Jake Teshka
Republican | Indiana
Candidate Profile
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Jake Teshka
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
General & Special CD 2
Race
State Rep., Dist. 7
Incumbent
Yes
Links
EDUCATION
Saint Joseph’s College, Rensselaer, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
Indiana University South Bens, South Bend, Master of Public Affairs
WORK & MILITARY
Majority Builders, Inc., Business Development Director
AFFILIATIONS
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
South Bend City Council, District 5, 2018-2020
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (3)
National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF
Indiana Right to Life
Stand For Health Freedom
OTHER (1)
Americans for Prosperity - Indiana
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (3)
Americans for Prosperity
Indiana Right to Life
National Rifle Association
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (8)
Connie Lawson (2014)
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2022)
National Right to Life Committee (2022)
Other Pro Life Organizations (2020)
Republican Women's Organizations (2021)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (17)
Big "I" Political Action Committee (2021)
Blake Doriot (2022)
Christy Stutzman (2020)
Hoosier Conservative Voices (2022)
Hoosiers for Economic Growth (2022)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (1)
International Association of Firefighters (includes national, state & local affiliates) (2022)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Life of the mother only.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive 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
I am pro-life from conception to natural death.
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
Indiana should reduce personal income tax in favor of consumption taxes. Individuals should not be taxed on their success but their consumption/spending.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
We are blessed to have a truly balanced budget in Indiana with a multi-billion dollar structural surplus. However, continuing to reduce waste in government would allow us to return more funds back to Hoosier taxpayers. The stat me currently has far too many regulatory agencies with rule making power, many of them with overlapping missions. To free up more tax funding, we should look at restructuring or even eliminating some of these agencies.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Disagree
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
Government should never issue a blanket order closing all churches. I would only find the closing of a church justifiable during a true emergency (fire, active shooter, etc.) and only by a local unit of government (police, fire, etc.).
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)Tax-payer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be de-funded.
C
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
These organizations should be able to issue recommendations only, but not be allowed to force an individual to undergo a medical treatment without regard to any medical or religious exemptions.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
Did not answer
I support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied territories, remove the separation barrier in the West Bank, allow full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees.
Strongly Disagree
I have a large community of Orthodox Jews in my community and had the pleasure of working with the State Treasurer’s Office and INPRS to ensure we are divested from Unilever, parent company of Ben and Jerry’s after the company announced a boycott last summer.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
As a nation of immigrants, I believe it is important for us to accept those who yearn for the freedom that the American ideal offers. However, this should be limited to law abiding individuals who undergo a thorough background check and move through the immigration process fully or those who have legitimate claims of asylum and have been vetted.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Strongly Agree
I was proud to work on and vote for the largest expansion of Indiana’s Choice Scholarship program in state history during the 2021 legislative session.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
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 agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
As a member of the House Education Committee, I was proud to work on House Bill 1134 which seeks to ban divisive concepts and allow increased parental involvement in education.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christ follower - a sinner saved by grace alone through faith in Christ alone. All that exists has been created by God for His glory. I believe that scripture is God-breathed and authoritative.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
We should require the last four of a social security number or a state-issued ID on a mail in ballot. No excuse mail in voting should not be allowed. The state should use uniform voting equipment and practices across all 92 counties and we should do all we can to encourage/incentivize voting in person on Election Day.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism is abhorrent. It certainly exists in the hearts of some Americans. As a society we have taken steps backward with regard to race relations in the past decade. Divisions are being intentionally created by the way that culture has prioritized race as a determinant of one’s character and responsibilities. These fresh divisions are certainly threats to domestic tranquility.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost.
A
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Strongly Agree
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
Government exists to protect our natural, God given rights. Government should only do that which the people can’t do better for themselves.
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
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
https://www.wndu.com/2022/02/25/indiana-bill-would-eliminate-need-permit-carry-handgun/ https://wsbt.com/amp/news/local/officials-say-controversial-indiana-house-bill-is-about-transportation-not-race https://www.indystar.com/story/news/education/2022/01/24/indiana-house-bill-hb-1041-banning-transgender-girls-sports-moves-forward/9199564002/ https://wsbt.com/amp/news/local/committee-vote-3-1-to-table-controversial-south-bend-police-pay-ordinance
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
I am for small government. One bill that I championed this past session would have created a regulatory sandbox paving the way for broad deregulation allowing small businesses and ever Hoosier to flourish. I’m my goal as a legislator is to protect our constitutional rights while shrinking the government’s overall impact on individuals’ lives.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Strongly Agree
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Strongly Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Federal background checks at the point of sale are sufficient.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Strongly Disagree
