Jim O'Connor
Republican | Arizona
Candidate Profile*
Conservative (Conditional)
*Additional information appears below for educational purposes; however, only data received prior to the candidate deadline was considered during Panel Evaluation.
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Jim O'Connor
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
General
Race
Corporation Commissioner
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Phoenix Seminary, Phoenix, Enrichment Studies, 2006
Christian Brothers University, Memphis, BS MKTG, 1968
WORK & MILITARY
Fund Services Advisors, Founder, 1992-2011
Nexus Financial Services, Founder, 1981-1992
Paine Weber, Vice President, 1979-1981
SoGen Swiss Intl Corp, Vice President, 1976-1979
AFFILIATIONS
Grace Line Ministries, Board Member, AZGOP
Candidate for ACC 2018, AZ Republican Assembly, Elected President 2017
AZGOP, Candidate State Party Chairman 2017, Legislative District 23
Elected Chairman 2014-2016, AZGOP, Twice Elected Member at Large
Maricopa County Executive Committee, Member 2014-2016, AZGOP, MCRC & LD 23 Bylaw Committees
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
ACC, 2018
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (1)
Arizona Free Enterprise Club
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (3)
Congressman Andy Biggs
Congressman Paul Gosar
Plus 45,544 voters who wrote me in on Primary
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE*
*Additional information was received after the evaluation was assigned and was not considered in the Panel Evaluations, therefore it is for additional educational purposes only.
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 to preserve the life of the mother. Otherwise never.
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
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
Not is ACC's purview.
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?
The government is to stay out of religion and practices of religious people.
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?
As my race is for a Board seat on the AZ Corporation Commission, that Board has no constitutional authority to address "healthcare" issues or concerns. Such authority resides within the legislative branch of our State government.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
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?
Again, not within ACC's purview.
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.
Our Creator designed each of us uniquely, but imprinted within each of us His divine image. He gifted us with freedom of choice, so that as we came to know Him, we may chose to accept His free gift of Eternal Life through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus the Christ. Jesus commanded us to love God, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Our daily job is to remain obedient to Jesus' command by yielding our flesh to His Spirit's promptings in our lives. I value Christians (i.e. Christ followers as distinct from Christ fans) participation in our political system through activism, volunteering in service roles in local communities, and if so led campaigning for public office or helping other like-minded Christians do the same.
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.
During the past 14 years, I have provided testimony before the Scottsdale City Council, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, the AZ Corporation Commission, the Cave Creek Unified School District Board, the AZ Independent Redistricting Commission, the Superintendent of Public Instructions Committee on Curriculum Reform, as well as many State & House Committees on legislation.
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
My 42 years of experience in the Financial Services industry, has prepared me well for dealing with large complex public issues. While practicing investment advisory in California, I served as advisor to the State Senate Select Committee investigating the Orange County Bankruptcy in 1994. My role was to aid the Senate committee members in crafting new State Statutes insuring that tragedy would never be repeated.
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?
My pledge to AZ citizens: Protect them from unfair utility rate increases. Listen to their concerns. Fight for their best interests. Work tirelessly to save them money.
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.
Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Here again the ACC has no constitutional authority to take up that question.
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.
Strongly Disagree
In priority order, what three areas of legislation do you propose to author or sponsor if elected?
As you have observed in previous responses, I believe any branch of government must operate within the scope of its constitutional authority and limit itself, so as not to create new additional powers not specified in our State Constitution.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Here again, this question does not appear relevant to the ACC jurisdiction. However, as a personal observation, racism has been on a dramatic decline throughout my lifetime. Most every government and corporate organization has had well though out policies in place to detect and prevent racism in the workplace. The divisiveness reported in our media over the past 20 years is propaganda at its worse, of which charges of racism is but a part of the progressive move to destroy our free republic. It is shameful.
