

John Damoose
Republican | Michigan
Candidate Profile*
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
John Damoose
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 107
Incumbent
No
EDUCATION
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, BA - Political Science, 1994
WORK & MILITARY
(Candidate did not provide)
AFFILIATIONS
Campus Crusade for Christ, Co-Author with Dr. Bill Bright of national book, Freedom Ministries of America
Vice President, Contributor, Christian Broadcasting Network, Producer, Contributor
Holy Childhood of Jesus Church, Volunteer, Contributor, International Cooperating Ministries
Producer, Contributor, Kids Across America Camps, Producer
National Prayer Breakfast, Volunteer, Contributor, Building America's Tomorrow
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
Previous Races
ENDORSEMENTS*
CONSERVATIVE (4)
Citizens for Traditional Values-Michigan
Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners
National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF
Right to Life of Michigan
OTHER (6)
Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan PAC
Great Lakes Education Project
Michigan Farm Bureau AgriPAC
Michigan Freedom Fund
*Michigan Manufacturers Association
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (5)
Right to Life of Michigan
Citizens for Traditional Values
Michigan Farm Bureau Agripac
Associated Builders and Contractors
Michigan Freedom Fund
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Graham Filler (2020)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (2)
Frankenmuth PAC (2020)
National Right to Life Committee (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?
While I have tremendous compassion for those who are pregnant through rape or incest, and believe we should treat them with the mercy and love of Jesus, adding a death through abortion only compounds the tragedy. I believe that abortion is the killing of an actual human baby created by God, and therefore believe abortion should never be allowed.
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?
The government really needs to get back to what it was intended to do - things like "provide for the common defense" and other things that cannot be done by individuals. I would go through the entire budget and eliminate anything that isn't directly within that original purview of promoting the general welfare, etc. We simply cannot afford luxuries, and the fact is, there is much that government has absorbed that should be accomplished by churches and other citizen organizations.
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?
Separation of Church and State is not actually the law of the land as it is interpreted in modern times. The only legitimate concept of it is exactly what the Constitution says, that Congress shall make no laws respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. So, we should not have a national church. Other than that, the government should not interfere with the church in any way. People have spent decades saying that the separation means people of faith should somehow be limited in expressing their views and ideas in the public square, which was not even close to the original the intent. "Separation of church and state" was intended to protect the church - not the other way around, and our Founding Fathers were very open about their faith and what they saw as God's purpose for America. I co-authored a book with Dr. Bill Bright from Campus Crusade on this very topic.
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 have always opposed Obamacare, but the fact is, the system wasn't great before the ACA. As a small business owner, we regularly saw health insurance premiums rise 20% per year - all while benefits were decreasing. Obamacare sought to dramatically increase the power of government and ended up trying to force people of strong faith to help pay for things we may find abhorrent. But we do need to find ways to protect the poorest of the poor among us. To help promote effective and affordable health insurance, I believe we must look honestly at the root causes of our current problems. Medical malpractice insurance because of an out of control legal system has driven the cost for medical care through the roof, for example. Rampant drug use and other criminal activities have put an enormous drain on the system, so we need to help addicts more and ruthlessly pursue drug traffickers. There are many more examples.
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 people genuinely fleeing political and religious persecution should be allowed to enter through proper channels claiming by officially seeking asylum. I also believe that hard working, well intentioned families should be able to apply for immigration through proper channels - that is, after all, the American dream. And, I support student visas for people who will come to America to learn skills, ideas and trades that will benefit their countries when they return home. All of these immigrations should be coordinated by the State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and other relevant government organizations. Also, I believe there must be tight scrutiny throughout the process of arriving in the United States through citizenship to ensure those who engage in criminal behaviors are disqualified to stay in the country. Throughout the process, though, we should treat those immigrants with dignity and respect as the Lord would have us do.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Agree
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 a follower of Jesus, and believe He is the Lord and only path to salvation. I look to the Lord for guidance and believe the Holy Spirit informs us on a daily basis. I have worked directly for many ministries of many different denominations that are Jesus-centered and Scripturally based - from starting my career producing documentaries at the Christian Broadcasting Network, to co-authoring a book on God's purpose for America with Dr. Bill Bright, Founder of Campus Crusade for Christ (the book was called Red Sky in the Morning.) I have made promotional films on church building ministries around the world - throughout India, China, Cambodia, Vietnam and East Africa. I have been a part of a behind-the-scenes Jesus-centered group in Washington, DC, whose only public program is the National Prayer Breakfast, every year in February and attended by every President since Eisenhower. This involvement has put me at the feet of some of the world's great Christian leaders for 3 decades.
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 have always been very conservative, but as Mike Pence said, "I'm not in a bad mood about it." I simply believe that traditional moral values and limited government helps create the best society. America was built on a firm foundation and we have witnessed the steady erosion of the values that made us great. The call of our day is to strive valiantly to rebuild what we have lost. That said, I also believe that we need to treat others as we would like to be treated and share the Love of Jesus in all situations. The policies I will support are very conservative, but I think as Christians we must exhibit a sense of grace and love while being the light and salt that we are called to be. I operate my film production business based on Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such thing
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
Since my early days nearly 30 years ago, while serving as the President of the College Republicans at the University of Michigan, I have been fighting political correctness and secular humanism that is overtaking our society. Shortly afterwards, through my involvement with the Christian Coalition, the Christian Broadcasting Network, and by co-authoring a book with Dr. Bill Bright from Campus Crusade, I became a student in the type of Godly leadership our country needs. A sequence of great people of faith, most notably a man named Doug Coe in Washington,DC, mentored me intensely over a twenty year period and modeled, through his relationships, the type of selfless leadership we need today. Running a small business for the past 20 years, raising a family with 4 kids, and working with national military, political and corporate leaders from all walks of life for the television specials I produced has prepared me to take a leadership role in government.
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 believe that we, as Christians, have the responsibility to lead with grace and civility. The great spiritual mentors I've had like Bill Bright, Harald Bredesen, and Doug Coe invested their time into shaping who I am and what I believe. They modeled this grace and civility every day of their lives. So too my faithful parents, and my amazing wife of 25 years, and our four precious kids have inspired me. There will be vigorous conflicts since we adhere to principles that are far different from the prevailing trends of the world. But it is our task to attempt to persuade and attract people to the views we hold dear. I always laugh when someone accuses a follower of Jesus of trying to "force their beliefs" on someone else because we know that isn't even possible. If someone says "Jesus is Lord" only out of compulsion, it doesn't count. So, my goal in leading is to celebrate the truth, and invite people to embrace the ideas and principles that have driven me since I was young.
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?
I believe in the 2nd Amendment, and importantly, I believe in the Bill of Rights. If any of these rights become subject to prevailing opinions, they are all in danger. Given the current tide, the next right to come under fire will be Freedom of Religion. There is a process in place to change the Constitution, but it is for good reason very difficult to do. That said, violent criminals have willfully given up that right, and we should greatly increase enforcement against them.
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?
1. Develop better solutions to prepare for future crises that both protect health and the livelihood of families. 2. Michigan, like many other states, is finally making some progress on abortion. Yet, last year, our new Governor championed a radical bill to remove all restrictions on abortion - even late term partial birth and dismemberment abortions. The bill failed because we have a Republican legislature. But this will be a fight in the coming years. I want to introduce legislation that echoes some of the progress in Alabama and elsewhere. 3. Michigan has been hit harder by the coronavirus crisis than most states, and workers are struggling to support their families. Small businesses have been decimated. I will work to introduce legislation to help get our economy back on track and streamline government to help grow businesses.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism, when it genuinely exists, in antithetical to American principles. I think it may be appropriate to institute a one-time "National Day of Repentance" to help heal our land from the generations of sin from segregation and slavery. My family is multiracial, and based on the different racial background of my wife and me, our four beautiful kids are a veritable United Nations of racial backgrounds. But, I think there is danger in overestimating how much genuine racism there is today, and question what that modern definition of racism has become. Those who have paid the price for serious racism like "whites only" drinking fountains should be offended by some of the claims of racism that exist today. Racism does not extend to lifestyle choices, for example. And, people often use accusations of racism to forward radical social agendas, especially in universities. I believe genuine racism is morally wrong, but many people use the word to advance radical agendas under its guise.
If you are not already receiving our emails, stay up to date with important election alerts, educational articles, and encouraging reminders.
Invest in America’s Future
Join the movement to restore biblical values and constitutional principles in our nation by informing and mobilizing more faith-based voters with the truth.