Manny Sethi
Republican | Tennessee
Candidate Profile
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Manny Sethi
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
Primary
Race
U.S. Senator
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Brown University, Providence, RI, Bachelor Degree, 2000
Fulbright Fellowship, National Neurology Institute, Tunis, Tunisia, Fellowship, 2001
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, Doctor of Medicine, 2005
WORK & MILITARY
Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program, Resident, 2006-2010
Vanderbilt Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship, Fellow, 2010-2011
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, 2011-2015
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, 2015-Present
AFFILIATIONS
Healthy Tennessee, Co-Founder and President, Republican Party of TN
Chairman of 2016 Statesmen's Dinner, Children's Nutrition Program of Haiti, Board of Directors
The 917 Society, Founders' Club, Tennessee Medical Association
Member, American Medical Association, Chairman of National Resident and Fellow Section
Kings Daughter's Childhood Development Center, Board Member, Orthopedic Trauma Association
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (6)
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)
Tennessee Deputy Speaker Senator Janice Bowling
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
NEMPAC- National Emergency Medicine PAC
Former Governor Winfield Dunn
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (8)
Donald Trump (2019)
George P. Bush (2018)
Mark E. Green (2018)
Marsha Blackburn (2018)
State Republican Party Organizations (2019)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (6)
Fund For a Conservative Future PAC (2019)
John T. Gill (2019)
Kelly Keisling (2019)
Lone Star Leadership PAC (2019)
Mae Beavers (2020)
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?
I am pro-life, period.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Strongly Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
How would you guarantee Social Security benefits for future generations?
We have to overhaul Social Security to make sure it exists for future generations. The problem with Social Security is that it is a system that was designed for a different time. We have to be smart in reforming it while protecting the benefits for our senior citizens. One of the best things we can do is expand the economy so that more people are paying into Social Security, so that we can protect the benefits that our nation has already promised to our seniors.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
We need to cut all wasteful spending. We need to cut wasteful agencies and departments, we need to drastically reduce the number of staff pushing papers at places like the EPA, and we need to cut funding for unnecessary programs.
Under what circumstances should taxpayers help pay off existing student loans?
Students who take out loans need to be responsible for them. We need to improve financial education so that young people know how hard it is to pay off loans, we need to hold colleges accountable, and we need to make sure each young person knows their career options beyond expensive, four-year private colleges. They need to know that there are ways to get an education that don't include college, such as technical schools, and public service opportunities such as serving in the U.S. Military.
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
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 that the state has no right to interfere in the church. The First Amendment protects freedom of religion.
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Strongly Disagree
I support the elimination of private healthcare insurance.
Strongly Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
As a doctor, I know firsthand the huge problems with Obamacare. We need less government involvement in our healthcare. I’ll fight to repeal and replace Obamacare. I oppose government in our healthcare, I oppose single-payer, and I oppose universal healthcare. The fundamentals of a health care system must be based on a free market solution that allows competition across state lines. We must focus on access, quality, and transparency.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Strongly Agree
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of radical Islamic terrorism?
Radical Islamic terror is a very real threat, and I am grateful to President Trump for crippling ISIS. We must remain vigilant against radical Islamic terrorism.
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
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should be abolished.
Strongly Disagree
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
Employers should be required to use E-verify to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
All immigrants must be legal, and they must go through vetting to make sure they are not an enemy of our country. With the current unemployment rate due to the COVID-19 shutdown, I have called for all immigration to be paused until Americans have jobs.
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.
Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian. I came to Christ when I was young, and when my father died when I was in my early 20s, it greatly strengthened my reliance on the Lord. It led me to dedicate my life to serving others. My life verse is Matthew 9:37. My wife and I are members of McKendree United Methodist Church, and we are raising our children to know and love the Lord. In fact, my faith is the subject of the first ad we ran. It's who I am, and why I am running. You can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwmvHtENRqg
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.
I am pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, and pro-President Trump. I am against illegal immigration, and I care about this issue deeply, as my parents immigrated legally and did it the right way. I want to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a free market system. I grew up in a rural community, and I know that rural areas need economic investment, access to broadband, and good healthcare. As Senator, I would only vote to confirm originalist judges who strictly interpret the Constitution. I believe term limits should exist for all members of Congress. I have pledged to only serve two terms if I were elected. I believe we need to reduce government spending, cut federal bureaucracies, and balance the budget. We must reduce harmful regulations on small businesses and farms, and get the federal government out of education. I have pledged to never vote for any tax increase. For more information on my stances, visit drmannyforsenate.com/issues or email me at manny@drmannyforsenate.com.
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 a Christian, first and foremost. I am married to my high school sweetheart Maya, and we just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. We have two children. I grew up in rural Coffee County in Tennessee. My parents immigrated here legally, waiting in line for their turn, and they were doctors in our rural community. I was raised by a farming community, and I will never forget the values instilled in me of hard work, honoring our country, and serving others. Because I wanted to serve others and make a difference, I became a doctor. Now, I am running for Senate to make a different kind of difference. I am a conservative, I am an outsider, and I have never run for office before, not even student council. I think we need real conservatives in Washington, and I would be honored to have your vote.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Mandatory minimum sentencing should be required and enforced for violent crimes.
No Answer
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Limitations on law-abiding citizens owning guns are unconstitutional.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
I support BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanction) against Israel if they refuse to allow the creation of a Palestinian state.
Strongly Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Disagree
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
The Electoral College should be abolished.
Strongly Disagree
In priority order, what three areas of legislation do you propose to author or sponsor if elected?
1. Repealing Obamacare 2. Incentivize businesses to move our medical supply chain back to the United States away from Communist China 3. Fix our immigration crisis by building a wall, ending chain-based migration, and supporting immigration policies that put Americans first
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
God has made every person in His image, regardless of their skin color. Therefore, all forms of racism are wrong. However, I'm tired of the Left using every single issue as an excuse to call people they disagree with racist.
