Meet the First Generation, Entrepreneurial Former Navy SEAL Who Could Take Massachusetts Senate by Storm

Gabriel Gomez. Source: AP

Massachusetts has a long history elected far-left, progressive candidates to office, but that soon may change with the emergence of a political newcomer who seems to have broken every mold.

Meet Gabriel Gomez, a former Navy SEAL, current millionaire-entrepreneur and son of Colombian immigrants, who somehow managed to topple a three-person Republican primary and is no slated to go toe-to-toe with Democratic Rep. Ed Markey in a June 25 Senate race.

Gomez, a proud first-generation American who grew up in Washington state, could soon join Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as the rising Hispanic stars of the Republican Party.

"I couldn't be more proud of my heritage and the fact that my parents decided to stay here after I was born," Gomez told the Associated Press.

His father was educated at both the University of Pittsburgh and Stanford, and in keeping true to the American dream, went on to become a successful executive at the world's largest hops dealer.

On immigration reform, National Journal notes that Gomez wrote Gov. Deval Patrick, saying he supported President Obama's stance on guns and immigration. He has since backtracked, calling for more stringent border security. Gomez sill supports a pathway to citizenship, however, which may cause waves for him among the GOP stalwarts.

Gomez's military service began when he attended the Naval Academy. He served as a pilot and later, joined the Navy SEALs, where he trained to become a class leader.

The former SEAL has also served as a spokesman for the Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund, which has been critical of Obama. OPSEC is currently fundraising for Gomez's campaign.

In 1996, Gomez left the military to attain his MBA from Harvard Business School and went on to become a successful private equity investor. As a self-made millionaire, the aspiring politico has even partially funded his own campaign.

From January 2012 through March 2013, Gomez earned nearly $1 million and more than $8.5 million from 2007 through 2011, reports NJ. What's more, he reportedly paid roughly $2 million in taxes during that time, according to the AP.

If his resume were not formidable enough, and indeed what many would consider a classic "American success story," he even ran this year's Boston Marathon, finishing only moments before bombs went off. According to NJ, Gomez had to search for his wife Sarah and his children who were waiting for him at the finish line. No one was injured during the attack.

In a show of respect for the attacks that ravaged his city, Gomez suspended his televised ad campaigns immediately following the bombings and was among those who called for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to be treated as an "enemy combatant."

After hiring a number of veterans from former governor and presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s campaign office: Bradley Crate, Gail Gitcho and Lenny Alcivar, the former SEAL, current entrepreneur and second-generation American may have the power, strategy and finances needed to take Massachusetts by storm.