

Gary Gates
Republican | Texas
Candidate Profile*
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Gary Gates
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 28
Incumbent
Yes
EDUCATION
Claremore Junior College, Associates, 1980
WORK & MILITARY
(Candidate did not provide)
AFFILIATIONS
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
Previous Races
ENDORSEMENTS*
CONSERVATIVE (4)
John Cornyn
National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF
Sid Miller
Texas State Rifle Association
OTHER (9)
C Club of Houston
George P. Bush
*National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Texas
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
Texas Alliance for Life PAC (TAL)
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (3)
Governor Greg Abbott
Senator John Cornyn
State Senator Lois Kolkhorst
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (43)
Andrew Murr (2015)
Angie Chen Button (2015)
Bryan Hughes (2015)
Cecil Bell Jr. (2015)
Charles "Doc" Anderson (2015)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (5)
James White (2020)
John Frullo (2019)
Kevin Brady (2020)
Randy Weber (2020)
State Republican Party Organizations (2020)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds or grants from federal, state, or local governments.
Strongly Agree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
I am a proud pro-life christian conservative who believes that every life is precious and should be protected at every single stage of life. I believe that life begins at conception and goes through natural death. However, if the life of the mother is at risk, the doctors should take every precaution to save her and the babies. My wife and I have several adopted children whom we adopted from mothers who were considering abortion at the time.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Strongly Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
In Texas we have a balanced budget requirement so this is not an issue here in this state.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Governments should not discriminate against individuals, organizations or small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.
Agree
Governments should define marriage as between one man and one woman; no other definition of marriage should be legalized or supported with taxpayer or public funds.
Agree
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
I promise to protect the freedom of Christians to share the Gospel and to practice Biblical principles.
Yes
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
Separation of Church and State is simply a reference for a federal religion. I believe anyone in this country has the right to express their beliefs as long as those beliefs aren't violent or harming others. Our country was founded on religious liberty and it would be a shame if we passed laws to restrict such practices.
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
Everyone should have some financial accountability when it comes to their own health care. I am preparing a bill that will provide financial incentives for state employees going to a lower cost option that saves that state money.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Agree
IMMIGRATION
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.
Agree
State and federal funds should be denied to any public or private entity, including but not limited to sanctuary cities, that are not in compliance with immigration laws.
Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
We should allow anyone who wants to legally immigrate into this country to come. There are the right ways and wrong ways. This country has set the parameters for immigration and I think those are valid. We are a nation of immigrants and my district has many immigrants whom I am proud to call friends. If we allow people to come into this country illegally we are setting a bad precedent for future immigrants who do it the right way. However, I do believe that people who came to the United States as minors, those called "dreamers," should be allowed a pathway to citizenship.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Disagree
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Agree
I support adding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
Strongly Disagree
Promotion of the LGBT agenda in public schools, including teaching of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity”, is completely inappropriate and should be opposed at the state and local level.
Agree
I support allowing public high school students to participate in athletic competition based on the gender with which they identify instead of biological sex.
Strongly Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I have attended Grace Community Bible Church here in Richmond, Texas since 1994. I have tried to lead a life that is a testament to my beliefs.
ABOUT YOU
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and immigration, which of the following best describes you overall?
Conservative
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
I am a small business owner who has created the business from the ground up. When I was 18 my dad died and had to make a living for my siblings and myself. I started that business then and now I have grown it to 500 employees and 8400 apartment units. I could have never had that success if I wasn't able to make sacrifices and use common sense. I believe government regulations are killing our small businesses and we need to stop that intrusion from happening.
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
My small business success is an easy qualifier for public office. If we have more people who have to live under the laws they create the better we would all be. I know that we need to fix the public education system to make our students work force ready, not just college ready. We need to take some of the regulations away that make owning and operating a business so burdensome.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
Did not answer
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
I support the use of Sharia law as a basis for legislation and judicial decisions in the United States.
Strongly Disagree
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Mandatory minimum sentencing should be required and enforced for violent crimes.
Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
No Answer
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
We have a second amendment right in this country to own guns. As a proud member of the NRA, I like to promote responsible gun ownership. I do not believe that if you are a convicted violent criminal you should have access to firearms, however, for the rest of our citizens I believe owning a gun is a right the government should not infringe upon.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Disagree
The Electoral College should be abolished.
Strongly Disagree
In priority order, what three areas of legislation do you propose to author or sponsor if elected?
Career and Technology Education reform State Retirement and Pensions reform Building and Construction code reform
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Yes, I believe racism is a threat to our nation. I do believe at times people of color do come under greater scrutiny because of their skin color.
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