Sean Parnell: Who Is The Retired Army Captain Speaking At The 2020 RNC?
Among those planning to speak on Monday at the Republican National Convention is Sean Parnell, a retired army captain who has seen his star rise among the GOP faithful in the last few months.
Originally planned as a live event in North Carolina, and later Florida, the coronavirus pandemic forced the GOP to revisit how to hold the event, and it will now largely be staged online. While the RNC’s platform has been changed up, there are still plenty of speakers scheduled to talk about the party’s vision of America and plan for the next four years.
Parnell is scheduled to appear during the “Land of Heroes” night of the convention.
He’s Running For Congress
Parnell is looking to build on his service as a captain in the military to take on another leadership position. He’s running for District 17 in Pennsylvania, which includes the western half of the state.
According to an Instagram post by Parnell, he’s built up a good-sized following that has even led to his campaign running out of yard signs, at least temporarily.
Since Pennsylvania is a battleground state politically, this is a race that is being watched by both parties. His Democratic opponent, Conor Lamb, was named by USA Today (via MSN) as one of the 17 “rising stars” in his party to speak at last week’s Democratic National Convention, where they nominated former Vice President Joe Biden to take on President Donald Trump.
Parnell has also parlayed his military service into gaining popularity for his run for congress. His donors and supporters are often referred to as “Parnell’s Platoon.”
He’s A Published Author
If Parnell isn’t successful in his bid for elected office, he can always fall back on yet another one of his careers.
The Army veteran is a published author, and his third book is due out on September 1. A fictional accounting of a character named Eric Steele, One True Patriot is the follow up to 2018’s Man on War.
In the new story, Steele is reportedly going to have to try and derail a terrorist attack aimed at the heart of America.
The congressional hopeful has said that he leans heavily on his experiences in the military to deliver the reader a realistic tale, even if the plots for his Eric Steele books are entirely fiction.
He has also written one nonfiction novel titled Outlaw Platoon, which details exploits from his unit when they were fighting in eastern Afghanistan.
He Has Sparred With Pennsylvania Leadership On The Handling Of The Coronavirus Pandemic
Parnell might not be in office yet, but he hasn’t been shy about his feelings when it comes to Governor Tom Wolf and his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Fox News reported in May that Parnell thought Wolf’s arguments that communities couldn’t reopen fully until a COVID-19 vaccine was available was “absolutely absurd.”
The veteran has also blasted Lamb for his actions in helping people “back home” while the Democrat has held the congressional seat the two rivals are squaring off for in November.
