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Highlands Today

Valeche: Former Fighter Pilot And Banker Wants To Be A Congressman

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By Gary Pinnell | Highlands Today

Published: May 29, 2008

SEBRING — There are lots of interesting things to know about Hal Valeche. He was a carrier pilot in the Vietnam War who trained at Mirimar Naval Station. He was a Wall Street investment banker. He got into Yale at 16.

But even more interesting is how well versed he is on "American Idol." After being interviewed at Inn on the Lakes, he stood out front and asked which contestant had the greatest chance of winning.

At that time, Jason Castro was one of the final four, and Valeche correctly predicted that the dreadlocked one would the next to leave. He liked Syesha Mercado – "She's from Sarasota, you know," he informed – but felt the two Davids were the real Goliaths in 2008.

Right Wing
Valeche is one of three Republicans running for the 16th Congressional District seat, currently occupied by Democrat Tim Mahoney. Both are from Palm Beach Gardens.

His interest in popular culture aside though, Valeche is a John McCain supporter who, like the GOP nominee, believes in all the right's causes: staying in Iraq, joining the NRA, protecting gun rights, lowering taxes, and reading the Bible.

Does he agree with John McCain's position on Iraq, that he would not be uncomfortable maintaining troops there for the next 100 years?

"I think withdrawal would lead to chaos," Valeche said. "The surge is working."
He is for a gradual withdrawal and wants to achieve a political solution, forcing Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamel al-Maliki to do a better job of containing the Shiite militias.

He doesn't blame President Bush or the invasion of Iraq for higher gasoline prices.

"Most of the run-up has been in the last year and a half," Valeche said. What must be done is to achieve energy independence, to increase supply. That includes drilling in the Gulf and Alaska, but Valeche wouldn't want a nuclear power plant in his neighborhood, and he couldn't see drilling off the shores of Palm Beach.

"They wouldn't be practical in Palm Beach Gardens," he reasoned.

The better idea, he said, is to "incentivize geothermal, wind and solar."
Our nuclear power program should look at France as a model, he said.

The Florida Legislature passed a law which Gov. Crist signed. It forbids an employer from firing an employee who brings a gun to work in his car.

"I haven't seen the legislation, but people have always been allowed to have guns in vehicles, so I support that," Valeche said.

Valeche is opposed to legalized gambling "because it will undermine the fabric of our community." Valeche wouldn't ban the gambling boats or close the Indian casinos. "I don't want to see gambling expanded," he said. He doesn't like government sponsored lotteries and scratch cards, however.

"Government should not encourage, subsidize or incentivize gambling as a source of revenue," Valeche said. "Legalized gambling is bad public policy."

Like Mahoney, Valeche professes to be against earmarks. But he's not against getting money for projects in his district.

The distinction, he says, is that earmarking money in conference reports receives no debate, no vote, no transparency and no disclosure. Old-time pork barrel projects are at least contained in bills and voted on by the full House.

What does his faith mean to him?

"It means everything," Valeche said. "It's why we're here. We're for a higher purpose than just getting by. It's hard to explain the world without something guiding us."

Background
Valeche graduated from Yale University in 1969 with a degree in American studies. Then he entered the U.S. Navy's flight training program, graduated first in his class, and was assigned to protect troops in South Vietnam and bombers over North Vietnam from his F-8 Crusader, a single-seat supersonic fighter. He flew 85 combat missions, logged 230 carrier landings and received six air medals.

After the war, he attended Wharton School, and took an MBA in finance and met his wife, Stephanie. They were married in 1989, and have one daughter, Claire, born in 1998.

He was an investment banker for Merrill Lynch and Smith Barney until the early 1990s, then continued his business career here as a merger specialist for RailAmerica and an entrepreneur.

Valeche was elected to the Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District board of supervisors, then took a seat on the Palm Beach Gardens City Council in 2004.

Money Chase
It's public record that the Valeche campaign has raised $750,000 – $46,000 more than Rooney. But Valeche won't discuss how much will be needed to win the primary: "I'd rather not say what it is."

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