanded drilling in places like Alaska and other areas. Expansion will not only lead to more American energy, but lead to hundreds of thousands of jobs.

8. Labor: Fight an overactive NLRB. Support states pursuing right-to-work laws.

9. China: China has ignored intellectual property rights. This cost the U.S. economy $48 billion in 2009. One study concluded that if China cracked down on this problem, it could create 2.1 million jobs in the U.S.

10. Government Workers: Reduce the government workforce by 10% via attrition and align wages and benefits of government workers with private sector.

Tax Relief for middle-class working Americans and small businesses

The U.S. tax code punishes families trying to make ends meet and employers trying to compete in the global marketplace.

If we are serious about reducing unemployment and strengthening our economy, we should let people keep more of their own money and help small businesses grow, not punish them with higher taxes. America’s greatness comes from its people and their innovation, not more government intrusion.

Reducing the tax burden on small business would free up money that could be used to invest in new equipment, grow their company and hire more workers.

Retirement Security

Senior citizens and retirees living on their Nest Eggs are particularly vulnerable to the current economic difficulties. Many are worried about the continued viability and long-term solvency of their pensions, IRAs, and 401(k) plans.

Key Federal safety net programs, such as Social Security and Medicare, must be protected and their long-term solvency be ensured to help retirees and seniors in their post-employment years. We need a non-partisan Blue Ribbon Commission to make recommendations about how best to guarantee Social Security and Medicare’s long-term future. In the early Reagan Administration, the “Greenspan Commission” helped save Social Security for 30 years. We need a 21st Century version of this to help keep Social Security and Medicare safe for the Baby Boom generation.

Compete in the 21st Century Global Marketplace

The global population has surpassed 7 billion people and 95% of the world’s consumers live outside of the United States. Opening up foreign markets for U.S. goods and services helps create jobs here at home. The U.S. must continue to negotiate and implement more bi-lateral Free Trade Agreements, which enable domestic exports to grow by opening up new markets for our goods and products abroad. U.S. workers are the best workforce in the world, as long as they compete on a level playing field. We must continue to support Federal job re-training programs to help workers adapt to the changing marketplace of the 21st Century.

The U.S. must also maintain its status as a world leader in education, particularly as the demand for students with strong mathematics and science backgrounds continues to grow. We can remain competitive in the 21st Century only as long as we maintain a strong primary, secondary, and post-secondary education system which produces top-notch students well-suited for the employment needs of a technology-reliant society.[13][14]

—Vern Buchanan (2018)

Campaign advertisements

The following is an example of an ad from Buchanan's 2018 election campaign.

"Red Tide" Buchanan campaign ad released September 24, 2018

The following issues were listed on Buchanan's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

Creating Jobs: U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is a self-made businessman. He knows what it means to balance a budget, meet a payroll, and to exercise fiscal discipline that keeps a business moving forward. Giving small businesses the resources they need to create jobs, making sure our government spends no more than what it takes in, and keeping taxes low will ultimately mean greater economic growth and prosperity for everyone.

Tax Relief for middle-class working Americans and small businesses: If we are serious about reducing unemployment and strengthening our economy, we should let people keep more of their own money and help small businesses grow, not punish them with higher taxes. America’s greatness comes from its people and their innovation, not more government intrusion.

Retirement Security: Key Federal safety net programs, such as Social Security and Medicare, must be protected and their long-term solvency be ensured to help retirees and seniors in their post-employment years. We need a non-partisan Blue Ribbon Commission to make recommendations about how best to guarantee Social Security and Medicare’s long-term future.

Compete in the 21st Century Global Marketplace: The global population has surpassed 7 billion people and 95% of the world’s consumers live outside of the United States. Opening up foreign markets for U.S. goods and services helps create jobs here at home. The U.S. must continue to negotiate and implement more bi-lateral Free Trade Agreements, which enable domestic exports to grow by opening up new markets for our goods and products abroad.[14]

—Vern Buchanan's campaign website, http://www.vernbuchanan.com/on-the-issues/

Buchanan's campaign website listed the following issues:[15]

Jobs & Economy

Excerpt: "As a businessman for 30 years, and past Chairman of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, I know what it means to balance a budget, meet a payroll, and exercise the fiscal discipline necessary to keep a business moving forward."

Spending

Excerpt: "Washington’s irresponsible pattern of borrowing and spending has put our country on a road to bankruptcy. Unbelievably, America borrows $188 million every hour. This is simply unacceptable."

Small Business

Excerpt: "At a time of 10.3 percent unemployment in Florida, we should be doing all that we can to assist our most dynamic job creators. We can start by keeping taxes low and cutting the bureaucratic red tape and burdensome regulations that stifle job creation."