Jason Lewis
Republican | Minnesota
Candidate Profile
Verified Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Jason Lewis
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
Primary
Race
U.S. Senator
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Colorado - Denver, Denver, Masters of Arts - Political Science
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Bachelor of Arts - Business/Education
WORK & MILITARY
(Candidate did not provide)
AFFILIATIONS
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
U.S. Congressman, 2017-2019
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
U.S. Congress, 2016
U.S. Congress, 2018
Race
Previous Races
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
2017-18
100%
2017-18
100%, 100% (cum.)â€
2018
100%
2017-2018
100%
2017-18
100%
2017-18
A
2017-18
93%
2018
89%
2018
93%, 89% (cum.)â€
2017-18
88%
2018
83%, 86% (cum.)â€
2018
84% (cum.)â€
2018
74%, 78% (cum.)â€
2017-18
68%, 68% (cum.)â€
2017-18
|100%
2017-18
|100%, 100% (cum.)â€
2018
|100%
2017-2018
|100%
2017-18
|100%
2017-18
|A
2017-18
|93%
2018
|89%
2018
|93%, 89% (cum.)â€
2017-18
|88%
2018
|83%, 86% (cum.)â€
2018
|84% (cum.)â€
2018
|74%, 78% (cum.)â€
2017-18
|68%, 68% (cum.)â€
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
2018
25%
2018
D
2019
23%
2017
18%, 18% (cum.)â€
2017-18
18%
2017-18
17%
2017-18
9%
2018
10%, 5% (cum.)â€
2017
0%, 0% (cum.)â€
2017
0%
2017-18
0%
2018
0%, 0% (cum.)â€
2018
0%
2018
0%
2017
0%
2018
0%
2018
|25%
2018
|D
2019
|23%
2017
|18%, 18% (cum.)â€
2017-18
|18%
2017-18
|17%
2018
|10%, 5% (cum.)â€
2017
|0%, 0% (cum.)â€
2017
|0%
2017-18
|0%
2018
|0%, 0% (cum.)â€
2018
|0%
2017
|0%
2018
|0%
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (3)
Citizens United Political Victory Fund
Donald Trump
Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life
OTHER (1)
Republican Party of Minnesota
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (6)
President Donald J. Trump
Republican Party of Minnesota
Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life
Congressman Tom Emmer
Congressman Pete Stauber
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (6)
Club for Growth (2018)
Karen Handel (2017)
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2017)
National Republican Congressional Committee (2018)
State Republican Party Organizations (2019)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (136)
Abraham Lincoln PAC (2018)
Adam Kinzinger (2017)
American Legacy PAC (2017)
Andrew & Simona Beal (2018)
Ann PAC (2018)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (10)
Airline Pilots Association (2018)
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (2017)
American Maritime Officers (2018)
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (2017)
International Union of Operating Engineers (2018)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
iVoterGuide Notes:
"The unborn baby is the most vulnerable member of society and deserves our protection. I am proud to say I stand for life."
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds or grants from federal, state, or local governments.
Strongly Agree
iVoterGuide Notes:
"I'll make Hyde Amendment permanent and end taxpayer money to this renegade group [Planned Parenthood]."
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
iVoterGuide Notes:
Lewis supports the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act and believes that not supporting this idea is "infanticide". Lewis is endorsed by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL).
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
When in Congress, I had a 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee. I am pro-life and believe we must do all we can to protect the unborn. Abortion should only be considered in cases of rape, incest, or when the health of the mother is in question.
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?
The best way to guarantee Social Security benefits is through economic growth so that payroll tax revenue continues to stream in. We also need to get a handle on other entitlement programs, such as Medicaid, which would allow more funds to be available for Social Security. Entitlement reform is something we did when I served on the Budget Committee in Congress and I look forward to continuing that effort in the Senate.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
Across the board spending reductions are the only way we will make significant progress towards balancing the budget. This needs to be a true shared sacrifice. Pitting people and special interests against each other inevitably results in more spending, not less.
Under what circumstances should taxpayers help pay off existing student loans?
There are no circumstances in which taxpayers should bear the burden of defaulted student loans, but currently they do. Colleges have no incentive to make sure students graduate with gainful employment. This is not right. While in Congress, I sponsored legislation that would make colleges have skin in the game so if somebody didn't pay off their loans, the college would bear the responsibility.
iVoterGuide Notes:
Lewis does not agree with taxpayers relieving the student debt and thinks it would be a "bad deal for the taxpayers". He says, "We need more competition in higher education and a greater emphasis on less expensive vocational and tech training essential to many of our young students looking for gainful employment."
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
iVoterGuide Notes:
Lewis stands by the Masterpiece v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission and agrees that "forcing a baker to design and create a cake at odds with his Christian beliefs is clearly a violation of the free exercise of religion". He believes that a case such as this "stood up for the First Amendment and religious expression".
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?
People often interpret the meaning of "separation of church and state" incorrectly. Our founders were not trying to ban religion. In fact it was the opposite. They believed we should be welcoming to every person of faith, not antagonistic to all people of faith. As I said in an op-ed linked here, I believe the proper relationship between church and state ought to be simple: a particular religion should never become the policy of state and the state must never interfere with the free exercise of religion. https://alphanewsmn.com/rep-jason-lewis-scotus-masterpiece-cakeshop-ruling-cuts-to-the-core-of-free-expression-and-religious-liberty/
iVoterGuide Notes:
"I believe the proper relationship between church and state ought to be simple: a particular religion should never become the policy of state and the state must never interfere with the free exercise of religion."
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
iVoterGuide Notes:
Lewis promotes the competition introduced by maintaining private healthcare insurance. "To promote competition, Lewis also would allow consumers to buy insurance across state lines and change tax laws to make insurance policies more portable."
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
When in Congress, I voted for the American Health Care Act (AHCA) which would have reduced premiums, covered the hard to insure with invisible risk pools, and provided more community women's health clinics so women would have an alternative to Planned Parenthood. This is the kind of healthcare reform we need that would ensure good coverage is affordable and accessible for all.
iVoterGuide Notes:
Lewis' plan for Minnesota healthcare coverage includes the following: "Allow pre-tax dollars for all health care expenses on the individual market, finally equaling the tax treatment with employer-based coverage; continue the Trump administration's reform efforts by making small business 'association pools' and inexpensive shorter-term plans permanent; lower the cost of delivery through new technologies; end the spiraling premium costs for preexisting conditions by establishing invisible pools for the hard-to-insure; and require pharmaceutical benefits managers' rebates to be passed on to consumers and allow treatments for chronic conditions to be covered as preventive [and] encourage quicker development of generics and biosimilars by ending the pharmaceutical practice of 'evergreening' expiring patents."
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?
The key to eradicating the threat of radical Islamic terrorism is maintaining military strength.
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
iVoterGuide Notes:
"You have to secure the border, yes, with a wall and more personnel and more infrastructure."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should be abolished.
Strongly Disagree
iVoterGuide Notes:
"ICE agents deserve our support."
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
iVoterGuide Notes:
"The Federal government should have every right to withold grants to sanctuary cities. Sanctuary cities make us all less safe, giving them billions in taxpayer funded grants only encourages this lawless behavior!"
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?
I believe we need to move to a merit-based system based on the skills the U.S. needs.
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.
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.
The most important value, the one that undergirds our society, is that our liberty comes from God and not another man. That is at the basis of everything I believe. I was raised Roman Catholic and have a strong belief in the Almighty.
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
iVoterGuide Notes:
Lewis is a conservative.
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
Nearly every congressional rating service had me rated as one of the most conservative members from Minnesota to serve in Washington. From pro-life to fiscal responsibility, I have been a consistent champion for the conservative cause.
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?
In Congress, I was honored to help pass historic tax cuts and regulatory reform to improve the nation’s economy and spur jobs and wages. While serving on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I focused on robust infrastructure development while working to reform the Met Council to ensure they have locally elected members on their boards just like other planning agencies. I was also a part of landmark Career and Technical Education (CTE) legislation passed with my amendment supporting dual-enrollment opportunities for students to get a jump start on their careers. And, possibly most importantly, I am proud of my 100% pro-life voting record and the work we did to make the Hyde Amendment permanent. We need leadership that isn't totally consumed by reelection, but instead consumed with truly making a difference.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Mandatory minimum sentencing should be required and enforced for violent crimes.
Strongly Agree
iVoterGuide Notes:
Lewis co-sponsored the Safe, Accountability, Fair and Effective (SAFE) Justice Act, "[aimed] to improve sentencing and probation policies and to invest more in crime prevention". The SAFE Act "would focus use of mandatory minimum sentences on leaders and supervisors of drug trafficking organizations and save prison space for violent career criminals...".
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
We have all the restrictions and laws we need. I would not support any further restrictions at the federal level. Our Second Amendment rights must be protected.
iVoterGuide Notes:
"There are reasonable steps we can take to strengthen background checks and make certain those with mental illness get the treatment they need without repealing the inherent right of self-defense our Constiturion safeguards."
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?
My top priorities in the Senate would be reforming healthcare by finishing the job we started with the American Health Care Act, civil service reform, and making certain that the best judicial candidates are vetted in the Senate.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism has been and still is a problem, but it is not the chief threat to security within the United States. Real progress could be made on the issue through topics like juvenile justice reform, which I worked on while in Congress and my bill was signed into law by President Donald Trump. Equal protection under the law is sacrosanct, and we should make sure it is enforced.
