Sarah Lightner
Republican | Michigan
Candidate Profile*
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Sarah Lightner
Party
Republican
Election Year
2024
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 45
Incumbent
Yes
Links
EDUCATION
Lansing Community College, Lansing, Paralegal Program
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Minority Vice Chair-Appropriations, Co-Chair -Women's Commission, Legislative Sportsman Caucus Co Chair
FFA Alumni & Boosters
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
MI State Representative, 2019-current
Jackson County Commissioner, 2013-2018
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
ENDORSEMENTS*
CONSERVATIVE (5)
National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF; Right to Life of Michigan; *Citizens for Traditional Values-Michigan; Michigan Right to Life PAC; Michigan Freedom Network
OTHER (5)
Great Lakes Education Project; Michigan Corn Growers Association Friends of Corn PAC; Michigan Farm Bureau AgriPAC; Michigan Chamber of Commerce; Michigan Realtors PAC- RPAC
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (10)
Michigan Farm Bureau-AGRI PAC; MI Corn Growers; Small Business Association of Michigan; Michigan Chamber of Commerce; Right to Life of Michigan
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (7)
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2024); State Republican Party Organizations (2024); Green Thumb Leadership (2021); Ann Bollin (2020); Chatfield Majority Fund (2020)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (40)
Farrington Leadership Fund (2023); Michigan Chamber of Commerce (2023); National Federation of Independent Business (2023); Advancing Michigan (2022); Compete Michigan PAC (2022)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (5)
Service Employees International Union (2024); Business Leaders for Michigan (2022); Laborers International Union of North America (includes national, state & local affiliates) (2022); Michigan Association for Justice (2021); American Association of School Administrators (2019)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Everyone's circumstances are different. The people of Michigan voted on this issue in the last cycle and the opportunity to have an abortion is now in our Constitution.
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.
Strongly Agree
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.
Disagree
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
I do not believe that the government should have the authority to close churches. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government closed churches for a while and then, people finally stood up to them. They chose to bring God back into their lives and assembled for religious purposes, which I thought was really needed. People needed hope and support during that crisis, as they do in every-day life, and the freedom to assemble as a church congregation is a sacred aspect of faith.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
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?
Yes! Israel has been a long-term strategic partner and ally to the United States in the Middle East since its inception. It is paramount that we maintain this relationship, especially as they battle Hamas and other terrorists.
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 believe the legislature should do all it can to ease the pressure of healthcare costs on Michiganders. I am open to exploratory conversations on this topic, as long as they're grounded in data and a common-sense approach. The problems facing the American healthcare system stem from a combination of market failures and bureaucratic stagnation. It will take a multifaceted approach to adequately address these issues, none of which require the cutting of Medicaid or Medicare.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
I do not believe that vaccinations should be required by any authority or under any circumstance, especially as a requirement of employment or school attendance.
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?
Dramatic increases to minimum wage requirements ultimately increase the cost of living for all. Such a mandate forces business to pass the additional cost on to consumers and drives up prices.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
No
These practices are very short sighted, so it is important that traditional considerations are prioritized. Standards change depending on particular administrations and ever-evolving science, so it is best to use other criteria. Specifically, they don't take into account the long-term financial vision of our state and the needs of our communities.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
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
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?
The vast majority of gun-related crimes exceed the scope of regulations and restrictions on firearms. Perpetrators will find ways to circumnavigate our laws and acquire weapons regardless. What is most important is having folks in the judiciary - prosecutors, judges, and magistrates - follow through on pre-existing laws and hold perpetrators accountable.
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
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?
Government exists to promote the public good by keeping society in order. In doing so, it balances the needs of different communities and administers justice.
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
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.
Neutral
The Supreme Court ruled on this issue, so this definition has been decided.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian and attend Springport Bible Church with my family.
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 certainly a force in our country that we must wrestle with. I do not have the answers to how we can properly address it, other than treating people with respect and empathy in our daily lives.
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
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.
I am somewhere between answers "A" and "C."
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Nuclear! It's cost-effective and clean energy.
