Gus Michael Bilirakis
Republican | Florida
Candidate Profile*
Conservative
*Additional information appears below for educational purposes; however, only data received prior to the candidate deadline was considered during Panel Evaluation.
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Gus Michael Bilirakis
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
Primary
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist. 12
Incumbent
Yes
Links
EDUCATION
Stetson Law School, Gulfport, JD, 1989
University of Florida, Gainesville, BA, 1986
Tarpon High School, Tarpon Springs, HS, 1982
WORK & MILITARY
U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman, 16 years
Bilirakis Law Group, Senior Partner, 18 approx.
St. Petersburg College, Adjunct Professor, 10 approx
University of South Florida, Adjunct Professor, 2
AFFILIATIONS
Greek Orthodox Church, Archon ( Preserving Mother Church), International Rotary
Honorary Member, Greek Children's Fund, Honorary Member
VFW Auxillary, Honorary Member, International Religious Freedom Caucus
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
United States Congressman, 16
State Representative, 8
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
N/A
Race
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
2021-2022
100%
2017-18
100%
2019-20
100%
2015-16
100%
2012
100%
2021
100%
2020
100%
2017-2018
100%
2021-2022
100%
2021
A+
2017-18
100%, 98% (cum.)â€
2021
97%
2017-18
89%
2022
88%
2021
77%, 84% (cum.)â€
2017-18
83%
2020-21
100%, 74% (cum.)â€
2021
72%
2015-16
66%
2021
59% (cum.)â€
2021
75%, 59% (cum.)â€
2021-2022
|100%
2017-18
|100%
2019-20
|100%
2015-16
|100%
2012
|100%
2021
|100%
2020
|100%
2017-2018
|100%
2021-2022
|100%
2021
|A+
2017-18
|100%, 98% (cum.)â€
2021
|97%
2017-18
|89%
2022
|88%
2021
|77%, 84% (cum.)â€
2017-18
|83%
2020-21
|100%, 74% (cum.)â€
2021
|72%
2015-16
|66%
2021
|59% (cum.)â€
2021
|75%, 59% (cum.)â€
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
2017-18
33%
2021
29%
2018
D
2019-2021
17%, 23% (cum.)â€
2021
15%
2021
20%, 14% (cum.)â€
2021
9%, 12% (cum.)â€
2020
10%
2021
14%, 10% (cum.)â€
2017-18
9%
2017
0%, 7% (cum.)â€
2019
3% (cum.)â€
2017-18
0%
2017-18
0%
2019-2020
0%
2017-18
0%
2021-2022
F
2019-20
F
2018
0%
2019
0%
2021
F
2019-20
0%
2017-18
|33%
2021
|29%
2018
|D
2019-2021
|17%, 23% (cum.)â€
2021
|20%, 14% (cum.)â€
2021
|9%, 12% (cum.)â€
2020
|10%
2021
|14%, 10% (cum.)â€
2017
|0%, 7% (cum.)â€
2019
|3% (cum.)â€
2017-18
|0%
2017-18
|0%
2019-2020
|0%
2017-18
|0%
2021-2022
|F
2019-20
|F
2019
|0%
2021
|F
2019-20
|0%
ENDORSEMENTS*
*These endorsements were received after the deadline and were not considered in the Panel Evaluations and are for additional educational purposes only.
CONSERVATIVE (4)
Campaign for Working Families
*Community Patriots Tampa
Donald Trump
*National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
President Trump, Governor DeSantis, American Association of Senior Ccitizens
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (65)
Ann Marie Buerkle (2013)
Antonio Sabato Jr (2018)
Bob Turner (2013)
Bobby Schilling (2013)
Bruce Poliquin (2017)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (104)
21st Century Virginia (2006)
Adam Putnam (2006)
Advance The Majority PAC (2006)
American Principles (2020)
Badger Fund (2006)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (8)
American Nurses Association (2021)
Eleni Kounalakis (2006)
George M. & Judith Marcus (2018)
International Association of Firefighters (includes national, state & local affiliates) (2014)
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (2017)
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Strongly Disagree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Only when the mother's life is at imminent risk.
ECONOMY
Redistribution of income is needed to lessen the gap between the wealthy and working classes.
Strongly Disagree
The government should cut spending in order to reduce the national debt.
Strongly Agree
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
We must build upon the progress made with enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. According to the CBO this law generated so much economic growth that the entire bill paid for itself. These tax cuts should be made permanent, and we should continue to simplify our code.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
Religious freedom is a fundamental human right. We must protect it here at home and around the globe.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
What should be the relationship between the church and the state?
The establishment clause in the Constitution separates church from state, but it does not, contrary to popular interpretation require the separation of religion or religious viewpoints from politics or public life. Individual citizens are free to bring their religious and moral convictions into the public arena. In fact, my religious views inform my world view and would be impossible to separate from my political beliefs. The establishment cause merely prohibits government from establishing a national religion or enacting laws which favor one religious view over another.
HEALTHCARE
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
I do not support COVID vaccine mandates.
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)Tax-payer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be de-funded.
C. We should provide quality healthcare options for seniors, children and other extremely vulnerable populations through our existing social safety net programs.
NATIONAL SECURITY
With regard to America's foreign policy, which view most closely resembles yours: A) The United States should intervene whenever freedom is threatened. B) The United States should selectively help countries trying to grow democracy and fight tyranny. C) The United States has become too involved in others' policies and should remain focused on issues regarding our own sovereignty unless in imminent danger. D) The United States should stay out of foreign conflicts completely.
C. We cannot be the world police and we cannot afford to continue engaging in nation building or conflicts that go on for decades.
I support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied territories, remove the separation barrier in the West Bank, allow full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees.
Strongly Disagree
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
First and foremost we must secure our border to make sure those who wish to do us harm cannot enter our country. I've also worked to enhance VISA security protocols to ensure terrorists are not able to enter the country. More needs to be done to strengthen the Student Visa programs to make sure potential terrorists are not able to abuse the system by overstaying their VISA and getting lost in the system. Education is also an important tool in battling the rise of Islamic terrorism. We must also work with our regional allies around the globe to promote stability, security and peace.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
This is a huge national security concern. 50 individuals on the terror watch list have been apprehended trying to enter the country illegally since October. God only knows how many terrorists may have entered undetected. As a result of President Biden's open border policies, we have almost 3 million migrants who have illegally entered our country. This is the most in history. It is a national security crisis that worsens by the day. We MUST secure our border!
State and federal funds shall be denied to any public or private entity, such as a sanctuary city, that is not in compliance with immigration laws.
Strongly Agree
The rule of law must prevail.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Anyone who goes through the appropriate channels and enters legally should be welcomed!
VALUES
Sexual orientation and gender identity should be protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
Strongly Disagree
Discrimination is already prohibited under existing law.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
My Greek Orthodox faith guides the way I live my life. I am constantly striving to uphold biblical principles and be a man of unwavering faith.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
Requiring photo identification is a basic and reasonable standard to safeguard the integrity of our election process.
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
I believe Florida has strong voting integrity laws and should be used as a model for other states. However, I do not believe in federalizing elections. This would be unconstitutional.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
We need to create opportunities for all Americans to achieve the American Dream through hard work and determination.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
I am certainly opposed to racism. However, I believe the "woke" left is attempting to make every issue about identity politics which has the result of further dividing our country on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. This approach is hurting the very people they claim to be trying to protect.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Strongly Agree
Which comes closest to your view? A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost.
A. We all want to protect the environment. However, burdensome regulatory barriers that have minimal if any positive effect have interfered with domestic energy production and have hurt American consumers. I support an "all of the above" approach when it comes to regaining American Energy Independence and believe removing onerous regulations is an important part of achieving that goal.
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
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
Did not answer
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
My legislative priorities include: curbing inflation, securing the border, balancing the budget, restoring American energy independence, lowering the cost of Rx drugs, addressing critical supply chain issues, fixing our broken mental health system, removing burdensome regulations hampering small business growth, and ensuring the long-term solvency of Medicare and Social Security. As the Lead Republican on the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, I look forward to holding Big Tech accountable for being more transparent and doing a better job protecting the youngest users of their platforms.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Strongly Agree
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Strongly Disagree
We must fully fund law enforcement and programs to address mental health issues.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
We need to enforce existing laws in order to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. I do not support any infringement on the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Strongly Disagree
