Gabriel E. Gomez formally joins the GOP Senate race

By Stephanie Ebbert, Globe Staff

QUINCY -- US Senate candidate Gabriel E. Gomez, a Cohasset private equity investor and former Navy SEAL, made his first public remarks at a campaign kickoff event at an American Legion post today, pledging to be a new kind of Republican.

His appearance here was the first of several public events planned for today by his campaign. Gomez has previously only used social media to declare his candidacy, and his appearance today drew about three dozen curious voters and an equal number of media and political consultants.

In a speech that was long on biography and short on details, Gomez, a first-time candidate, said he has lived the American dream as “an immigrant kid who gets an opportunity to serve in the Navy and then a chance to build a career: That’s the beauty of America,” Gomez said.

“You and I know that Congress has failed us. You and I know this path is unsustainable,” he added. “You and I know our country is better than its politics.”

As a first-time candidate with a unique resume, Gomez has attracted interest as a potential candidate but his positions on issues remained largely unknown.

After his speech, he told reporters that he is a Catholic who is antiabortion but would not seek to change the settled law on abortion rights.

He also said that members of Congress’ failure to reach compromise on debt reduction could trigger massive spending cuts across the nation tomorrow should have their own salaries held until the matter is resolved.

Gomez is one of three Republicans seeking his party’s nomination. The others, former US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and state Representative Daniel Winslow, have said they, like Gomez, have collected enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.