William Kregler hopes to take the 7th Congressional District seat. Credit: Mohammad Farghaly
By Olivia Graffeo | olivia@queensledger.com
Hoping to unseat long-time representative Nydia Valesquez from her position in Congress, former New York City firefighter William Kregler has joined the running. If successful, Kregler would be the first Republican congressperson to represent the 7th district in over 100 years.
After the city’s redistricting in 2012, Valesquez was elected to be the district’s Congressional Representative, still holding the position today. Despite her years in office and high chance of reelection, Kregler believes in his unlikely odds to win the seat from her.
“I’m the first decent candidate. You know? I shouldn’t say decent– first viable candidate, because I have the conservatives and Republicans,” he said. “Plus, what’s different this year: we have a whole slate of people running.”
Born in Canarsie, Kregler and his wife have been residents of Woodside for more than three decades. Beginning his career as what he calls a “beat cop” for the New York City Housing Authority in the early 1980s, Kregler moved through the ranks quickly before becoming a firefighter and eventually a fire marshall. Following years of dedicated work as a public servant, Kregler now works as a consultant for Quality Fire Protection Consultants.
After an unsuccessful campaign for Borough President several years ago, Kregler has shifted his focus to what he can achieve in Congress. Although Congressperson Valesquez seems a formidable opponent for a Republican in a Democratic-majority district, Kregler is not fazed.
“I’m not here running against an opponent. I’m running here on the issues,” Kregler said. “I spent very little time researching my opponent, because she represents the old guard that has done this to us.”
Kregler is confident that the residents of the 7th District are not happy with the course New York City has taken, and that they are ready for a dramatic political shakeup. Particularly, they’re ready for a new, more conservative, congressperson to represent them.
“I’m focusing on the working taxpayer…I [can’t] believe how many Democrats–they’re angry,” he said. “This was a great city. I mean, you feared nothing. Everything was good. Nothing was on the street, no homeless, no nothing… I was mocking my friends out in Long Island and upstate, saying, ‘you’re eating macaroni and cheese…’ And look at me in the city, it was beautiful.”
To Kregler, the Golden Age of New York City has come and gone. Noting that the gradual downturn of the city began around the time of Mayor DeBlasio, Kregler believes money misused and anti-police sentiment has contributed greatly.
As a former police officer, Kregler is deeply supportive of the NYPD and has openly declared “Back the Blue.” Crime, to Kregler, has grown due to the ongoing constriction of the police force.
“There’s no deterrent to crime, there’s no protection from it, there’s no response,” he said. “Even if they catch somebody, it’s a catch and release situation. That’s why it’s hard. You got to start empowering the police. Then indemnification. The police are not going to put their hands on anyone now. They’re not going to risk their pension. They’ll take a report. And that doesn’t help me if my head’s split open for a robbery.”
Similarly, Kregler is deeply troubled with the state of the subway system in New York City. To him, lower police presence is another cause for the condition of stations and trains. In addition, the city loses thousands of dollars a month on fare evasion–something which has had recent crackdowns. Keeping the train system clean and free for those using it as transportation is of the utmost importance to Kregler.
”You can’t take a train or a bus without being accosted either by that lady with the baby on her back, selling your chocolates, or the guy demanding the $3 out of your pocket, or something worse than that,” Kregler said. “First of all, the trains are not a place for mentally challenged people. It’s not a sanctuary, no. It’s for commuting from one place to the other. It’s no congregation.”
Along with improving the city and making it safer, Kregler hopes to clean up waterways in the 7th District and secure more jobs for those who need them. Particularly interested in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, he wants to clean up the area and reintegrate ship building in the area.
“We build ships that will clean out waterways in this country, not starting with New York, but now that brings some serious working jobs,” Kregler said. “I mean, people, welders, electricians, fabric, steam, fitters. Real, serious working class, labor union jobs, right? Building ships to clean our waterways.”
Working on the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which Kregler calls an “industrial gem,” is not the only big move that he wants to make in regards to jobs in the 7th District. He wants to utilize the space available in New York City to construct more power plants; they would not only create jobs for those unemployed in the city, but would also provide electricity and security in the event of blackouts.
Though Kregler vehemently supports the police and increased border regulation, he takes care in noting that he is not “a Republican with a cowboy hat and an AR15,” but a “New York City Republican.” To him, a New York City Republican is exactly what not only the 7th District, but what the entire city needs.
“We had a great city. We did. We contributed to that. So this is getting back,” he said.
