Nevin Cooper-Keel
Republican | Michigan
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Nevin Cooper-Keel
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
Primary
Race
State Rep., Dist. 80
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
WMU, Kalamazoo, BA, 2010
Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Grand Rapids, JD, 2014
GRCC, Grand Rapids, AA, 2008
WORK & MILITARY
(Candidate did not provide)
AFFILIATIONS
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Member, Russian Club at WMU
Public Relations Officer
Volunteer Youth Sports Coach, 2012-present
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Monterey Township Supervisor, 2012-16
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
Previous Races
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 to save the mother's life.
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?
Unless government wants to get out of our way and end this unconstitutional shutdown, I would defund the whole damn thing.
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?
Exactly what the First Amendment says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." No more, no less. Many seem to take that to mean more or less. It doesn't mean a congress person can't have or be influenced by their own religion, or that they vote based on their own spiritual guidance. Then again, that's why as a voter, I would never vote for any sharia law candidate.
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Strongly Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
I grew up middle class and always had health coverage. But, that was before Obamacare ruined it all. Now I don't bother to carry unaffordable, ineffective insurance. The last quote I got was $1800/month premium with a $7,000 deductible to cover me, my wife, and my 3 kids. It doesn't even make sense to buy that until you get drastically sick. Which you can do, with Obamacare's pre-existing condition mandate. But that mandate is also what makes health insurance completely unaffordable unless you have a pre-existing condition or have access to a large employer group coverage. So the only way to ever make it affordable again is to remove the pre-existing condition mandate. Or we can just leave it as is so healthy families get extremely sick and then they can qualify for coverage.
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?
Skilled legal immigrants from places where they are likely to be compatible with American values. We've had too many come here for the free stuff, rather than the freedom, and it is destroying the fabric of our country.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly 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 closely adhere to the Bible's teaching that we're stewards of God's green earth. Right now that requires getting rid of the tyrants and spineless career politicians from office, who are not protecting things we're here to protect or living within the bounds we've been called to live in.
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.
You can see a long list of what I stand for on my campaign's facebook page at www.facebook.com/nevinforstaterep/ You can also see from my record as Monterey Township Supervisor that I value fiscal responsibility to the extent our township's financial position improved 35% my first three years in office (source: State of MI audits).
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
My bachelors degree was in Political Science, my minors in History and Russian, and my law degree - I understand the beast of government that we must tame better than most. My many years as a small business owner and working with, and even at times within the government, have shown me that on 99% of things, the private sector does it better than government. I have a healthy disdain for government and a healthy love of private enterprise and people.
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 was content to operate my businesses and spend time with my family. But that wasn't enough for the aspiring tyrants within our government. As of March, 2020, I had zero intention of running for this seat. But then all these career politicians apparently weren't getting enough time in front of cameras, so they decided to turn all of our lives upside down. I'm running to turn them back, right side up.
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?
The restrictions we need on gun ownership are right in the Constitution: restrict the government from intruding on the people's right to keep and bear arms. The justice system on the other hand, needs to stop letting criminals off with a slap on the wrist.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Agree
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) Something to stop our governor from ever unilaterally railroading our economy into the ground again. This is insane and keeping tyrants from ruining our state is of the top priority. 2) Subject the legislature to FOIA and other governmental transparency and accountability. 3) Reduce taxes and governmental spending.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
No. The entire basis of "the United States" is our Constitutional freedoms. While I might not agree with all notions people might think, including racist thoughts, it is not the government's role to be thought police. Just the opposite: it is the government's role to stay away from policing thoughts.
