

John Ley
Republican | Washington
Candidate Profile
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
John Ley
Party
Republican
Election Year
2024
Election
Primary
Race
State Rep., Dist. 18 - Pos. 2
Incumbent
No
EDUCATION
Portland State University, Portland, B.S., 1977
University of Portland, Portland
WORK & MILITARY
US Air Force, Captain, 11 1/2
AFFILIATIONS
Clark County Republican Party, State Committeeman, Precinct Committee Officer & Delegate 2016 & 2024 state convention
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Senator, 18th LD; Representative 18th LD, 2020, 2014
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (8)
State Republican Party Organizations (2024); Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2023); Rey Reynolds (2022); Liz Pike (2016); Vicki Kraft (2016)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Adrian E. Cortes (2012)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
None. "Elective" is the operative word here. Life is sacred and precious. Women have many means for birth control. Abortion should not be one of them.
Chemical abortion drugs should meet essential safety standards (such as in-person consultation with a medical doctor) and require reporting to gather evidence on reactions and outcomes.
Strongly Agree
I hate the concept of "chemical abortion" and would rather not see it at all. However I believe the spirit of your question is that "if" they are allowed, under what circumstances should they be allowed. If that is accurate, then I very much agree with what I believe the intent of your question is.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer 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.
Strongly Disagree
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
None, unless they violate the Constitution or constitute a threat to the nation.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
Freedom is paramount in our Constitution. Being forced to provide "services" is wrong.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
Strategically, you only have to see what's happened to "freedom" in Hong Kong to understand what could happen as China expands their influence. We must be very cautious in our dealings with the government of China. Thirty to forty years ago, people were afraid that Japan was going to "buy up" America. That didn't happen. We need to be smart, with our eyes wide open in dealing with China moving forward. Trust, but verify" is what President Reagan told us. It remains true today.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
The nation of Israel was appropriately created in the aftermath of the horrors of WW II. The land they occupy is historically Jewish. We must protect these friends and allies. More importantly, we must let them protect themselves.
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) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.
I wish the current version of Medicare and Medicaid had never been created. Both give the government far too much control over people's healthcare. But given the current reality, where people have contributed to Medicare for 30-40 years of their working life, we must protect the program, but seek to make it much more efficient. We need citizens to get educated enough so that they "shop" for their health services. When somebody else is paying, they don't care about the cost.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
We have seen how government FAILED citizens in the recent pandemic. There was no "informed consent" to taking the COVID shots. All the normal "safeguards" were sidestepped. We are sadly paying the price now, with numerous side effects being revealed.
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
We are the greatest nation on earth, because of our Constitutional protection of freedom and private property rights. Sadly, we are moving far away from the intent and vision of our Founding Fathers.
What is your position on the minimum wage?
The minimum wage should be $0. People should get paid for what they are worth and for what they produce.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
No
Absolutely not. A legitimate money manager should be focused on two issues -- the safety of the investment (protect the principle) and the Return On Investment.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
I don't know of anyone who lives in an urban area, who does not lock the door to their house or apartment. Security is a huge issue in all our neighborhoods, as drugs and criminals are running rampant. The open southern border is the major source of the drugs and criminal gangs that have invaded our communities. President Trump was 100% correct in saying "build the wall!" We must finish securing our southern border, and then constantly evaluate all our borders.
EDUCATION
The state should fund education by allowing dollars to follow the child through programs which protect parents' freedom to choose their child's school – public, private, or homeschool.
Strongly Agree
Two people know what's best for a child's education -- the parents. They must have control over the funding and the quality of their children's education. Sadly, we are failing far too many of our kids -- student achievement scores are horrific. The pandemic lockdowns revealed huge flaws in our current public school system. Ensuring parents are in control. Giving them choices will allow them to make the best possible decision for each child's education.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs.
Strongly Disagree
Public safety is the top priority of our government. Sadly, our law enforcement officers have been under appreciated and under assault for far too long. The rampant crime we are experiencing is the consequence of tying the hands of law enforcement and lax on crime prosecutors. We must restore public safety as a top priority.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Only if you are convicted, should a judge be able to remove your 2nd amendment rights.
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
Yes, with proper training, and only on a voluntary basis. I would also love to have law enforcement be part of schools, to protect our children.
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
No.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
No.
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
To provide the services outlined in the constitution. Primarily to provide for the common defense, to protect individual rights and individual liberty.
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?
Very Conservative
Definitely very conservative. We have far too much government intrusion into far too many aspects of our lives. I served 11 1/2 years in the military. I swore an oath to protect and defend our Constitution. We must get back to founding principles.
VALUES
Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
Strongly Agree
We must let children be children. We must let parents be in control of what is taught to their children. Public schools have no business teaching sex, gender issues, etc. to any children before high school. We send our children to school to learn to read, write, speak language(s), learn science, math, critical thinking. That should be the focus. Parents can choose to introduce their children to these other issues, if and when they deem it appropriate. It doesn't need to be in schools.
Parents should have the right to make decisions for their minor children.
Strongly Agree
Parents are legally and morally obligated to care for and do the best for their children. We have far too much evidence to suggest that children from single parent homes have many more problems in life. We should encourage two-parent families as the best possible way to raise children.
Taxpayer funds should be used to provide gender transition services.
Strongly Disagree
No. There are significant medical studies which indicate youth who have gender transition medical procedures regret the choice later in life and have multiple mental and physical health issue after the fact. Dr. Ben Carson reports a child's brain is not finished developing, until they reach age 25. We should be extremely mindful of this reality.
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Strongly Agree
No government has authority over God's laws.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I believe in God and his son, Jesus Christ. I know we are all imperfect. Christ sacrificed for us to be forgiven. We must all strive to be more "Christ-like".
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
Only legal citizens are entitled to vote. We must ensure only legal citizens who are registered to vote, can actually do so. We should return to in person voting where you show some form of government ID before receiving your ballot.
States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant.
Strongly Disagree
Absolutely not. Our Founding Fathers were very wise, when they created our Constitutional Republic. They studied all forms of government and realized there were significant risks in a simple democracy. In the words of Ben Franklin: "A republic if you can keep it". We are sadly well on our way to losing our nation, as founded.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism is always horrific and wrong. But in the current context, we have moved so far away from the intentions of Dr. King in creating a color-blind society. The current DEI being pushed forces people to look at the color of a person's skin, rather than focusing on what it much more important -- the content of their character.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
Only people can be racist. Institutions, in and of themselves, cannot be racist. It is the people who are part of any particular institution that may or may not be racist. The United States has done more than any nation on earth to end racism and provide equality and constitutional rights to every citizen. We fought the Civil War to end slavery. We gave women the right to vote. CRT seeks to redefine our history and the moral fabric of our society.
Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.
Strongly Agree
Absolutely. This is common sense.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? (Select all that apply) A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost. C) Stricter environmental laws undermine U.S. energy independence and deter development of reliable electricity sources. D) Climate change is real and requires urgent policy action.
C and A. We live in one of the most beautiful places in the nation. Washington is so much "cleaner" today than it ever was. There are almost no "indoor air alerts" that used to hit a dozen or more times each summer. Our rivers are much more clean than they were during my teen years of the late 60's and early 70's. The pendulum has swung too far. The climate has always been changing. There is no evidence that man is the "cause" of any change in the climate. It is not "settled" science.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
#1 Natural gas & #2 nuclear power. France gets 70 percent of their electricity from nuclear power. It can be done safely. But until we can get nuclear power online, natural gas is a quick and easy source of electricity to supplement hydroelectric.
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