Dyllan Angelo-Ogurkis
Republican | Pennsylvania
Candidate Profile*
Leans Conservative
*Additional information appears below for educational purposes; however, only data received prior to the candidate deadline was considered during Panel Evaluation.
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Dyllan Angelo-Ogurkis
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
Primary and Spec. Elec. - Senate Dist 5
Race
State Rep., Dist. 116
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg, Political Science, 2021
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Brandon's Forever Home, Board of Directors, Americans for Prosperity
Grassroots Engagement Director, Pennsylvania Trump Victory, Staffer
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
ENDORSEMENTS*
*These endorsements were received after the deadline and were not considered in the Panel Evaluations and are for additional educational purposes only.
OTHER (1)
*Humane PA
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Luzerne County Young Republicans
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Legal abortions should be allowed in cases of the initial period of pregnancy for rape, incest, or when the mother's life is in danger.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
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?
As it stands currently, the Pennsylvania economy is being handicapped by the tax policy in the commonwealth. For starters, Pennsylvania has one of the nation's highest gas taxes. Publicly indicated to repair infrastructure, the state's infrastructure is still failing while tax payers are paying the burden at the pump - especially in this time of unprecedented inflation. Likewise, Pennsylvania has the second highest business tax rate at 9.99%, just shy of New Jersey's leading 11.5%. If Pennsylvania wants to grow its economy and empower business owners (while not burdening its taxpayers), it's long overdue to slash the business tax rate and to reform the entirety of taxation in Pennsylvania. Finally, a large plank of my campaign is to eliminate the tax burden of seniors in our communities. The first step to accomplishing this is to eliminate school property taxes for citizens 70 years old and over, to ensure they are not facing an extreme economic burden while living on a fixed income.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
There needs to be an overall cut in state spending. However, the necessary funds are within the state's budget to conduct the duties of the government. In regards to balancing the budget, there needs to be a cut in frivolous spending in the welfare system while also cutting and reapportioning funding for public schools to regions in the state that desperately need it and not just school systems in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Disagree
The issue of college costs needs to be addressed, and can be addressed by the state legislature. However more than just a legislative issue, this is a cultural issue as well. There should not be an expectation of every student passing through high school to have to enter into and receive a four year degree. There needs to be a stronger development of life planning for high school students with explanations to students of options beyond a bachelor's degree.
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?
There should be no circumstance that gives any government the power to close the doors to houses of worship.
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.
My view on healthcare, closely resembles the idea that Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. This comes with the caveat that the federal legislation of 'ObamaCare' is not going anywhere and instead legislators should work to continue to improve healthcare accessibility to constituents. This can be done through professional licensing reform (CNA Designation Legislation), improved telemedicine access, and cost caps on necessary and life saving medicines like insulin.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Did not answer
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
To eradicate the threat of Islamic Terrorism, the United States needs to work to continuoulsy eradicate the funding systems of these networks. In the states', these revenue sources include illegal gun and drug sales. Through eliminating their revenue source, this will play a major role in removing the threat of terrorism in our society.
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.
Disagree
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
The United States on the federal level, with cooperation from the states' needs to play an active level in reducing illegal immigration. With cooperation from state governments, the federal government should increase funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity as well as monitoring the revenue streams which encourage illegal immigration on the southern border – drug trafficking and human smuggling. As well there needs to be an expansion of federal immigration courts.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Anyone should be allowed to immigrate to the United States under the pretense, that as potential and eventual citizens, they will be productive members of the community and will adopt American culture.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Strongly Agree
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Agree
Although the founding fathers believed in Judeo-Christian values as their morality framework, there can be morality outside of religious dogma which can still guide our system of government.
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
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
Disagree
Despite my own religious beliefs and even though individual religions or philosophies teach on the sanctity of marriage, as it sits right now through the decisions of the Supreme Court, marriage is no longer a political debate.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
The concepts and educational presets of critical race theory are a dangerous tool in the United States educational system. The idea that the United States is fundamentally racist is not only wrong but goes against the concepts and framework of the Union in which we live. However on top of legislation to eliminate CRT, I believe that we must fight bad ideas with good ones. There needs to be a replacement to fill the void in its place which would teach an accurate history of the United States.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
In terms of spirituality and values, I was raised and educated through the Catholic Church and I am an active member in the Church to this day. Despite all of the negativity and bad in the world, my faith in a loving and forgiving God helps guide my decision making every day.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Disagree
With current irregularity and lack of integrity in the voting system, there should be legislation that would require and free of charge provide identification for the purpose of voting in our elections.
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
Currently in Pennsylvania, Act 77 needs to be reformed extensively to re-impose integrity in our election system. At-will mail-in voting, without a valid excuse, should be a thing of the past and the Pennsylvanian government should return to the policy of absentee ballots. As well there should be an implementation of voter identification requirements and a deep reform of election bureaus across each and every county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
In the year 2022, racism is still a scourge on people across the country. As there are threats of violence based on racism, it does remain a somewhat threat to domestic security in the United States.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Disagree
The concept of reparations should have been implemented in the years following the abolition of slavery and the end of the Civil War. However due to many reasons, this policy was never fully implemented. Now in the year 2022, over 150 years since slavery have passed, this policy would no longer alleviate the struggles of those who were brutalized by slavery. In place of reparations, domestic policy should be implemented to improve the lives of everyone in our communities.
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.
In order to continue American energy production and maintaining our environmental beauty, there needs to be a strict balance between energy production and our natural environment. I agree with the first statement that concludes that strict environmental laws would cost many jobs and hurt our economy. At the current state of the American economy, strictly regulation will continue to lessen the availability of good paying jobs that provide for hardworking families in Pennsylvania and across the country.
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Strongly Agree
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
The general purpose of government is to provide the security and maintain the well-being of the people whom they serve. It is time for the government to return back to this purpose rather than serving the interest of big corporations and high-paid lobbyists while ignoring their specific and general purpose of serving the people.
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).
Did not answer
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
N/A
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
To put it simply, my legislative priorities are based on three categories: Pro-Worker, Pro-Family, and Pro-Pennsylvanian. In the legislature my priority will be to fight to put workers and families first before large corporations and special interests. There needs to be a legislative effort to create incentives for family growth in Northeastern Pennsylvania as well as the creation of good paying and family supporting employment. I am Pro-Pennsylvanian because the state of Pennsylvania is at an enormous crossroads for the future of our Commonwealth. We have the opportunity to become a state like Florida or Texas, with a thriving economy as well as a growing population base. It is time to eliminate failing progressive policies and instead unleash Pennsylvania's potential.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Disagree
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
In order to protect public safety guns should remain out of the hands of individuals that would become a threat to others. Those are criminals and others deemed mentally ill. In an effort to maintain civil liberties and simultaneously keep our community safe, the restriction of gun ownership of individuals should be determined by a court of law and individuals should be given due process.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Strongly Disagree
