Steven V. Oroho
Republican | New Jersey
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
Steven V. Oroho
Party
Republican
Election Year
2021
Election
Republican Primary
Race
Senate Dist. 24
Incumbent
Yes
Links
EDUCATION
St. Francis University, Loretto, PA, BS, 1980
WORK & MILITARY
(Candidate did not provide)
AFFILIATIONS
Immaculate Conception Church, Lector, Knights of Columbus
4th Degree, Sussex County Republican Committee, former elected county committeeman
Birth Haven
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Sussex County Freeholder, 2005-08
Franklin Borough Councilman, 2001-06
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
2019
100%
2018-19
92%
2019
68%, 87% (cum.)†
2018-19
|92%
2019
|68%, 87% (cum.)†
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
2019
|35%, 34% (cum.)†
ENDORSEMENTS
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (2)
NJ Right to Life State PAC
NJ Outdoor Alliance
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (3)
Chris Christie (2015)
Scott Garrett (NJ) (2006)
State Republican Party Organizations (2020)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (1)
National Republican Congressional Committee (2017)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE*
*Additional information was received after the evaluation was assigned and was not considered in the Panel Evaluations, therefore it is for additional educational purposes only.
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 begins at conception. I pray that morally, culturally, and legally we move to a society where abortion is no longer an alternative to life. As a believer in Jesus Christ, a father of five, a grandfather of eight, and a legislator, I will do my part to make abortion on demand a relic of the past.
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?
I would cut funding to Planned Parenthood and other family planning as well as the Office of New Americans which spends state tax dollars to defend illegal immigrants in federal proceedings. I served as co-chair of the Economic and Fiscal Policy Workgroup, which included policy experts. We developed a “Path to Progress” report which offered recommendations to make all levels of government more affordable by addressing unsustainable public employee pension and benefit costs.
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
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.
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 affairs of the state should not interfere with our religious freedom. Nor should legislators forget the immortal words of John Adams that "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Strongly Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
I support making all health saving account exempt from the NJ State Income Tax. I support repealing NJ's individual mandate requirement and NJ's new health care tax. I support repealing mandates that drive up the costs of health care and allow New Jersey consumers to purchase plans across state lines. In addition, I support the "Volunteer Medical Professional Health Care Act" which would provide lower medical malpractice insurance costs for doctors who perform at least 4 hours of free volunteer service a week. Once implemented this would be an alternative to costly "non-emergent" emergency room visits and Medicaid insurance for doctor visits.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Strongly 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.
Strongly 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.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
We are a country of immigrants, but we are a nation of laws. American citizens, both born and naturalized, along with legal resident aliens must be shown the respect that they deserve by requiring each and every person who desires to reside in our nation do so through the legal immigration process and properly vetted. America is the land of opportunity, but we have a finite number of jobs, a finite number of educational institutes, and a finite amount of space and housing and our legal immigration system needs to reflect that reality.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Disagree
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality that 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.
I am a devoted Catholic, educated at a Catholic university (St. Francis University in PA), and am a long-time member of the Knights of Columbus (4th Degree).
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.
I am a sponsor of the "Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act" which bans abortion 20 weeks or more after fertilization, "New Jersey Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act," Require physicians to provide obstetrical ultrasound or sonogram within 48 hours of performing abortion, and parental notification for all medical procedures on a minor. I opposed funding for Planned Parenthood and am leading the fight against the so-called Reproductive Freedom Act. I am the sponsor of the "Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act" which requires Internet-connected devices to render any obscene material inaccessible. I sponsor legislation to defund sanctuary cities and mandate E-verify. I opposed giving driver's licenses and occupational licenses to illegals. I opposed mandates to start having kids as young as 5 being taught about gays, transgenderism, and other sexual content. Groups like the Tax Foundation have recognized my work to lower the tax burden in New Jersey.
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
I am the only Certified Public Accountant in the legislature. I have extensive experience in the finance departments of Price Waterhouse, W.R. Grace, as well as Young and Rubicam where I held the position of Senior Vice President of Finance. I serve as the Senate Republican Budget Officer. I have a particular interest in budgetary and economic development issues. I have helped craft almost every major tax reform issue enacted in New Jersey over the past decade.
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 have been married to my wife Rita for almost 41 years. We have three adult sons and two adult daughters as well as eight grandchildren. Two of my sons served in the Army - one as an officer in the Army Rangers and his wife is currently an Army Captain, and my younger brother is an Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot who has been deployed all over the world. Helping our military and our veterans of all ages is not just "part of the job" of being an effective legislator, it is personal for me.
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.
Strongly Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
The Second Amendment is an individual right and I do not support restrictions on this right to law-abiding Americans. New Jersey has some of the most draconian gun control laws in America. I am not only fighting Governor Murphy's efforts to further erode our Second Amendment rights, I am advocating for reforms such as shall-issue concealed carry and streamlining how New Jersey implements duplicative and time-consuming background checks, waiting periods, and paperwork requirements.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
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?
If re-elected, I will continue to focus actually on the big four - lowering taxes and reducing spending; promoting a culture and of life and defending family values; ensuring New Jersey isn't a "sanctuary state" and protecting our jobs from illegal immigration and the underground economy; and promoting the Second Amendment.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism is abhorrent and is unChristian and unAmerican. We have come a long way in race relations since I was a boy. America is not perfect, but it is the best country in the world. Instead of working together to better the country, liberals have created the cancel culture, the defund the police movement, ANTIFA, and other leftist groups trying to destroy the Constitution and the social fabric that keeps us together. There are threats to domestic security coming from various political ideologies. We must severely punish those who commit acts of terror.
