Taylor Griffin
Republican | North Carolina
Candidate Profile
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Taylor Griffin
Party
Republican
Election Year
2016
Election
June Primary
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist 3
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, BA, Political Science, 1999
Greenfield School, Wilson, NC, HS, 1994
WORK & MILITARY
U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Deputy Press Secretary, 1999-2000
White House, Media Coordinator, 2001-2003
U.S. Treasury, Director, Office of Media Affairs, 2003-2006
Managing Partner, Hamilton Place Strategies, 2009-2013
AFFILIATIONS
Christ Episcopal Church, New Bern. NC, Christ Church Georgetown
Washington, DC, St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, Wilson, NC
National Rifle Association, Washington, DC, Carolina CAN
Raleigh, NC
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
US House (NC03), 2014
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
North Carolina Bankers Association
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (4)
Jeb Hensarling
Richard Hudson
State Republican Party Organizations
Tom Cotton
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (8)
Emergency Committee for Israel
End Spending Action Fund
G.L. Deichmann
GOP Generation Y Fund
Karl Rove
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
State Democratic Party Organizations
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Congress should repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
Strongly Agree
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
I am in favor of construction of a wall and other necessary infrastructure on our border that gives complete control over entering and exiting the United States.
Strongly Agree
The U.S. military should wait for militant Islamic groups to directly threaten our national security on our shores, rather than eradicate them now wherever they may be worldwide.
Disagree
The United States must maintain a nuclear arsenal that is safe, reliable, modern and numerically superior to those of potential adversaries.
Strongly Agree
I support legislation such as the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) that would prohibit discrimination against individuals, organizations and small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.
Strongly Agree
The federal government should establish Common Core as a nationwide academic standard for high school graduation.
Strongly Disagree
I oppose the resettlement of Syrian refugees into the U.S. without proper vetting.
Strongly Agree
Current regulations on domestic oil exploration and drilling are more restrictive than are necessary.
Strongly Agree
It is the government’s responsibility to be sure everyone has health care and a livable income.
Strongly Disagree
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which permitted our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
More restrictive gun control laws are needed to protect public safety.
Strongly Disagree
The founders established pure democracy in the Constitution because they believed that it is the best form of government to ensure the safety and equitable treatment of all citizens.
Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property turn mankind's natural self-interest into the most productive economic system there is.
Strongly Agree
Governments should pay to develop wind and solar energy solutions until they are economically feasible.
Strongly Disagree
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States.
Agree
Governments should define marriage as between one man and one woman; no other definition of marriage should be legalized or supported with public funds.
Agree
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Agree
The United States should help defend Israel from attack by its enemies.
Strongly Agree
Planned Parenthood should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments.
Strongly Agree
Marijuana should be legalized and regulated like tobacco and alcohol.
Disagree
Islamic law (Sharia) does not pose a threat to the United States and its Constitution.
Disagree
Based on the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, please arrange the following entities, starting with the highest source of authority, and continue the list in descending order of authority, skipping any that do not apply: Academia, Congress, Constitution, God, Industry, Media, Professional Sports, Supreme Court, Voters.
1) God (source of natural rights) 2) Constitution 3) Voters 4) Congress 5) Supreme Court 6) Media (owing to first amendment protection)
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Life is precious and should be protected. The life of the mother, in which one life must be weighed against the other is the only circumstance under which abortion can be morally considered.
What in the nature of mankind caused America’s Founders to carefully define, separate, and limit powers in the Constitution?
Madison, writing in Federalist 51, argued that man's inherent ambition requires a system of checks and balances. "Ambition must be made to counteract ambition... If men were angels, no government would be necessary." By balancing powers the rights of the individual could be protected against a tyranny of the majority and an aggregation of power within one department of the government.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a follower of Christ and attempt to reflect in my personal life the salvation through grace won by the work of the cross. The big idea of America is that the natural rights of man are not derived from government or monarch but are, in the words of the Declaration of Independence "endowed by their Creator." The primary role of government is to secure these rights derived from God. This has important ramifications. For example, while my personal faith calls me to serve those less fortunate, it does not justify putting the safety of those I represent at risk by bringing in unvetted Syrian refugees. Still, this does not mean that public life must be sanitized of religion. Nor does it imply that people must check their faith at the door of public office. Restrictions on expression of religious belief in the name of separation of church and state is an assault on liberty as surely as the establishment of an official religion.
Considering all issues (social, economic, national security, etc.), which of these best describes you?
Very Conservative
Please defend your answer to the previous question by referencing your publicly available track record.
Because the Republican party best represents my beliefs in limited government, individual liberty and fiscal responsibility, I have been a Republican since I first registered to vote at age 18. My first job was working for Senator Jesse Helms, whose fidelity to conservative principles and dedication to effectively representing his constituents provides a model for my approach to government. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Radio interview with WTKF in Morehead: https://youtu.be/JUufm0ouhsc and Medium.com article http://bit.ly/1s8367U SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL: Jacksonville Daily News http://bit.ly/1s87fso IRAN DEAL: Washington Free Beacon http://bit.ly/1s84vLC PRO-LIFE: Defund Planned Parenthood http://bit.ly/1s86XSc CONSTITUTION: Coastal Carolina Taxpayer Association vetting report: http://bit.ly/1s83QKf GENERAL CONSERVATIVE POSITIONS: Crystal Coast Tea Party http://cctpp.com/?p=6298
E-mail address and phone number for voters to reach you.
tgriffin@taylorgriffin.org (252) 631-5148
Additional comment from candidate:
I disagreed with question number 13 because the United States is a republic rather that a "pure democracy." I disagreed with number 10 because, while health care and a livable income are worthy goals, it is not the government's role to provide them directly. Rather, the federal government should ensure the conditions for a robust free market which provides the best path towards achieving these goals.
