

John Ratcliffe
Republican | Texas
Candidate Profile
Verified Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
John Ratcliffe
Party
Republican
Election Year
2016
Election
General
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist.4
Incumbent
Yes
EDUCATION
Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Juris Doctor, 1989
University of Notre Dame, South Bend, BA in Government and International Studies, 1987
WORK & MILITARY
(Candidate did not provide)
AFFILIATIONS
Rockwall ISD Educational Foundation, Board Member, Rockwall County YMCA
Board Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
U.S. Congressman, 2015 - current
Mayor of Heath, Texas, 2004-2012
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
Previous Races
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
2015-16
100%, 100%†
2015
100%, 100%†
2015
100%
2015-16
100%
2015-16
95%, 95%†
2016
93%, 94%†
2015
83%
2015-16
80%
2015-16
|100%, 100%†
2015
|100%, 100%†
2015
|100%
2015-16
|100%
2015-16
|95%, 95%†
2016
|93%, 94%†
2015
|83%
2015-16
|80%
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
2015-16
0%
2015
0%, 0%†
2015-16
0%
2015
0%
2015-16
|0%
2015-16
|0%
2015
|0%
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (6)
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness Second Revolution
National Rifle Association
National Right to Life
Tea Party Express
Texas Right to Life
LIBERAL (1)
Air Line Pilots Association, Int.
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (5)
Senator Ted Cruz
Congressman Trey Gowdy
NRA
National Right to Life
Texas Right to Life
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (18)
Bruce Westerman
Club for Growth
David Dewhurst
David Young
French Hill
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (42)
Alamo PAC
Associated Builders and Contractors
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Citizens United
Club for Growth
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Airline Pilots Association
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.
Strongly 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.
Neutral
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.
Strongly 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.
Strongly Agree
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
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.
Strongly Disagree
Islamic law (Sharia) does not pose a threat to the United States and its Constitution.
Strongly 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.
God, Constitution, Voters, Supreme Court/Congress (co-equal branches of government)
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Only when the life of the mother is threatened.
What in the nature of mankind caused America’s Founders to carefully define, separate, and limit powers in the Constitution?
Centralized power in one entity or branch of government leads to abuse, and the separation of powers designed by our Founding Fathers is both wise and necessary.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
My strong Christian faith forms the basis of my value and belief system: I am a Christian. I believe there is only one God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who is the creator of all people and of all things. I believe that Jesus Christ is God’s only Son and will return one day to reign forever. I believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, the perfect message for mankind and the final authority for all matters of faith. Because of my spiritual beliefs, I place God first in my daily life and try to keep Faith, Hope and Love at the center of all that I say or do. I know as humans we have the freedom of choice to decide what is right and what is wrong, but I look to Him for guidance in deciding what is right and wrong.
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.
My proven conservative record makes me the best candidate for this position. This re-election is simply a chance for me to remind voters about the work I’ve done on their behalf over the last year. Voters don’t need to wonder whether I am pro-life. My record tells them that I have refused to support any single funding bill which contains funding for Planned Parenthood. Voters don’t need to wonder if I will work to restore fiscal sanity. My record tells them that I have voted against raising the debt ceiling and voted against increasing government spending. Voters don’t need to wonder if I’m serious about protecting America from terrorist threats. My record tells them that before coming to Congress I was a U.S. Attorney and terrorism prosecutor who put terrorist sympathizers in federal prison. In Congress, I’ve voted against the Iranian nuclear deal, voted to pause our Syrian refugee program, and voted to close security gaps in our country’s visa waiver program.
E-mail address and phone number for voters to reach you.
info@ratcliffeforcongress.com
Additional comment from candidate:
It is a privilege to represent the Fourth District of Texas in our collective fight against President Obama and his reckless agenda.
If you are not already receiving our emails, stay up to date with important election alerts, educational articles, and encouraging reminders.
Invest in America’s Future
Join the movement to restore biblical values and constitutional principles in our nation by informing and mobilizing more faith-based voters with the truth.