John Szoka
Republican | North Carolina
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
John Szoka
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 45
Incumbent
Yes
Links
EDUCATION
University of Texas, Austin, Texas, MS, 1985
United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, BS, 1976
WORK & MILITARY
United States Army, LTC(ret.), 20
AFFILIATIONS
Better Business Bureau of Coastal Carolina, Director, Board of Directors, The Church of The Apostles
Treasurer, Board Chairman, Ruritan Club, member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
State Representative, 8
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
Previous Races
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
2013
100%
2020
100%
2018
90%
2020
88%
2019
76%, 84% (cum.)†
2013
|100%
2020
|100%
2020
|88%
2019
|76%, 84% (cum.)†
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
2019
50%, 10% (cum.)†
2017-2018
0%
2019
|50%, 10% (cum.)†
2017-2018
|0%
ENDORSEMENTS*
*These endorsements were received after the deadline and were not considered in the Panel Evaluations and are for additional educational purposes only.
CONSERVATIVE (2)
*National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF
North Carolina Values Coalition
OTHER (3)
Americans for Prosperity Action
*North Carolina Police Benevolent Association
*North Carolina Troopers Association
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (21)
Brian Brown (2014)
Charles Jeter (2014)
Chris Millis (2014)
Committee to Elect Republican Women (2019)
Dan Crenshaw (2020)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (16)
Edgar V. Starnes (2018)
George Cleveland (2010)
Harold Brubaker (2010)
Jeff Collins (2012)
Justin Burr (2012)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (2)
American Nurses Association (2018)
Service Employees International Union (2014)
OTHER INFORMATION
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
If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, North Carolina should repeal its law allowing abortion up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Strongly Agree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Rape and incest.
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
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?
Separation of church and state as envisioned by the founding fathers meant that there should be no single, state established and approved religion like England had during the 1700's. I adhere to the original definition as envisioned by the founding fathers.
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
Free markets can generally provide the lowest cost solution to most problems. The biggest issue with healthcare coverage is that there has been so much government intervention, and so many mandates, that the market is grossly distorted. We need to make it easier for health care providers to focus on patients and not on filling out reams of paperwork. To the extent possible in state law, I have worked to do just that and will continue to do so. A good example of this is the recent passage of Medicaid Transformation (transformation NOT expansion), the sole purpose of which is to get providers, insurers and patients all working towards the same goal, the health of the patient, while saving taxpayers millions of dollars.
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, sheriff and local law enforcement agencies should be required to participate in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 287(g) Program to enhance the safety and security of their communities to identify and detain aliens.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Immigration has always been a major part of the strength of our country. I vividly remember the stories my grandparents, who all immigrated to the US in the 1890's, told of the "old country". Stories of repression, hopelessness and poverty. People who desire to share in the prosperity and opportunity of the greatest country in the world need to achieve their dreams the same way that millions before them have --- legally. We need to welcome the most talented people in the world who wish to legally immigrate to the US. And once here, immigrants need to be encouraged to rapidly assimilate into our culture.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
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.
Disagree
I support allowing public high school students to participate in athletic competition based on the gender with which they identify instead of biological sex.
Strongly Disagree
Parents should have the right to know what schools are teaching their children about sex and LGBT issues and should have the right to opt their children out of any instruction to which they object.
Strongly Agree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic** church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. **catholic meaning God's one universal church
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?
Conservative
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
My voting record is the best way to validate my conservatism. Look to my consistent voting to lower taxes, reduce burdensome regulations and promote policies to keep energy costs low. I voted for the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
I served as a career Army officer serving my country for four years at West Point and over twenty years of active service in the regular Army. I've started four successful businesses since retiring from the Army. The most recent business is a manufacturing company. I jointly hold two patents from inventions in this business. Education and experience are important but the greatest qualification is one for which no degrees are given and for which there are no objective criteria; and that is, do you really care about people. I do. My goal as an elected official is to help the people in my district and in the whole State of North Carolina. A few examples. My personal cell phone number is listed on the state website-I want to be accessible to the people I represent. I cross party lines to work with anyone who has good ideas. I understand that my job as an elected official is to work FOR THE PEOPLE.
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?
Did not answer
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
I support the use of Sharia law as a basis for legislation and judicial decisions in the United States.
Strongly Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Law abiding citizens are allowed full rights under the second amendment to the constitution to purchase guns and ammunition.The only logical requirement for purchasing a gun is a background check to insure that guns are not knowingly sold to felons and/or people with known and proven severe mental conditions that make them a threat to others.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
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 focus has been, and continues to be, jobs and the economy. We continue to grow our economy and encourage free markets by keeping taxes low, reducing burdensome regulations on businesses, families and farmers and by insuring we keep energy costs low. As Senior Finance Chairman, I have been personally involved with, and been primary sponsor of, almost every tax reduction and simplification bill since 2013. In 2017 I was the primary sponsor and leading proponent of HB 589 Competitive Energy Solutions for North Carolina. This is the most significant energy legislation passed in North Carolina in the last 10 years and totally revamps the way solar energy, now the lowest cost source of energy in NC, is brought onto the grid, with estimated ratepayer savings of $850M over the next 10 years, using free market principles.
