Daniel Lawless
Republican | Michigan
Candidate Profile
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Daniel Lawless
Party
Republican
Election Year
2026
Election
Primary
Race
State Senator, Dist., 23
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Michigan State University, East Lansing, 2000-2002
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
none
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Michigan State Representative, 2022-
Oakland County Commissioner, 2024-
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (11)
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2024)
Thomas Konesky (2024)
Grand New Party (2023)
Jamie Thompson (2023)
Cathryn Neracher (2022)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
Taxpayer funds should never be used to support abortion. Instead, we should cultivate a culture of life and support expecting mothers, especially those who may be victims of rape or incest.
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
In the extremely rare cases when it is necessary to save the life of the mother.
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Strongly Agree
Every human life is a miracle with value. We should respect and cherish it until a natural death.
The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.
Strongly Agree
Human embryos have the same inherent worth as every human life and should be respected as such and treated with dignity.
The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.
Strongly Agree
All laws should be enforced and this act is an important protection for women seeking abortions. While I am staunchly opposed to abortions, they are legal in Michigan but must be performed safely. This is not a casual medical procedure and can have significant complications. Therefore, all abortions should be performed under the care of properly trained medical professionals and not procured by mail.
ECONOMY
What is your position on the minimum wage?
Employers and employees should be free to determine a wage that is appropriate. Wages should be driven by market conditions and not politicians.
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
Private property is the bedrock on which society is built. It allows citizens to invest and build businesses, providing goods and services for our communities and jobs. Without private property, no one would have the incentive to invest and build and we would experience depression and shortages.
List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.
Eliminate the Income Tax Reform and Reduce Property Taxes Reduce and Eliminate fees on all licensing and registrations By denying Lansing funds to waste, we can force politicians to spend more wisely.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
The state shall impose no religious test and should not be giving favor to one faith over another.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
Individuals and businesses have the right to follow their religious beliefs and should not be forced to participate in activities that violate their conscious.
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.
C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary.
The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.
Strongly Disagree
Medical information is private and should remain so. Treatment decisions should be made by patients and their doctors, not government bureaucrats.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Agree
China is definitely a geopolitical enemy of the United States.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
It is important. Israel is the only free society in the region and has been a strong and reliable ally. The United States military benefits from technological advances made in Israel as part of our aid agreements and this has helped keep our military the most capable in the world.
IMMIGRATION
I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.
Strongly Disagree
Illegal immigrants should be removed from our country. Our highest priority is the safety of our citizens and that means enforcing the law and working closely with all levels of law enforcement.
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Strongly Agree
Education is a state and local matter. Parents and teachers should be at the forefront of education policy decisions. The US Dept. of Ed is just another level of bureaucratic paper-pushing that costs taxpayers and produces no value.
Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.
Agree
We should be wary of foreign influence in our education system, especially from goverments that are not our most reliable friends and who do not share our values.
VALUES
Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child's health and educational well-being.
Strongly Agree
Parents should always have the ultimate say in what is best for their child.
Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.
Strongly Agree
The science is clear. Boys and girls are different and no drugs or surgeries allow us to change our sex. Children should be encouraged to accept the reality of who they are and pursue a quality life. Children should not be allowed to make life-altering, irreversible decisions like this.
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
I support the expansion of gambling in my state.
Neutral
While there are some taxation benefits to allowing gambling, there are also real consequences. Expansion plans would have to include clear public benefits and appropriate safeguards to mitigate the social damages.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I'm a Christian who values God, Family and Country. I believe government functions best when it is limited and that local township and city councils are the most effective and responsive levels of government.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
Voter ID is critical to ensuring fair elections.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
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
We must protect our women from these men.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.
Strongly Disagree
We should be responsible stewards of the environment. There is no scientific evidence that any warming of the climate is human caused or that any change in human behavior will have any impact on the changing climate.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Nuclear Power, especially in smaller reactors has incredible potential to generate electricity that is plentiful, reliable, cost-effective, and safe. However, we should be taking a broader approach and not rely on any one type of generation.
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
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
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
What should be the goal of the criminal justice system?
The main goal of the criminal justice system is to punish offenders and remove bad actors from our society so we can live in a safe and decent community.
Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.
Agree
Protecting children is a critical function of any civilized society. While government has a role to play, parents are primarily responsible for their children's well being.
Sharia law should not be accepted or incorporated in any form within the legal framework of the United States.
Strongly Agree
Sharia law is incompatible with the US Constitution. As Americans, we must uphold and enforce equally our laws and no religious code should supersede that application.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Guns should be accessible to citizens who wish to own them provided they are over 18 and without felony conviction.
