Jeremy Shaffer
Republican | Pennsylvania
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
Jeremy Shaffer
Party
Republican
Election Year
2024
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 28
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, B.A., 1999
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, MBA, 2016
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, MS, Ph.D., 2006
WORK & MILITARY
InspectTech, President / Co-Founder, 10
Bentley Systems, Vice President, 11
AFFILIATIONS
Church, Deacon and Elder, Northland Library Foundation
Board Member, Pittsburgh Assoc. for Bridge Construction & Design, Board Member
Walk/Bike Ross Township, Founder, Friends of the Riverfront
Member, W. PA Association of Township Commissioners, Board Member
Northern Tier Library, Board Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Ross Township Commissioner, 7
Ross Township President (Board of Commissioners), 2
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
Previous Races
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)
National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF
Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry PAC
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Pennsylvania
*Gun Owners of America Pennsylvania
OTHER (1)
Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania (AFP-PA)
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Beaver County Sheriff Tony Guy; Butler County Sheriff Mike Slupe; PA Chamber of Business; NFIB Small Business Association; State Rep. Rob Mercuri; Joe Rockey
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (25)
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2024)
Erin Autenreith (2023)
State Republican Party Organizations (2023)
Bob Healey (2022)
Firearm Owners Against Crime (2022)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (121)
Family PAC (2024)
Timothy O'Neal (2024)
Adrian Smith (2022)
America's First PAC (2022)
American Grit PAC (2022)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
I would favor clearly defined regulations and broad policies to encourage a culture of life, including support for parents dealing with unwanted pregnancies. This would include an end to the lax enforcement of child support laws which have allowed too many fathers to abandon their obligation to provide for their children.
Chemical abortion drugs should meet essential safety standards (such as in-person consultation with a medical doctor) and require reporting to gather evidence on reactions and outcomes.
Agree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Agree
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Choose not to answer
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
What is your position on the minimum wage?
A basic minimum wage is fine and often needed to prevent abuse. However, we need to appreciate that if we set the minimum wage too high we are limiting the opportunity for entry-level (such as teenagers) job seekers to gain experience.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
No
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
I do not see a reason that government should be closing a church. Religious freedom is a key right that our country was founded on.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Choose not to answer
HEALTHCARE
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) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.
I would most closely support C) -- but defining exactly what and who Medicaid and Medicare cover are important.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
In general, I think this should be left to individual choice. I could see situations such as with the military where requiring vaccinations against a potential biological weapon may be necessary.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Yes, very much. Israel is our key ally and democracy in the Middle East.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
One of the core responsibilities of a country is to provide for the common defense. This includes having a secure border and controlling the flow of people and illegal drugs/goods coming in.
EDUCATION
The state should fund education by allowing dollars to follow the child through programs which protect parents' freedom to choose their child's school – public, private, or homeschool.
Strongly Agree
VALUES
Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
Strongly Agree
Parents should have the right to make decisions for their minor children.
Strongly Agree
Taxpayer funds should be used to provide gender transition services.
Strongly Disagree
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Choose not to answer
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian and have been active in the churches I have attended. I have served in roles from being a Bible Study teacher to Deacon to also an Elder.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant.
Strongly Disagree
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism is a wrong and we should work to have a society that sees the intrinsic worth of an individual separate from skin color, ability, or other outward characteristics.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.
Strongly Agree
We should show love, kindness, and respect to all individuals. However, there is both a fairness and safety perspective that needs to be evaluated when allowing biological males to compete in female sporting events For example, my wife was a Division 1 All-American in Track and Field... there are such major anatomical differences between males/females even her as one of the 8 fastest American collegiate runners in her event wouldn't even be in the top 100 if ranked against males.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? (Select all that apply) A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost. C) Stricter environmental laws undermine U.S. energy independence and deter development of reliable electricity sources. D) Climate change is real and requires urgent policy action.
C
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
We need a reliable base load energy source. Currently the most cost effective to do this would be a combination of Natural Gas and Nuclear.
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
No
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
No
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
I think our Declaration of Independence says it well: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"
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?
Conservative
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs.
Strongly Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
In the U.S. and in PA people have a Federal and State Constitutional right to own firearms. There is a high bar to deny this right. One such situation would be for those who have been convicted of violent crimes or are a proven threat to themselves or others.
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Choose not to answer
