

Jim Banks
Republican | Indiana
Candidate Profile*
Verified Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Jim Banks
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
General
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist. 3
Incumbent
Yes
EDUCATION
Columbia City High School, Columbia City, IN, HS Diploma, 1997
Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, B.A., 2002
Grace College and Seminary, Winona Lake, IN, M.B.A., 2013
WORK & MILITARY
U.S. Naval Reserve, Lieutenant, 2012-present
Bradley Company, Commercial Real Estate Broker, 2013-2016
The Hagerman Group, Director of Business Development, 2008-2013
AFFILIATIONS
Allen County Right to Life, Past Board Member
Columbia City Rotary, Past President
Columbia City Gideons
Whitley County Republican Party, Past Chairman
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Indiana State Senator, 2011-2016
Whitley County Councilman, 2009-2010
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
ENDORSEMENTS*
CONSERVATIVE (8)
Campaign for Working Families; Combat Veterans For Congress; Donald Trump; *Family Research Council Action PAC; Indiana Right to Life
OTHER (2)
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Indiana; *SEAL PAC
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (29)
Aiming Higher PAC (2010); Alan Morrison (2016); Building a National Knowledgeable Security PAC (2017); Club for Growth (2016); College Republican National Committee (2010)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (69)
American Principles (2019); American Victory PAC (2016); Brandt Hershman (2019); Campaign for Working Families (2016); Charlie Dent (2018)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (6)
American Maritime Officers (2020); International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (2010); International Association of Firefighters (includes national, state & local affiliates) (2014); International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (2011); National Air Traffic Controllers Association (2020)
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
I support the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which requires health care providers to provide life-saving treatment for infants who survive an attempted abortion.
Strongly Agree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Life of the mother
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.
Strongly 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?
The government shall not infringe on the religious freedoms of any American citizen.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Strongly Agree
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of radical Islamic terrorism?
We should fight radical Islamic terrorism abroad rather than allow another 9/11 to occur on US soil.
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Strongly Disagree
I support the elimination of private healthcare insurance.
Strongly Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
Repeal Obamacare and replace with free market principles that create competition and drive down costs.
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
How would you guarantee Social Security benefits for future generations?
There are simple reforms we can make to social security today that will guarantee its solvency for future generations but it will take political courage to get there. I chaired the Republican Study Committee's Budget and Spending Taskforce and we included many of these reforms in our FY20 and FY21 budget plans that would not impact seniors but make necessary reforms to protect social security for my generation and later generations.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
This Congress I introduced 14 percent across the board spending cuts to 8 separate areas of the budget in the most recently passed FY20 spending package that cut all areas of the federal budget except for anything affecting defense spending.
Under what circumstances should taxpayers help pay off existing student loans?
Military service or for national security interests
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.
Strongly Agree
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should be abolished.
Strongly Disagree
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.
Strongly Agree
Employers should be required to use E-verify to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Those who go through the legal process.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Disagree
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Mandatory minimum sentencing should be required and enforced for violent crimes.
Strongly Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
We don't need new gun laws. We simply need to enforce our existing gun laws.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
I support BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanction) against Israel if they refuse to allow the creation of a Palestinian state.
Strongly Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Strongly Disagree
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly 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?
Pro-life, pro-national defense and protections for religious liberty.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Yes, racism is a threat to our domestic security and as a society we should address it and root it out.
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?
Very Conservative
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
My voting record speaks for itself
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?
I am proud of my conservative voting record and look forward to fighting for our conservative values in Congress for another term.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
I support adding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
Strongly Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Evangelical Christian
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