Michel Faulkner

Michel J. Faulkner (born May 21, 1957 in Baltimore, Maryland) is a former New York Jets football player and was the 2010 Republican nominee for U.S. Representative for NY's 15th congressional district. He is the pastor for New Horizon Church in New York City.

Early life and education
His mother, Queenita Hairston, a beautician, married Steve Faulkner, a Washington, D.C. police officer. After moving to D.C., he lived and attended elementary school in southeast Washington, D.C. area of Anacostia. His family later moved to Prince George's County, Maryland, where Faulkner attend junior high and was graduated from Bishop McNamara High School in 1975. He was awarded a football scholarship to Virginia Tech where he was a four-year starter and freshman All-American. In 1980, he was graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in communications and sociology. While at Tech Faulkner was involved in drama and spoken word presentations where he developed his public speaking abilities.

National Football League
After college, Faulkner signed with the National Football League and had tryouts with the Oakland Raiders and the Washington Redskins. In 1981 he attended training camp with the New York Jets and spent the 1981-1982 season with the team as a defensive lineman. He was cut from the Jets in 1982 because of a leg injury.

Academic career
After leaving the Jets in June 1982 Faulkner returned to Washington DC. After several unsuccessful attempts to get into broadcast media Faulkner decided to attend graduate school. After deciding to attend CBN, now Regents University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, he served as Virginia Tech's assistant academic advisory to athletes. Faulkner moved to Blacksburg, Virginia (Virginia Tech) to complete his master's degree in education and career counseling. After completing his master's degree in 1985, Faulkner met Jerry Falwell and joined Liberty University as assistant Dean of Students. In 1987, he was promoted to vice president for urban ministry. In 1988 he moved from Lynchburg Va. to Times Square area of Manhattan.

Ministry
In 1988, Faulkner returned to New York City as assistant pastor of Lamb's Church in Times Square. Here he worked directly with homeless men, women and children as both a pastor and a social worker. Faulkner worked as an advocate for the homeless and the poor with both city, state and community organizations.

In 1989, Faulkner joined Calvary Baptist Church in Midtown Manhattan as a youth pastor and community outreach. He led the ministries to train and develop youth and managed the church’s programs serving the homeless, the prison ministry and an HIV/AIDS program. Faulkner was ordained at Calvary Baptist Church in December 1991.

In 1993, Rev. Faulkner became the senior pastor of Central Baptist Church in Manhattan, growing the congregation from an average of 50 weekly attendees to over 400. During his nearly 14-year tenure at Central Baptist Church, Rev. Faulkner played in a leadership role in the creation of numerous city and leadership development programs. He now pastors the New Horizon Church.

Community and Civic Work
Mayor Rudy Giuliani appointed Faulkner to Task Force on Police Community Relations, after working on Giuliani's campaign. He has also served as Commissioner of the City Charter Review initiative, the co-chairman for the New York City Board of Education’s HIV/AIDS Task Force, and Vice President for Community Government Relations at King’s College from 1988 to 1992.

From June 2002 to February 2004, Michel served as World Vision’s Director of U.S. Programs. He oversaw the distribution of over $1 million in faith-based community and youth development grants to eight local churches in New York City. Faulkner served as Regional Chaplain for New York State Office of Children and Family Services from November 2005 to May 2006.

In 2005, Faulkner founded the Institute for Leadership, a non-profit organization to developleaders and leadership programs. The institute brings leadership principles to all areas and marketplaces such as teachers, business leaders, government officials, other public servants, sports coaches and ministers.

In June 2006, Faulkner founded the New Horizon Church of New York in Harlem. Faulkner describes New Horizon as a Christ-centered congregation focused on "bringing light to the darkness, and being an agent of transformation to bring the Gospel to Harlem." In 2007, Faulkner sued the State of New York, on behalf of New Horizon Church, to overturn the Blaine Amendment to its constitution. The Blaine Amendment bans state assistance to schools that have a religious affiliation.

Current activities
In addition to New Horizon Church, Faulkner also serves as the as Vice-President for Antioch School (a church based theological training institution), Board Member for NYC Department of Youth and Community Assistance, Regional Leader for Christ Covenant Coalition (Clergy Association), guest speaker for national and local radio and television broadcasts including ABC and “Live with Regis and Kelly” and he serves as President of The Institute For Leadership. The IFL received a grant from New York State Health Foundation’s in 2009 to run a statewide diabetes campaign for the faith-based community.

2010 U.S. Congressional campaign
On February 12, 2010, Faulkner announced his candidacy to run as the Republican, Conservative and Jobs Now nominee, challenging Democratic and Working Families incumbent Charlie Rangel for NY's 15th congressional district. The 15th district includes Harlem, parts of the Upper West Side, Washington Heights and parts of the Bronx and Queens. Also running are Independence Party and Vote People Change nominee Craig Schley, and Socialist Worker nominee Roger Calero. Faulkner was inspired to run for office by Scott Brown's successful election to Ted Kennedy's former Senate seat. Faulkner has stated that his reason for running for Congress is his belief that "greed and corruption" is ruining government. He believes that government should work to assist the "powerless" and the "voiceless".

Faulkner has been endorsed by Sean Hannity, the New York Right to Life Party, and Congressman John Carter.

Faulkner and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele campaigned together in Harlem on October 26, 2010. Steele called Faulkner a strong representative of "new" Republican Party.

In the November 2, 2010, general election, Faulkner received 9,235 votes (about 10%) of the 102,176 total votes cast, as Rangel won with 80% of the vote.

Political issues
Faulkner supports tax cuts for small businesses to create jobs. He supports alternatives to the public school system such as charter schools and school choice. Faulkner is pro-life.

Faulkner advocates making changes to the recent enacted health care law where the focus would be impoving health care instead of changing health insurance. Faulkner has been critical of the law, stating that it was enacted before legislators had read it, increases federal regulation of health care, did not contain a provision on tort reform, did not deregulate insurance sales between states, will lead to higher costs and lost jobs.

Faulkner has been critical of incumbent Congressman Charles Rangel who has controlled four rent-stabilized apartments in Harlem, which are designated for individuals that have been approved for affordable housing.

Faulkner has been critical of the Obama administration's handling of foreign affairs, especially as it pertains to Israel. He believes that the national security of the United States is "inextricably tied to Israel's security" and as such the U.S. must "ensure that Israel's security is not compromised." Faulkner believes that the real threat to peace in the Middle East is not Israel but rather the "terrorists such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Iranian proxies." Faulkner has also stated that Obama assisted in the delegitimization of Israel and as such Obama's actions "fuel feelings of anti-Semitism."

He has signed Grover Norquist's anti-tax pledge of the Americans for Tax Reform. Faulkner has stated that government spending is an important issue for him: "My campaign is not just about Mr. Rangel and his recent indiscretions. It is about stopping the direction in which the government, led by his party, is going. The growing size of the federal government is unbelievable. That’s a bigger scandal than the ethics issue — the size of the debt, the unbridled spending."

During the campaign, Faulkner appeared on the Imus In The Morning show on Fox Business and WABC, the John Batchelor Show on WABC, the Hannity show on Fox News Channel, and Soul Matters with Rabbi Shimshon Nadel on Arutz 7/Israel National Radio to promote his candidacy.