Vance D. Coley
Republican | Florida
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Vance D. Coley
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
Primary
Race
State Rep., Dist 5
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, Political Science / Minor in History, 2013
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
United Way of Northwest Florida, Member, Jackson County Advisory Committee, Chipola College Foundation
Member, Board of Directors, Rivertown Community Church, Attendee
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
ENDORSEMENTS
OTHER (1)
Florida Police Benevolent Association
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (6)
Former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense
Former Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford
Former Florida House Speaker Pro Tempore Marti Coley
Former Congressman Steve Southerland
Police Benevolent Association
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Ron Desantis (2021)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (2)
Don Gaetz (2021)
Limited Govt for a Stronger Florida (2021)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Only in cases of serious danger to the mother should a pregnancy be terminated.
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
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
Florida's elected Legislature should make it an annual endeavor to reduce government spending and thus reduce the tax burden on Floridians. Priority should always be given to lowering property taxes. Most importantly, under no circumstance should an income tax ever be implemented.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
We need to take a close look at how we are funding universities. Florida has a large post-secondary education budget full of wasteful spending that often funds leftwing activism. Additionally, we need to ensure that direct special project appropriations are scrutinized to the highest degree which will eliminate spending in areas we shouldn't be sending tax dollars.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Disagree
There is no right to a public post-secondary education. Tools like Bright Futures should remain in place to ensure those that desire to attend college have access to financially sound options, but there is no right or guarantee to a college education.
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?
Never. It's that simple.
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.
Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but with massive reforms that take advantage of free market principles, and with a rededication to the notion that these programs are intended to be safety nets. Healthcare prices continue to climb because of government intrusion, not because of a lack of it.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
COVID-19 Vaccine mandates are inherently immoral, not at all based on science or any other objective metric, and should not be in place as a condition of employment or to receive public services. Where pre-existing mandates for more traditional vaccines are in place in public school districts, school choice policies should continue to be pursued to ensure that all families can choose the education and healthcare best for their children.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
The United States should continue to stand with Israel in the Middle East. At home, we must be careful to respect religious and civil rights, but we must be willing to name the problem and address it.
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
This movement is based on lies and antisemitism. It should not find support from a single American.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
Build the wall.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
There should be an efficient, safe, and legal path for those that wish to come and live the American Dream. This must be in conjunction with a strong and secure border. Under no circumstances should existing illegal aliens or others that have broken the law be given amnesty
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Strongly Agree
I support funding students, not systems.
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 as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
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
Agree
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 an unapologetic Christian. I believe that western society has prospered in the past because its framework was built along Judeo-Christian values. We should never force our views on anyone, but we should never hesitate to defend those values. Only from those values of freedom and morality will we see that Shining City on the Hill rise again.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
Photo ID requirements are the most basic level of security we can ensure. In no way do they disfranchise
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
Florida has done a good job of securing elections, both before and after 2020. In addition to security measures, we must make sure there are reasonable criminal and civil remedies available to ensure that bad actors don't get a free pass simply because lazy courts don't feel they can rule after the fact.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
In the sense that racism has been weaponized at every level by the left, yes.
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. We are the best stewards of the natural resources entrusted to us, not bureaucrats in Washington and Tallahassee.
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Agree
Our energy policy should be diverse and reflective of our own domestic supply.
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
The general purpose of government should be as limited as practically possible. Its purpose should never be to hinder our ability to live freely and do business how we choose. Most importantly, any power not specifically given to the federal government should be reserved to the states. It should be a top priority of all conservatives to return power back to the 10th Amendment.
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://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dlp-special-edition-district-5-florida-state-house/id1517664906?i=1000559712623
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?
The coming decade will define the State of Florida, especially Northwest Florida. As growth and success continue to find us, we will face new and increasingly complex policy issues. I am a lifelong Floridian that has had the opportunity to live all around this great state and to learn our incredibly diverse challenges and strengths – from both public and private sector perspectives. This experience uniquely positions me to be an effective leader, not just for Northwest Floridians, but all Floridians. The coming decade will also be one of contentious debates over the proper role of government. It is more important than ever that we send bold advocates to fight and ensure that the role of government is never one that meddles in or hinders our freedom to live and worship as we choose. If the last couple of years have taught us anything, it’s that we need fighters for our ideals of freedom and prosperity – I am that fighter.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Agree
If a police officer's actions are consistent with the law and duly enacted policy, they should not have to deal with the threat of litigation. There should be tools for anyone truly wronged to use, but we should never turn law enforcement into the tortious nightmare that trial attorneys want.
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Strongly Disagree
This should not be mutually exclusive.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
None
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Strongly Disagree
