Joe Kent
Republican | Washington
Candidate Profile*
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Joe Kent
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
General
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist. 3
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Norwich University, Bachelor of Science, Strategic Defense Analysis, 2017
WORK & MILITARY
United States Army Special Operations Command, Chief Warrant Officer III, 1998-2018
Central Intelligence Agency, Paramilitary Operations Officer, 2018-2019
AFFILIATIONS
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
ENDORSEMENTS*
CONSERVATIVE (23)
*National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF; Madison Project; *Campaign for Working Families; *Tea Party Express; *The Guardian Fund
OTHER (10)
Thurston County Republican Party; Veterans For America First; *Oil & Gas Workers Association; *American Populist Union; Veteran Candidate Coalition
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (9)
President Donald J. Trump; Conservative Talk Show Host Lars Larson; Congressman Matt Gaetz; Congressman Paul Gosar; Congressman Troy Nehls
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (7)
Club for Growth (2022); Joel McEntire (2022); Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2022); Marjorie Taylor Greene (2021); Scott Perry (2021)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (24)
Aditya Atholi (2022); Bill Bruch (2021); Club for Growth (2022); David Adams (2021); David T. Clark (2021)
OTHER INFORMATION
Kent lived in Oregon in 2020 and was registered as a Democrat. He voted for Bernie Sanders in the 2020 election.
Joe Kent's response to information from 2020: "I worked for Trump in
2020 & I did everything I could to help him win including registering as a
Democrat to vote for Bernie so he could have the weakest opponent in the
general election. I have never voted for a
democrat in a general election (when a democrat was running against a
Republican). In 2020 there was no
Republican primary for President (Trump was the nominee & incumbent) so I
decided to register as a democrat when I moved back to Portland after my wife
was killed. I registered as a democrat to vote for the democrat who would be
easy for Trump to beat in the general election, that was Burnie. While I was a registered
democrat I was working for the Trump 2020 campaign & speaking out on behalf
of Trump’s foreign policy & treatment of our military families. I bought a house in
Yacolt WA in July 2020 & voted for Trump in the general election. Here are a few media
events I did with Trump’s team in 2020 (while a registered dem) -
Trump’s 2020 campaign
vetting team was aware of my voter registration & the reasons why when I
was vetted for the re election team. When I was offered a job
in a 2nd Trump admin I was vetted again, and once more before I received the
Trump endorsement. Please note the dates,
all of these media events & articles were while I was a registered dem (for
the above listed reasons) and working for the Trump team-"
https://www.facebook.com/DonaldTrump/videos/1128441887490186/
https://www.facebook.com/DonaldTrump/videos/321086325550355/
https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2019/10/07/kent-why-president-trump-should-follow-his-gut-on-foreign-policy/
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trump-came-dover-after-my-wife-was-killed-fighting-isis-ncna1239425
https://youtu.be/2z8UHOu7VqA
Operation chaos: https://www.newyorker.com/news/campaign-chronicles/the-party-raiders-of-south-carolina
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
I will never vote for a piece of legislation that appropriates funding to abortion providers, even if it means shutting down the federal government.
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Strongly Disagree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
None, no crime justifies killing an innocent unborn child.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
What should be the relationship between the church and the state?
I am a strong believer in religious freedom and think everyone's right to worship as they please should be protected. We also must acknowledge that we are a nation of Judeo-Christian values and the children in our nation should be taught these values from a young age. We have removed God from classrooms and replaced Him with pride flags. There is an attempt to completely destroy our native values and we must preserve them by teaching students about our nation's founding principles and protecting students' and teachers' right to pray in schools.
NATIONAL SECURITY
With regard to America's foreign policy, which view most closely resembles yours: A) The United States should intervene whenever freedom is threatened. B) The United States should selectively help countries trying to grow democracy and fight tyranny. C) The United States has become too involved in others' policies and should remain focused on issues regarding our own sovereignty unless in imminent danger. D) The United States should stay out of foreign conflicts completely.
C). I spent decades fighting America's endless wars and have experienced the wasteful spending and corruption on a ground level. We should withdraw our troops from the Middle East, stay our of any armed conflicts in Europe, and focus on protecting our own borders.
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
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
The United States can use existing intelligence networks and our special operations forces to identify and eliminate terrorist threats without maintaining a large military presence abroad.
HEALTHCARE
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Never. There should be no discrimination based on vaccination status and doctors should not attempt to pressure patients into accepting ay pharmaceutical products they are weary of.
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.
None of the above, we should deregulate the insurance industry to allow companies to easily operate across state lines in order to increase competition. There should be a safety net for the most vulnerable in our society. Disabled people who rely on assistance programs for their medical care should be able to receive their medical benefits, but the requirements for these programs should not be structured in a way that prevents or discourages them from working if they can.
ECONOMY
Redistribution of income is needed to lessen the gap between the wealthy and working classes.
Strongly Disagree
The government should cut spending in order to reduce the national debt.
Strongly Agree
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
Americans are overtaxed. We should increase the child tax deduction to $10,000 so that working families can keep more of what they earn. This would help create an economic environment where one parent can afford to stay home with their children should they choose, and give middle-class families the financial stability they need to thrive. We also need to increase the tariffs on foreign goods so that producers start manufacturing in the United States. This would create more respectable, good-paying jobs for young Americans who seek an alternative to college. It would also strengthen our national security by making us less reliant on technology and energy that is produced abroad.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
We must finish the wall. The United States should also deploy the military to our southern border and declare the Mexican cartels terrorist organizations. Special Operations units can be used to hunt down and eliminate cartels that are pumping drugs into this country and trafficking innocent children.
State and federal funds shall be denied to any public or private entity, such as a sanctuary city, that is not in compliance with immigration laws.
Strongly Agree
No city in the United States should receive any funding unless they are following the law. It is an embarrassment that we allow safe havens for drug traffickers and violent criminals to exist within our own country.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
There should be an immigration moratorium for at least ten years. Work and student visas need to be completely banned. In cases where someone has groundbreaking technology or they have assisted Americans in conflicts abroad, we may allow special immigrant visas on a case-by-case basis.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Strongly Agree
We must protect police officers so that they have the confidence they need to take decisive action.
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Strongly Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
None, the 2nd amendment is absolute. We should repeal the national firearms act.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Strongly Disagree
ABOUT YOU
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
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
https://www.columbian.com/news/2022/mar/17/joe-kent-herrera-beutler-is-too-establishment/ https://www.opb.org/article/2021/11/29/republican-joe-kent-faces-the-establishment-and-his-own-party-in-long-odds-congressional-bid/
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
My number one priority is stopping President Biden and his radical agenda that is destroying our country. The first thing I will do is introduce impeachment papers for his illegal dealings with the Chinese Communist Party while Vice President, aiding and abetting an illegal invasion of our southern border. Once the Republican party has complete control of the government we must focus on putting the interests of American families first. That means reducing their tax burden, deregulating our oil and natural gas industry to reduce the price at the pump, onshoring our manufacturing, and withdrawing from all wasteful conflicts.
VALUES
Sexual orientation and gender identity should be protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
Strongly Disagree
Sexual orientation and gender identity have no place being discussed in classrooms.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
The United States is the greatest nation to exist in the history of mankind. Those who teach children to hate it are destroying our nation from the inside. There is no other nation where you will find more opportunity.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I was raised in a Catholic household, I currently attend a non-denominational Christian Church. My faith has guided me through very hard times. Throughout my many years in combat I survived many dangerous situations by the grace of God.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
We should make federal funding attached to a photo ID standard and the requirement of proof of citizenship to vote.
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
Everyone must be required to provide a photo ID and proof of citizenship before they vote. People should vote in person on paper ballots that are hand counted under the observation of all parties involved. Election officials should be able to establish a chain of custody for all ballots. This will be easy to do if voters cast ballots in person in their own precinct.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism is not a threat to the domestic security of the United States. Racism against minorities has been effectively stigmatized and for the most part all people regardless of skin color are treated equally in this country. The introduction of race-baiting ideas from the progressive left into schools and media is what sparked riots that resulted in many dead and billions of dollars in damages across our country.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Strongly Agree
We should be producing and extracting as much energy as we can so that we can lower the prices for consumers and become an energy exporter.
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.
A) For too long we have sacrificed our jobs at the altar of environmentalism. We must put American families first and provide them with as many opportunities for good paying jobs as we can.
