Elliott Engen
Republican | Minnesota
Candidate Profile*
Leans Conservative
*Additional information appears below for educational purposes; however, only data received prior to the candidate deadline was considered during Panel Evaluation.
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Elliott Engen
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 36A
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Hamline University, St. Paul, legal studies, 2021
WORK & MILITARY
Park Tool Co., production member, 4
Geck, Duea, and Olson Law, Prosecution Assistant, 3
Wildlife Forever, Public Service Coordinator, 1
AFFILIATIONS
Athletes In Action, member, PALS Program
Peer advocate, TPUSA, chapter president
Resolute, member, Special Olympics MN
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
Previous Races
ENDORSEMENTS*
*These endorsements were received after the deadline and were not considered in the Panel Evaluations and are for additional educational purposes only.
CONSERVATIVE (4)
Minnesota Gun Owners PAC
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Minnesota
*Patriot Parents
LIBERAL (1)
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 49
OTHER (6)
Republican Party of Minnesota
*Minnesota Farm Bureau PAC
Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Assn (MPPOA)
*Minnesotans for Health and Parental Rights
Housing First MN
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (7)
Minnesota Police & Peace Officers Association
National Federation of Independent Businesses
Minnesotans For Health and Parental Freedom
MN Chamber of Commerce Leadership PAC
IBEW 110
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (1)
National Federation of Independent Business (2020)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (1)
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (2022)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
I am a pro-life advocate who believes every life is a blessing. My grandmother was 16 years old when she had my mother. If it wasn’t for her resilience and fortitude after being told to abort, I would not be here. I subscribe to the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life stance. I also am an advocate for institutions such as the Minnesota Women’s Care Center, who excel in providing support, guidance, and assistance to expecting mothers.
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.
Disagree
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
Minnesota is among the highest taxed states in the nation. Our tax code needs significant work to ensure we incentivize growth, jobs, and affordability. Minnesota has seen a massive exodus of former residents due to our current tax climate. It’s time Minnesota allows families to have the financial flexibility and entrepreneurial opportunity to grow their savings account rather than the state government’s.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
We need better oversight and accountability in our state government. Tax dollars should not be put towards programs that are susceptible to fraud and negligence. We recently experienced fraudulent activity in programs such as the “Feeding Our Future” nonprofit scandal. With proper oversight, this would not have occurred.
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.
Disagree
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
Religious Liberty is a core tenet of our founding. It should be treated with the utmost care and protection. Under no circumstance can a government force closure on a church or religious institution that is acting within the law.
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?
It is not the role of a government to subject a private citizen to mandated vaccinations. I am not against vaccines but rather against the mandating of them.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
Whether we like it or not, the United States is the worlds largest authority that holds the power to influence the geopolitical landscape. We can and must remain vigilant against radical Islamic terrorism while simultaneously not engaging in wars without an end goal.
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
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?
Promoting legal pathways to citizenship is a must. While we are the most accepting nation of migrants in the world, we also have a duty to secure and protect our border. Our immigration policy is currently in shambles- leaving us exposed to domestic security threats and risks to our sovereignty. While many believe that an open-border system is rooted in compassion, nothing could be further from the truth. We have a moral and ethical duty to end the perverse incentive structures in our immigration policy that emboldens human traffickers and drug smugglers. Title 42 should be reinstated, amnesty reform must be undertaken, and CBP should be given the tools, resources, agents, and wall they need to do their job in an effective and safe manner. This is a humanitarian crisis and should be treated as such.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Strongly Agree
No child should be bound to a school system that does not work for them due to their zip code. The best thing that we could do today for historically marginalized communities, is enact school choice.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
Without morality, the American system cannot be preserved.
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
Strongly Disagree
This forces speech, promotes censorship, and opens the door for further ideological dogma from institutions within our government. I have nothing against adults who choose to undertake sex reassignment surgery. To force this onto children is an atrocity.
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition
Choose not to answer
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian. I attended a Catholic school in elementary, was raised Lutheran, attended Baptist Bible School, and am married to a non-denominational Christian writer for women. Bottom line, Jesus died for me and this I know.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
End ballot harvesting and require photo ID.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism is disgusting. It is also a tool used to divide and perpetuate tribalism by politicians and pundits who view it as a means of gaining power. Our flag represents an idea that every person living under it is given the same opportunity to create their own destiny. This cannot be achieved when some are lifted or held down due to characteristics not of one's choosing. A Victor mindset over victimhood mindset will lift all.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
This is paganist and unachievable. How does one qualify? How do the sins of ancestors convict future lineage? Would resentment/further divides come of this?
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.
Did not answer
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Did not answer
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
Did not answer
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?
Did not answer
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
Did not answer
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
Did not answer
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
Did not answer
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Did not answer
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Did not answer
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Did not answer
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Did not answer
