Wesley Virdell

Republican | Texas

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

Wesley Virdell


Party

Republican


Election Year

2024


Election

Primary


Race

State Rep., Dist. 53


Incumbent

No


Links

Wesley Virdell websites Wesley Virdell emailFacebookX

EDUCATION

Texas Tech, Lubbock

Angelo State University, San Angelo

Universal Technical Institute, Houston, Associates in Occupational Studies, 2000

Community College of The Air Force

WORK & MILITARY

United States Air Force, Staff Sergeant, 6.5

AFFILIATIONS

Gun Owners of America, Texas State Director

POLITICAL OFFICES HELD

(Candidate did not provide)

POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT

(Candidate did not provide)

ENDORSEMENTS*

*These endorsements were received after the deadline and were not considered in the Panel Evaluations and are for additional educational purposes only.
CONSERVATIVE (10)

Texas Right to Life

*Texas Home School Coalition (THSC)

Ken Paxton

Grassroots America: We the People

*Chip Roy

OTHER (2)

Ted Nugent

Texans for True Conservatives (TexasCPAC)

REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (10)

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton

Sid Miller, Commissioner of Agriculture of Texas

Ted Nugent

Texas Right to Life

Llano Tea Party

SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS

CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (6)

Republican Women's Organizations (2023)

Texas Conservative Coalitions (2022)

Trinity Conservative Coalition (2022)

State Republican Party Organizations (2021)

Jennifer Fleck (2020)

RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (7)

Briscoe Cain (2023)

Gary Gates (2023)

Greg Switzer (2023)

Republican Women's Organizations (2023)

Defend Texas Liberty (2022)


OTHER INFORMATION

Candidate completed the Abolish Abortion Texas Candidate Survey  source

QUESTIONNAIRE

RIGHT TO LIFE

Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?

It shouldn't be allowed

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.

Did not answer

Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).

Strongly Agree

I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Strongly Disagree


RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

Under what circumstances can government close churches?

Never. Government has no moral authority to regulate the assembly of anyone.

Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.

Strongly Disagree

Government does not have the authority to regulate who offers what services to anyone. It is a free country and liberty means having to accept that we cannot force others to bow to our will.


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


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.

Regulating healthcare is not a power granted to the federal government. Per the 10th Amendment, anything not granted to the federal government is left up to the people and the states. In my opinion, the reason we have a broken medical system is because Medicaid screwed up insurance plans and it spiraled out of control from there. It's a long story, but government makes everything it touches worse.

Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?

Never. Anyone who forces vaccinations on others is a tyrant. I believe there is a phrase in Latin for tyrants.


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?

I am against minimum wage and it hurts the people it was meant to help.

Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?

No

ESG ratings are the path to communism and must be avoided.


IMMIGRATION

The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.

Strongly Agree

The core purposes of the government are to maintain public infrastructure, provide a justice system, and protect our borders from invaders. The federal government has failed to protect our borders while giving money to our enemies. The federal government has betrayed its citizens.


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

Don't be surprised when you send your kids to Caesar and they come back as Romans.


CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY

I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs.

Did not answer


2ND AMENDMENT

What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?

none

Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?

Yes

The Guardian program is a great program. Uvalde could have used the Guardian program and they didn't. We need to end gun-free zones.


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?

To protect our borders from invaders, maintain public infrastructure, and to provide a justice system.

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?

Very Conservative


VALUES

Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.

Strongly Agree

There is a special place in hell for any adult who does this to children.

Parents should have the right to make decisions for their minor children.

Strongly Agree

So long as they are not causing harm to their children.

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.

Strongly Agree

I have been married for 21 years as of December 27th this year.

Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

Life is a gift from God and we only get one chance to live on this Earth. We should strive to be the best version of ourselves. Competent kids become competent adults. It is our duty to stand up to tyrants who want to force their will on others.


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.

Did not answer


EQUALITY

Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?

Our government perpetuates racism by dividing the people into classifications. There is no justification for government forms or programs to identify people by the color of our skin.

I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.

Strongly Disagree

Critical Race Theory is racist.

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


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.

A and C

What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?

Oil and Natural Gas Thermal Generators

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