Robert Lee Karnes

Republican | West Virginia

Candidate Profile

Verified Conservative

BIOGRAPHY

Name

Robert Lee Karnes


Party

Republican


Election Year

2026


Election

Republican Primary and Municipal General


Race

State Senate, District 11


Incumbent

No


Links

Robert Lee Karnes websites FacebookFacebookXLinkedIn

EDUCATION

Candidate did not provide

WORK & MILITARY

Candidate did not provide

AFFILIATIONS

Civil Air Patrol, Lt Col, 2015-2026

POLITICAL OFFICES HELD

State Senator, 2015-2019

State Senator, 2021-2025

POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT

State Senator, 2026-

SCORECARDS

CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS


LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS

SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS

CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (4)

Daniel Webster (2010)

Dino Rossi (2010)

Donna Campbell (2010)

Sean Bielat (2010)

RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)

LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (2)

Democrat Women Organizations (2005)

International Brotherhood of Teamsters (2005)

RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)

QUESTIONNAIRE

RIGHT TO LIFE

Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).

Strongly Agree

I wrote and cosponsored Amendment 1 in 2018 permanently ending taxpayer funded abortion in WV.

Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?

None

Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.

Strongly Agree

The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.

Strongly Agree

The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.

Strongly Agree


RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?

The government should not attempt to control churches. It has nothing to do with churches being involved in politics. It has nothing to do with government passing laws to encourage moral behavior.

Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.

Disagree


NATIONAL SECURITY

The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.

Strongly Agree

Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?

Yes. I think it is the closest thing we have to "Western Civilization" in the Middle East. I'm not in favor of fighting Israel's wars for them, but offering support in the form of arms sales and intel is fine.


HEALTHCARE

What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.

C

The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.

Strongly Disagree

Government should never have this kind of data.


ECONOMY

What is your position on the minimum wage?

I think it is more important to create jobs and cause a natural increase in wages.

Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.

Strongly Agree

List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.

First is fraud. Second work on moving people off of welfare rolls and onto payrolls. Third, cut the size of government. I believe in the concept of zero based budgeting.


IMMIGRATION

I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.

Strongly Disagree


EDUCATION

I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.

Strongly Agree

Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.

Agree


CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY

What should be the goal of the criminal justice system?

Punishment followed by rehabilitation. We want to insure to the best we are able after a sentence is served that ex-prisoners do have the ability to get a new start. But prison is, and should start off as, punishment for committing a crime.

Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.

Strongly Agree

Sharia law should not be accepted or incorporated in any form within the legal framework of the United States.

Strongly Agree


2ND AMENDMENT

What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?

Shall not be infringed. At all.


ABOUT YOU

When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?

Very Conservative

Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.

no

Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.

no


VALUES

Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child's health and educational well-being.

Strongly Agree

Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.

Strongly Agree

Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.

Strongly Agree

I support the expansion of gambling in my state.

Disagree

Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

I am a Christian Conservative. I think it is important we maintain our nation's history of Christian moral standards.


ELECTIONS AND VOTING

People should be able to vote without photo identification.

Strongly Disagree


EQUALITY

Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.

Strongly Disagree

Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.

Strongly Agree


ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.

Strongly Disagree

What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?

Coal followed by natural gas.

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