Mast talks with Trump, takes oath of office today
New lawmaker focuses on water quality issues in District 18.
In the eight weeks since he won an expensive, nationally watched r a c e f o r a P a l m B e a c h -Tre a - sure Coast congressional di strict, Republican Brian Mast has received plenty of congratulations — and challenges — from the people he will begin representing today.
“This is the response I get from people constantly: It’s first people being very cordial, saying, ‘Hey, I voted for you, really proud of you, glad that you won,’ ” Mast said Monday on the eve of being sworn in as a freshman member of the 115th Congress.
“Then people’s faces go serious and they say, ‘Now go get to work. Now don’t let us down. Now go drain the swamp’ — something to that effect,” said Mast, 36, a decorated Army combat veteran who lives in Palm City.
“And I think that’s the way that people should be. It’s nice that they’re congratulating me, but you know beyond that they’re expecting results.”
Mast will represent the District 18 seat held for the past four years by Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Jupiter, who pursued an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate rather than seek a third term in the House. Because the district is closely divided between Republicans and Democrats, Mast’s race against Democrat Randy Perkins drew national attention.
Mast says he hopes to deliver results on water quality issues in District 18, where toxic algae blooms have threatened the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon. And Mast, a recipient of veterans health care since losing his legs in a 2010 bomb blast in Afghanistan, says he hopes his experience can help him make a difference on veterans issues.
Mast said President-elect Don-