Ant L Thornton
Republican | New Mexico
Candidate Profile*
Conservative
*Additional information appears below for educational purposes; however, only data received prior to the candidate deadline was considered during Panel Evaluation.
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Ant L Thornton
Party
Republican
Election Year
2024
Election
General
Race
State Senator, Dist. 19
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Purdue University, W. Lafayette, Ph.D., 1992
Stanford University, Palo Alto, M.S., 1980
University of Colorado, Boulder, B.S., 1978
WORK & MILITARY
USN-Reserve, Lieutenant (O-3), 7
AFFILIATIONS
Republican Party of Bernalillo County, 2021- 1st Vice Chair, United Way Campaign Chair
2012 - Employee Caring Program for Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement, Inc, Board Member, 1995-1997
National Atomic Museum, Board of Trustees, 1995-1997, Purdue University’s School of Aeronautics & Astronautics,
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
1st Vice Chair Bernalillo County, 2021
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
NM State Senate District 19, 2016
NM GOP Lt. Governor Nominee, 2022
Race
Previous Races
ENDORSEMENTS*
*These endorsements were received after the deadline and were not considered in the Panel Evaluations and are for additional educational purposes only.
CONSERVATIVE (2)
*National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF
Gregg Schmedes
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Gregg Schmedes, State Senator, District 19
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (5)
State Republican Party Organizations (2022)
WinRed (2022)
Michelle Garcia Holmes (2020)
Janice Arnold-Jones (2018)
Ted Cruz (2016)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Obama for America (2008)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
Candidate signed Abortion Free New Mexico’s Pro-Life Pledge.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
I am pro-life. Abortions should be allowed only in the case of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is threatened. Since the Supreme Court returned the issue of abortion back to the states, the NM Legislature has made abortion legal in NM up to and including birth. As a pro-lifer in NM, I will promote alternatives such as making adoptions easier in NM and passing legislation that requires the male to be financially responsible for 18 years so that women have options beyond abortion.
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
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
Those who want to support abortion should donate to Planned Parenthood, but it should not be government-supported by taxpayers.
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Strongly Disagree
I see this as a double-edged sword as these laws can be abused, whereas someone who is in chronic pain with no possibility of recovery may opt to choose this path, pain relief can be provided to eliminate the need to end a life.
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
What is your position on the minimum wage?
I think minimum wage will be eliminated. As we enter a future that includes humanoid robots replacing actual workers, the cost of labor will go down as robots can work 24/7, don't require medical insurance, or vacation benefits.
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. Roads, bridges, and related infrastructure that supports the public good are independent of ESG. Market investments like EV infrastructure, solar and wind farms, etc. should be done with private investments, not government public monies.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
Under what circumstances can a church shut down the government? Never. The same applies to the government closing churches. The government is supposed to serve the people, not control them. The church serves God by offering the community a place of solace and spiritual enlightenment.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
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) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.
We do not have a free market in the healthcare industry. How much does an X-ray, or an MRI, or to repair a broken arm cost? What is the real cost of medications? Why isn't there a menu of costs for various procedures such as heart surgery, eye surgery, etc. It's because the government and insurance companies are in the middle of every transaction between the doctor and patient. In a free market, everyone would have catastrophic medical coverage and pay directly for all other procedures.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Vaccinations are and should be an individual choice. The state has no right or claim on individual medical decisions and should not be given the power to coerce someone into a medical decision.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Our long term relationship with Israel is vital given that it is the only true democracy in the Middle East.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
I recently visited Eagle Pass and Del Rio, Texas to see for myself Operation Lonestar. I met with the Texas Border Czar, Michael Banks, who has formed a joint Task Force between the Texas Department of Safety (DPS) and the Texas Military Department to secure their border. Prior to the building of the wall, they were encountering between 800-2000 illegal immigrants daily, that number is now down to less than 200. Walls do work. NM needs to secure its border. Border security is public safety.
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
I support universal school choice where parents can decide where there children will attend school. Given New Mexico's abysmal education ranking, creating competition in the schools will force more innovation in the classroom. I would also like to see a focus on growing technical and vocational programs for 9th - 12th grade to identify and support trade school students as well as college track students.
VALUES
Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
Strongly Agree
Parents should have the right to make decisions for their minor children.
Strongly Agree
Taxpayer funds should be used to provide gender transition services.
Strongly Disagree
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
The government has the right to convey "civil unions" between individuals that bestow the same "rights and privileges" as a married couple... but the institution of marriage is between one man and one woman.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian. We are commanded to love one another (John 15: 12)
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
Voter ID is critical to a safe and secure election. Identification is required for all matter of life's essentials: to purchase alcohol, to purchase a gun, to obtain medication, to fly on a commercial airliner, etc. One of the most important civic duties is to vote for your government representatives, that should be protected.
States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant.
Strongly Disagree
We are not a democracy where the majority rules. We are a Republic where the electoral system ensures everyone has a say in our elections. The electoral college ensures that the entire United States is not ruled by just the most populous states of New York, California, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas. It requires a Presidential candidate to appeal to the flyover states as much as the coastal elites.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
The impacts of racism in America still remains in many of the major cities controlled by Democrats where we see poverty, poor education, and lack of adequate medical care. Many of these systemic issues are a result of policies promoted by Democrats that keep minorities and low-income people trapped in a system that doesn't allow them to break free. Racism is not a threat to domestic security. Democrat policies that allow unfettered illegal immigration is the threat to domestic security.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
The United States has been racist in the past with Jim Crow laws promulgated by the Democrat party. However, CRT is a farce based on Marxist ideology which separates the world into the "oppressed" versus the "oppressors". It's a false ideology which fundamentally goes against the American spirit of hard work, discipline, and merit which allows every individual to achieve whatever they are willing to pursue. I believe in equality of opportunity, not equity, that delivers equal outcomes for all.
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
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.
Option A. Climate change is real... however, it is not caused by humankind. Pollution and waste may be caused by humans, but that is a distinct and separate issue from Climate change. The single most important factor that affects the climate on Earth is the radiant heat from the sun. The second most important factor in controlling the climate on Earth is water vapor in the atmosphere. There is a myth that CO2 is the leading cause of climate change on Earth... it isn't.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
The future demands for electricity will not be met by solar or wind, it will be nuclear power in the form factor of Small Modular Reactors. NM is the birthplace of the nuclear age and we can lead in SMR development and deployment.
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?
According to Thomas Jefferson, the purpose of government is to secure the natural rights of individuals, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As stated in the Declaration of Independence, governments are instituted among people to protect these rights and that their just powers are derived from the consent of the governed.
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
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs.
Strongly Disagree
Police and law enforcement are created to protect the community from those who violate the rights of others. To have a safe community, one needs a strong and vibrant police force that works with the community members.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
There are enough laws on the books protecting public safety, so no need for more. The 2nd Amendment clearly states that "a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed."
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
If properly trained, teachers that choose to carry guns should be allowed to carry (concealed) on campus in order to protect their students.
