

Sarah Lightner
Leans Conservative
Public data suggests commitment to the principles of limited government, free enterprise, and traditional American Values, such as the Right to Life, Religious Liberty, and personal responsibility but also holds to some positions contrary to those principles.
BIOGRAPHY
EDUCATION
Lansing Community College, Lansing, Paralegal Program
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Judiciary Chairwoman, 2025-current
FFA Alumni & Boosters
Farm Bureau Young Farmers
Co-Chair -Women's Commission
Legislative Sportsman Caucus Co Chair
Minority Vice Chair of Appropriations, 2023-2024
Jackson County Fair Board, current member and past chairwoman
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
MI State Representative, 2019-
Jackson County Commissioner, 2013-2018
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
State Representative-45th House District
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
2023-2024
89%
2025
94%, 85%†
2022
25%
2023-2024
|89%
2025
|94%, 85%†
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
2025-2026
0%, 35% (cum.)†
2023-2024
25%
2025
0%
2021-2022
0%
2025-2026
|0%, 35% (cum.)†
2023-2024
|25%
2025
|0%
2021-2022
|0%
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (6)
National Rifle Association NRA-PVF
Citizens for Traditional Values
Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Michigan
Right to Life of Michigan PLM-PAC
OTHER (7)
Michigan Corn Growers Association Friends of Corn PAC
Michigan Farm Bureau AgriPAC
Small Business Association of Michigan Small Biz PAC
Michigan Manufacturers Association
Detroit Regional Chamber PAC
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (9)
State Republican Party Organizations (2026)
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2024)
Kathy Schmaltz (2022)
Green Thumb Leadership (2021)
Bollin For Michigan (2020)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (41)
Frankenmuth PAC (2026)
Michigan Chamber of Commerce (2026)
National Federation of Independent Business (2026)
Art Kale (2024)
Southwest Michigan First (2024)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (6)
International Union of Operating Engineers (2026)
Michigan Association for Justice (2025)
Service Employees International Union (2024)
Business Leaders for Michigan (2022)
Laborers International Union of N. America (national, state & local) (2022)
OTHER INFORMATION
Sarah Lightner completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection Survey in 2022.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Agree
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
The people of Michigan have spoken and choose to allow abortion for any reason. I believe that we should have tight guidelines on the medical procedures to ensure the safety of the individuals affected.
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Strongly Agree
The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.
Agree
The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.
Agree
The Comstock Act has been invalidated and repealed by provisions related to contraception. This is a legal issue that is going to be decided again in court. Numerous civil suits exist against providers sending these drugs to out of state patients.
ECONOMY
What is your position on the minimum wage?
Businesses that want to keep employees pay their employees and treat them well. Businesses should not be mandated to pay a certain wage, especially when you have starter jobs because it just drives up costs and consumer prices.
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Agree
List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.
We can focus on education, public safety, healthcare all without raising taxes. We have removed the vacant FTE positions in individual budgets. There are more to cut without cutting services. We can just refocus and reprioritize our spending. We significantly decreased special project funding(Pork projects) and there is more to cut. Oversight with individual departments will also help us eliminate waste, knowing what works and what doesn't.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
To me, it means the government will not declare a certain religion on me.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
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.
Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available to those who need it and can't afford it privately. Private healthcare options should always be available to those who choose to buy it.
The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.
Strongly Disagree
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?
Israel is small but mighty due to their intelligence and location to the middle east.
IMMIGRATION
I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.
Strongly Disagree
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Agree
This would help eliminate waste at the federal level and give the states more authority to get back to the basics.
Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.
Strongly Agree
Foreign governments should also be prohibited from funding American elections as well.
VALUES
Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child's health and educational well-being.
Agree
Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.
Agree
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Neutral
I have grown up with people who loved each other and spent their lives together, they were some of my parents friends. I believe MY marriage is between me and my husband. I am just one to not throw out my orientation publicly and would like people to not throw theirs in my face.
I support the expansion of gambling in my state.
Disagree
I think we have plenty of options in Michigan. With the expansion to online and mobile apps, gambling doesn't need to be expanded.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a conservative Christian. We are members of Springport Bible Church and believe the bible to be true. We try to live life the best we can and just be a decent human, who Christ died for, and hope we get to heaven when we leave this earth.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Agree
Photo ID is a commonsense requirement to vote.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Did not answer
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
Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.
Did not answer
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Nuclear Energy
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?
Conservative
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
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
What should be the goal of the criminal justice system?
We need to ensure public safety and criminals should be penalized for their crimes. We need to enforce the laws and penalties on the books and stop make excuses for people committing crimes.
Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.
Agree
Sharia law should not be accepted or incorporated in any form within the legal framework of the United States.
Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Tighter gun restrictions do nothing to stop criminals from getting firearms. We already have plenty of gun laws that are a burden for law abiding citizens.
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