Andrew Cooperrider
Republican | Kentucky
Candidate Profile*
Verified Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Andrew Cooperrider
Party
Republican
Election Year
2023
Election
Primary
Race
State Treasurer
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Paul Laurence Dunbar, Lexington, HS, 2009
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Fayette County Republican Party, Contributor, Toast Masters
Club President, NRA, Member
Bluegrass Sportsman League, Member, KFRW
Associate Member, WROCK, Associate Member
Kentucky Right to Life, Contributor
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
ENDORSEMENTS*
CONSERVATIVE (2)
*Freedoms Heritage Forum
*KY Forum PAC
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (10)
Northern Kentucky Right to Life
Tea Party
Take Back Kentucky
Constitutional Kentucky
Christian County Young Republicans
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (3)
Felicia Rabourn (2021)
Shane Baker (2021)
WinRed (2022)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (7)
Bill Polyniak (2021)
Bryan Shepherd (2022)
Gerardo Serrano (2022)
John Hodgson (2021)
Kimberly Holloway (2022)
OTHER INFORMATION
Andrew Cooperrider participated in a KET debate for State Treasurer on 4/24/2023.*
*Debate occurred after the voter guide was published and was not considered in candidate evaluation.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
None. I do not consider a pregency being terminated due to the life of the mother an abortion.
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.
Strongly Disagree
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
None.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
Strengthen our borders and divest from countries that have any links to funding terrorism.
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
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.
Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
None
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
Income tax should be ended at all levels, and we should transition to a consumption tax.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
- Spending on programs that forward CRT and the LGBTQ agenda through DEI initiates. Government picking and choosing winners and losers through corporate handouts.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
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?
Individuals need to pass a background check and prove they are able to support themselves in the transition. If they should require government assistance they should not be allowed to immigrate to the U.S.
EDUCATION
Do you support a constitutional amendment that would allow Kentucky’s educational dollars to follow children to the school of their choice?
Yes
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Agree
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?
Gun laws only result in law abiding citizens in being disarmed. Individuals who seek to do harm with firearms are not going to be stopped by any restrictions.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Strongly Disagree
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Do you support the expansion of gambling in Kentucky?
No
The LGBTQ+ agenda’s advocacy for puberty blockers, biological males competing on girls’ sports teams, and allowing biological males into girls’ restrooms, locker rooms, and showers threatens the wellbeing of our children.
Strongly Agree
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
To protect citizen's God given rights to life, liberty, and property. In order to do this government must be as small and unintrusive as possible. A large government heavily involved in regulation is forced to infringe on our rights.
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.kentucky.com/article259742895.html# https://www.wkyt.com/2020/11/25/business-booms-for-lexington-coffee-shop-defying-beshears-orders/ https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2021/09/07/anti-mask-mandate-protest-frankfort-capitol https://www.dailywire.com/news/kentucky-coffee-shop-defies-covid-19-orders-as-line-of-supportive-customers-stretches-out-the-door https://www.wymt.com/2021/01/11/kentucky-house-creating-committee-to-consider-impeaching-gov-beshear/ https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/04/kentucky-gov-beshear-bills-impeachment-petition-attorney-fees/6888181002/ https://www.wlky.com/article/big-group-protests-kentucky-s-covid-19-restrictions-at-the-capitol-beshear/36122317 https://www.lex18.com/news/coronavirus/fayette-county-parents-protest-mask-mandate-at-all-kentucky-schools-child-care-centers https://youtu.be/7XsP8127dU8
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?
Ronald Reagan once said “government does not solve problems—it subsidizes them.” That is exactly what the entire country is experiencing right now. My name is Andrew Cooperrider. I am a husband, father and businessman—not a career politician. I am running for Kentucky State Treasurer because I am sick and tired of corruption running rampant in our government. We need a constitutional watchdog to hold politicians like Beshear accountable. As a Christian, I take my faith very seriously. My family and I attend New Life Baptist Church in Lexington. As a businessman, I have helped create dozens of quality jobs, balanced budgets, and tackled complex issues. In Kentucky, politicians think that spending more of your money is the way to solve problems, while here at home, we figure out ways to operate our businesses more efficiently and work hard to balance the family budget. The Commonwealth of Kentucky is facing enormous issues due to government overreach and out-of-control spending. Career politicians are using Putin, COVID, and social issues to hide their incompetence, and I am here to hold them accountable. In the midst of government mandates, fiscal policy failures resulting in inflation, and skyrocketing gas prices, our families have been struggling. Government created these issues and they have failed to solve them. Power should not belong in the hands of the few. Returning power to the household is the only way out of this. With your help, we can get the job done in Kentucky. I am asking for your vote because united we stand, divided we fall. Working together, we can deliver relief from overtaxation and overregulation, balance the budget, protect life, and preserve liberty.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
I support adding gender identity and sexual orientation as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
Strongly Disagree
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 and believe in God as described in the bible. I accepted Christ on 3/16/2013. My family and I attend New Life Baptist Church in Lexington.
Parental rights are a fundamental right. Stronger legal protections are needed to ensure that parents are empowered to protect their right to direct their children’s upbringing, education, and healthcare.
Strongly Agree
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
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
I believe that "early in person no excuse absentee voting" for three days is not a constitutional practice according to our State Constitution. If we want to continue this practice it should go through the proper constitutional amendment process. "All regular elections of State, county, city, town, urban-county, or district officers shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November." - Section 148 of the Kentucky Constitution
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
There are many political actors seeking to create division pushing a racism narrative. These ideas include pushing ideas like Critical Race Theory and implicit bias. These ideas are in of themselves racists and divisive. To teach that any race should be treated differently based upon skin color is wrong, but that is what some Democrats are doing. For this reason I believe that the kind of racist ideas the far left liberals are pushing do in fact create a domestic threat.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
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.
A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy.
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Strongly Agree
