Matthew Smith
Republican | Washington
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Matthew Smith
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
Primary
Race
State Senator, Dist. 2
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
West Coast Baptist College, Lancaster, CA, Bachelors of Theology, 2010
The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA, Bachelors of Arts, 2015
WORK & MILITARY
United States Marine Corps, Sergeant, 5
AFFILIATIONS
Calvary Baptist Church, Youth Pastor
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
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.
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?
Rape or incest are the only two situations that I would support abortion. And only if a report is filed for rape and charges are brought. I do not believe abortion is a suitable replacement for contraception.
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?
There needs to be a review of all government agencies as to over staffing and under production. We need more accountability in our agencies and to trim the bureaucracy. I believe a small government is an efficient government.
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.
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.
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?
Our nation has no legal right to set up a national religion. And therefore no right to set one religion or philosophy above another or include any of these into public school curricula. We are seeing liberal philosophy injected into our public education, which should be counted under the same umbrella.
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?
I believe that our health care system (insurance and healthcare facilities) has reached a point of anti-trust issues. The consolidation of competition has created an environment of price gouging without real-world price controls dictated by a free market. Part of the problem is our government paying for individuals care that cannot afford it and paying whatever the care facilities write in the cost line. We need to change this way of doing business.
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.
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?
We should allow all law abiding world citizens to immigrate to the United States if they seek to add value and culturally enrich our society.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly 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.
Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian. I believe that Jesus is the son of God, and shed his blood for our sins. I believe we are all in the same situation as sinners before accepting Christ. I do not believe that becoming a Christian makes us any better than those that have not accepted Jesus as Savior, because we are all sinners saved by grace. However, I do believe those who are truly saved will exhibit changes that will effect the world positively around them as they yield their lives to Christ.
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?
Conservative
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
I believe in a free market economy. I believe every family has to make decisions based on their beliefs, and does not have the right to impose their beliefs on my family. I believe we are a nation that has a rule of law and we should be enforcing our laws. That includes illegal immigration. We are a nation of opportunities, but you have to seize on them the right way.
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
I have served in the Marine Corps and excelled as a leader. I have worked in various industries through the years, and found my passion in politics afterfter going back to school for political science and working the last four sessions at the Washington State Senate.
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?
We need principled leaders in our nation that know where we can all work together, yet know where lines are drawn in the sand that we should not cross.
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?
None at all for law abiding citizens. The only reason someone should be restricted from owning a firearm would be after they have been adjudicated incapable of owning a firearm.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
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?
Lowering or eliminating certain taxes. Restricting education to the core principles of reading, writing and arithmetic. We need help in education and bloated philosophy based curricula need to go. Get back to the basics. Washington has a housing shortage. Being from a family of construction workers, i understand the issue well. I'd like to work on repealing the GMA, and make it easier and less expensive to build houses.
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Yes. Racism is an ideology that only sees our differences. A nation divided against itself based on skin color will continue to struggle to value its citizens equally based on merit, creating racial strifes that will become irreconcilable.
