Herb Jones
Democrat | Virginia
Candidate Profile*
Liberal
*Additional information appears below for educational purposes; however, only data received prior to the candidate deadline was considered during Panel Evaluation.
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Herb Jones
Party
Democrat
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
U.S. House, Dist. 1
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
WORK & MILITARY
US Army, Full Colonel, 30
AFFILIATIONS
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, NORML
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
New Kent County Treasurer, 12
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
VA 3rd State Senate
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.
LIBERAL (3)
*United Auto Workers
*Indivisible
Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Moms Demand Action, Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (10)
ActBlue (2022)
Bernie Sanders (2016)
Derek W. Kitts (2021)
LGBT Democrats of Virginia (2019)
Local, County, and District Democratic Organizations (2022)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (19)
ActBlue (2022)
Adam Ebbin (2019)
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (2019)
David Marsden (2019)
Deborah Simon (2022)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Disagree
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Choose not to answer
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
I believe that all women should have bodily autonomy and that each woman— along with her doctor and those she may invite into her personal decision-making—is best equipped to manage her healthcare and reproductive decisions, NOT the government.
ECONOMY
Redistribution of income is needed to lessen the gap between the wealthy and working classes.
Disagree
The government should cut spending in order to reduce the national debt.
Disagree
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
The brunt of taxes should not fall upon the middle and lower classes. There is no sense in unjustly taxing these groups of people and making it impossible for them to finance all of their needs.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Neutral
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Agree
What should be the relationship between the church and the state?
It is essential that the church and the state remain separate. We, as a nation, cannot endorse one singular religion and dictate policy based upon it. This goes against our nation's founding principles and ensures that groups are marginalized and made lesser than others.
HEALTHCARE
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Certain vaccine requirements are essential in order to protect the public. However, it is essential that we continue to allow certain exemptions based on religious practices and one's health in relation to a vaccine. Vaccines save lives and have done so for hundreds of years. They are not a political statement nor should they be made into one.
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)Tax-payer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be de-funded.
I believe that healthcare is a human right. I am most aligned with A) in regards to my view on healthcare, however, I recognize that this must be done incrementally in a way that reflects much of what B) states.
NATIONAL SECURITY
With regard to America's foreign policy, which view most closely resembles yours: A) The United States should intervene whenever freedom is threatened. B) The United States should selectively help countries trying to grow democracy and fight tyranny. C) The United States has become too involved in others' policies and should remain focused on issues regarding our own sovereignty unless in imminent danger. D) The United States should stay out of foreign conflicts completely.
I am a proud Army veteran. I defended our great nation for three decades and know that there was great value in my service. However, I do not believe we can continue to start endless wars that cost us millions of dollars and lives.
I support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied territories, remove the separation barrier in the West Bank, allow full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees.
Agree
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
We need to invest in preventative measures for all forms of terrorism, foreign and domestic.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Disagree
State and federal funds shall be denied to any public or private entity, such as a sanctuary city, that is not in compliance with immigration laws.
Disagree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
We must maintain order within our immigration system without leaning towards oppressive measures like walls and family separations. We need to reform our immigration system so that it is possible people to immigrate to the United States both safely and legally and be put on a path towards citizenship.
VALUES
Sexual orientation and gender identity should be protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
Strongly Agree
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Agree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I was raised Catholic and received Catholic schooling throughout my childhood.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Agree
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
We need to protect the right to vote for marginalized communities across our country. We cannot continue to allow rampant voter suppression.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Disagree
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Absolutely, racism is a threat to domestic security in the United States. We have had a serious and dangerous influx in incidents of domestic terrorism, many of which have been rooted in racism and cost minority communities their lives.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Disagree
Which comes closest to your view? A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost.
Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost. If we invest and invest properly, more jobs will be created in the clean energy sector.
ABOUT YOU
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?
Liberal
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/herb-jones-announces-run-against-rep-rob-wittman-in-1st-district/article_3c300558-3b66-50c2-a21f-8655ca9dcf76.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/05/18/three-things-watch-virginia/
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No.
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
Growing up in a large family in rural America, it was less a choice for me to adopt a strong work ethic and commitment to the community and more a fact of life. This led me to enlist in the United States Army and bravely defend our democracy. In my 30 years of service, I completed two tours of Iraq following the attacks on 9/11. I was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for heroic achievement and was honorably discharged in 2012 with the rank of Full-Bird Colonel. Upon entering civilian life, I was elected as New Kent county treasurer, promoting community prosperity and ensuring no one was left behind economically. A proud family man, I am thrilled to currently serve as the co-founder of a small business with one of his brothers. My wife Yvonne, a retired lifelong educator, and I are residents of New Kent County and are proud parents and grandparents. I am grateful for her support as I run to bring real representation to the First District. I'll do this by focusing on our economy. Gas, prescription drugs, and education costs are at an all-time high. We need to cut these prices so that everyone can afford the medications they need, the education they desire, and provide for their families. This won’t be done by allowing billion-dollar corporations to dictate policy. I’m ready to stand up for the people of Virginia and explain to the career politicians in Washington how badly our wallets are hurting right now. I’ll start by voting for the very protections against gas price gouging that my opponent voted no on. I will prioritize healthcare because every American deserves access to high-quality and affordable healthcare. This means expanding and increasing the funding of the VA for our nation’s veterans. This means supporting mental health care initiatives and investing in addiction treatment programs. And this means ensuring that citizens in rural communities do not have to travel multiple hours to visit a general practitioner. And I will commit myself to integrity. I have spent my entire life defending our nation’s democracy and will continue to fight for the people in Congress. My vote is not for sale. I will not get rich off the backs of hardworking Virginians.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Strongly Disagree
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Neutral
We must provide first responders and metal health/community programs with the funds that they need to operate most successively. It is not mutually exclusive.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
During my time overseas, I handled automatic weapons designed to wage and win wars. Because of this, I know these weapons do not belong in the hands of civilians. I proudly defended our Constitution, including the 2nd Amendment, while serving. My wife and I are gun owners to this day. However, I firmly believe we need common-sense gun laws. We need background checks and red flag laws. We need to protect our communities and we need to do it now. I do not want to see any more children lose their lives at the hands of greedy politicians who prefer to cash in checks from the gun lobby than protect the next generation of Americans. Gun safety is not a political issue; it is a commonsense issue. Far too many people are impacted by gun violence, gun-related suicides, and gun-related accidents. This must be addressed by our leaders in Washington and when elected I will fight for immediate and meaningful reform, including mandatory background checks, implementing red flag laws, and ending the gun show loophole.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Agree
