Chadwick Smith
Republican | Alabama
Candidate Profile*
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Chadwick Smith
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
Primary
Race
State Representative, Dist. 31
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Candidate did not provide
WORK & MILITARY
Cisco Systems, Account Manager, 3
Cisco Systems, Cybersecurity Specialist, 12
Colonial Bank, Chief Information Security Officer, 5
ALFA Inusrance, Network Engineer, 5
AFFILIATIONS
Bible study held at Millbrook YMCA, Teacher
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Think Big America (2015)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
QUESTIONNAIRE*
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Killing children is a human rights issue and should not be allowed except in the instance of the mother's life being in imminent risk.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
No government body should in any way sponsor the killing of a child.
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Strongly Disagree
Human life is precious. We should help people who are losing hope and provide alternative care options like medical marijuana to reduce the impact of chronic diseases.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
In a free market economy the provider and consumer should have choices for many reasons. A private business is not a public service and should not be treated as such.
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
The government has no right to interfere, regardless of 501c3 status, in the operations of religious organizations. There are plenty of laws available to prosecute people who are behaving unlawfully.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
Islamic terrorism is wrong and should not be tolerated. The U.S. should be very careful in approaching this matter beyond our borders, but if a material threat exist against the U.S. or one of it's Citizens, then I believe action should be taken. We cannot be soft on terrorism. It has to be confronted.
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
Israel should be allowed to do what is necessary to protect the land given to them by God.
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.
Tax-payer funded health care should be abolished in all forms except for the ones who are truly unable to provide for themselves. A free market economy should be allowed to flourish and provide healthcare to those who want it, and drive those providers to improved services and technology.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Because of the blatant overreach and unscientific response to the recent pandemic, I believe a government, school, or employer should NOT force upon anyone a shot.
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
We need a simple tax code that can fit on less than two sheets of paper.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
We should reduce welfare and other social services to people who are able to work. If for instance gambling or lottery legislation was passed, I believe you should not be allowed to be on government programs and participate in games of chance.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly Disagree
College is not meant for everyone. I also believe when you work for something it is more valuable to you.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
A wall is not sufficient to protect our borders, and our Northern border is to soft as well. We need to use advanced technology for both above and below ground detection of movement to intercept and restrict access only through legal checkpoints.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Anyone willing to legally follow the process and become an American should be permitted to do so. They must be required to speak English and contribute to society.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Strongly Agree
We all learn differently. We also have varying degrees of success in our schools in educating children. We should have every opportunity possible to educate children in the manner that provides them a future of their choosing.
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
Only when a law enforcement officer violates laws should they be prosecuted.
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Disagree
We do need to address crime with more than just law enforcement at the time of the event. Primitively mental health and family services are needed to help improve outcomes of people who struggle with finding meaning and purpose. Our churches also should be considered a place of great value in helping people navigate the strains of life.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
There are adequate laws in place already regarding guns. I am a concealed carry participant and I believe every law abiding citizen should have protection for their family and homes.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Strongly Disagree
The logic of this statement is flawed. That is like telling someone who struggles with an eating disorder to sue a fork manufacturer.
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
Government should exist in the smallest form possible as outlined by the U.S. Constitution. To many additional agencies and offices have been created throughout the years only complicating American life and the economy. Government was made to serve the people, not the people to serve the government.
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?
Conservative
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
I have been interviewed on three radio stations WACQ in Tallassee, 93.1 in Montgomery, and AM1440 with Kevin Elkin. I have also had news reports in the 1819news.com.
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?
I have a significant number of issues I have commented on at https://www.chadwicksmith.com/issues. I also have videos and direct answers on several topics at https://www.chadwicksmith.com/q-r. We must be willing to take bold stands to evaluate the effectiveness of government to determine what should be funded and what should be done away with. Accepting status quo simply because it has been present is not acceptable. Education is a cornerstone of a thriving society. We must hold our educational standards in Alabama to a higher bar of achievement. Because of my background in cybersecurity, I am uniquely capable of helping lead out state into a more secure digital future.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
It is an indisputable fact that our nation was founded based off the principles of the Bible. I would encourage everyone to research this through historians like David Barton. We must continue to keep government limited to maintain a free society. One of our founding fathers John Adams wrote "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." I agree.
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
Strongly Agree
No one should be discriminated against based on their birth gender, either male of female.
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 agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
CRT has no place in America. It is simply wrong and divisive. People can be racist, but our country is not.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
You can see more detail at https://www.chadwicksmith.com/about, but I will provide a synopsis here. I came to know Jesus at Grace Baptist Temple when I was six years old. The last seventeen years I have hosted a Bible study teaching others about Jesus and how to study the scriptures. I occasionally do itinerate preaching for pastors in the tri-county area. I am currently learning ancient Hebrew and enjoy studying archeology, history, culture, and world religions. I believe in the inspired Scriptures we call the Holy Bible. I believe my sin has separated me from God. The scriptures teach that Jesus is the only way back to having a right relationship with God. I believe that Jesus died on a cross for my sins, was raised from the dead by God, and conquered death so I might spend an eternity in heaven. While here, I am commanded to tell others about the wonderful gift called salvation. I realize this is an abbreviated summary of the Christian faith. I am happy to share with you in more detail about this if you are interested as I consider it the most important decision anyone can ever make. I continue to study the Bible and find it absolutely fascinating. One of the most insightful comments I recently read from an author is "the Bible was written for us, not to us." I find significant value in understanding the origins of our faith and the context of the scriptures.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
How can we have election integrity if we cannot identify who is voting.
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
A valid photo ID must be present at the time you vote. If absentee voting, you should be required to go to a pre-approved state government facility and be identified before being allowed to cast a ballot. The electoral college is a required institution and should not be tampered with.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism will always exist within any society. Racism has and does exist in the hearts of some, but it is not pervasive. Often those who speak the loudest against racism are the very ones who are stoking the flames of hate among people. We were all created equal in the eyes of God. We are all the human race. I do not feel it is a threat to our national security because good men will not standby and see evil prevail.
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
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Strongly Agree
