Scott VanSingel
Republican | Michigan
Candidate Profile*
Leans Conservative
*Additional information appears below for educational purposes; however, only data received prior to the candidate deadline was considered during Panel Evaluation.
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Scott VanSingel
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 100
Incumbent
Yes
Links
EDUCATION
Central Michigan University, Mt Pleasant, Bachelors in Business, 2002
Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, Masters in Business, 2011
WORK & MILITARY
(Candidate did not provide)
AFFILIATIONS
Grant Reformed Church, Deacon, Treasurer, National Wild Turkey Federation
Treasurer, board member, Fremont Community Foundation, Scholarship committee member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
State Representative, 3.5
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
2018
100%
2017-18
82%
2019
63%, 75% (cum.)†
2018
|100%
2017-18
|82%
2019
|63%, 75% (cum.)†
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
2017-18
73%
2017-18
55%
2017-18
13%
2019
0%
2017-18
|73%
2017-18
|55%
2017-18
|13%
2019
|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 (4)
Citizens for Traditional Values-Michigan
Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners
National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF
Right to Life of Michigan
LIBERAL (3)
American Federation of Teachers AFT Michigan
Michigan League of Conservation Voters
Sierra Club Michigan
OTHER (7)
Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan PAC
Great Lakes Education Project
Jon Bumstead
Michigan Farm Bureau AgriPAC
*Michigan Manufacturers Association
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (2)
Right to Life
Great Lakes Education Project
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (9)
Chatfield Majority Fund (2016)
Geoff Hansen (2010)
Graham Filler (2020)
Jon Bumstead (2018)
Patrick Colbeck (2014)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (20)
Advancing Michigan (2017)
Al Pscholka (2020)
Chatfield Majority Fund (2016)
Darwin Booher (2016)
Frankenmuth PAC (2020)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (7)
American Association of School Administrators (2018)
American Federation of Teachers (2017)
Christina O'Brien (2020)
League Of Conservation Voters (2020)
Michigan Association for Justice (2019)
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
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Only under the rare circumstance of saving the mother's life. These are extremely rare cases.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
Social services. Nearly half of our state budget is social services while we struggle to provide adequate education and infrastructure investments. Much of this should instead be provided by private charities and churches.
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?
It means the exact opposite of what leftist teach and it is no where in our constitution. The phrase which was originally included in a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Church was meant to assure believers that the state would never influence the church. Not the other way around.
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?
We need to look first at the cost of healthcare. Health insurance is affordable due to the underlying cost of care. We need to pursue tort reform as well as eliminating unnecessary testing, duplicate services provided by neighboring hospitals, and evaluating whether hospitals are truly non-profit. After driving down costs, we need to look at cost sharing pools for those who can't afford or qualify for traditional insurance. These are obviously already available, but are on a very small scale.
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 and federal funds should be denied to any public or private entity, including but not limited to sanctuary cities, that are not in compliance with immigration laws.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
I believe only those who want to assimilate, be productive vs being a burden, and have a valuable skill or education that would add value to our culture. I have a compassion for the poor and needy in other countries, however, we cannot sustain our role as a world leader and a prosperous country if we allow mass immigration by those who will rely on public assistance.
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.
Strongly Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am an Evangelical Christian. I am active in New Life Fellowship Church in Grant Mi. My salvation is 100% dependent on my faith in Jesus Christ and cannot be earned. My personal and political beliefs are based on my faith and where scripture is silent, I ask for God's guidance in decision making. I hold conservative fiscal and social values as I believe they align with scripture
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?
Very Conservative
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
On social issues such as same sex marriage in which it seems increasingly that biblical positions are unpopular and even in the minority, I have never wavered. My beliefs are not based on popular opinion, but on unchanging truths.
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
I have both finance and accounting majors within my Bachelor's degree as well as an MBA. I have used this skill set to champion pension reform that has been described as one of the most innovative plans in the country. I serve on the House appropriations committee and have used my knowledge of finance and accounting to craft conservative budgets.
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?
I am an effective and pragmatic leader in the state house and will continue to be a voice for traditional and conservative values in my 3rd term.
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
I support the use of Sharia law as a basis for legislation and judicial decisions in the United States.
Strongly Disagree
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Mandatory minimum sentencing should be required and enforced for violent crimes.
Strongly Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Very few. Ensuring mentally ill and violent criminals do not have access to guns is about as far as I am willing to go in regards to gun control. Restricting the rights of the law-abiding has proven over and over to have no impact on public safety.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Strongly Disagree
The Electoral College should be abolished.
Disagree
In priority order, what three areas of legislation do you propose to author or sponsor if elected?
1) Reigning in the power of the executive branch which has been revealed to be nearly tyrannical during this latest crisis 2) American laws for American courts. We have the largest Muslim population in the country. I want to ensure that Sharia law or any other law besides that of our state and federal governments is never used as legal precedent or binding in any way. 3) Continued reforms to our failed pension system to ensure that the debt payment schedule stays on track long after I leave office.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Generations ago, yes. In our current generation it is used as a tactic to silence or intimidate by those on the left. I denounce all forms of racism, however, I do not see this as one of the most pressing issues of our time.
