Sans Gilmore
Republican | Washington
Candidate Profile
Leans Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Sans Gilmore
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
Primary & Secretary of State Special
Race
State Rep., Dist. 22 - Pos. 1
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Seattle University Law School (formerly UPS), Seattle, Juris Doctorate, 1991
The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Bachelor of Arts, 1987
WORK & MILITARY
US Army, Command Sergeant Major, 1977 to 2014
AFFILIATIONS
Thurston County Volunteer Legal Clinic, Mentor Attorney 1992 to Present, Thurston County Dispute Resolution Clinic
Mediator 2013 to Present, Thurston County Visitor and Convention Bureau Board, Member since 2017
American Legion Post 3, Olympia, WA, Member since 2016, Thurston County Veteran Service Board
Member since 2020, North Thurston Education Foundation, Trustee since 2019
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Thurston County District Court Judge, 2008
Race
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Abortion is currently legal in Washington. I do not intend to introduce any new legislation regarding abortion.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Disagree
Planned Parenthood has received federal funding since 1970, when President Richard Nixon signed into law the Family Planning Services and Population Research Act, amending the Public Health Service Act.
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Agree
The Washington Department of Health is responsible for ensuring health care providers comply with the Death with Dignity Act and for reporting out summary information in annual reports. The Department of Health is not authorized or able to assist a potential participant with accessing care or removing the requirements of the Act. Talk with your health care provider or contact an end-of-life resource about pursuing Death with Dignity.
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
Tax codes should be simpler.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
I would reduce inefficiencies. I would reduce the layers of bureaucracy.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Neutral
I was the first person in my family to ever graduate from college. I chose to attend and complete college based on my own personal goals. I also took advantage of two kinds of employment-based college funding and some scholarships. I believe that high school students should be provided with enough information to make an informed decision about attending college. And, I believe all our students should get a good K-12 education to include opportunities in music, arts, and sports.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Agree
I've owned and operated a law firm since 1992 and my wife and I own and operate two small office buildings. I can't imagine using a prospective client's or a prospective tenant's religious belief as a qualifier of my representing them or our renting to them. All clients have to have legitimate purposes and all tenants have to be using the office for a legitimate business purpose.
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
There is and should be a separation between church and state. Keeping that in mind, the Corona Virus Pandemic created a situation where it was medically proven to be dangerous for large groups of persons to gather. So, local governments shared their medical information and advice to reduce the danger related to gathering for any/all purposes. The religious leaders that I know and talk to all followed the government guidance and avoided putting their membership in danger.
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.
People should live healthy lives. They should eat healthy food and exercise regularly. People should be proactive when it comes to dental hygiene. Healthcare insurance should be available to everyone. I don't support forced healthcare insurance. Finally, it took 20 years or so for the federal government to pass a public health care law. I would expect any significant change to take a similar time line.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
If you are asking about vaccinating children, only parents should be allowed to decide if their children should be vaccinated. If you are asking about adults, an adult should meet the employment requirements to be employed, the prerequisites to be enrolled in school (college), and there should be no difference for public employment or public schools versus private employment or private schools.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
First of all, I do not connect the religious belief (Islamic) and any individual or group decision to commit and act of terrorism. I served our country for 37 years in the US Army and swore an oath to protect US citizens from all enemies, foreign and domestic. The USA should maintain a strong military and other means of protecting our citizens. If a threat is identified, I expect identified threats to be eliminated immediately.
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.
Neutral
I am committed to being better educated on that region.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Disagree
I have significant concerns about US relations with Mexico. With all due respect to the current treaties and current immigration laws, both of these bodies of law need serious updating.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
The USA was built on diversity. Anyone that desires to immigrate to the US should have the same chance of success as anyone else. Certain applications should be expedited and favored. For example, anyone that is married to a US citizen or a parent of a US citizen should be expedited.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Strongly Agree
All the school choices listed in the question are examples of choice. Supporting the traditional way of educating our K-12 students seems like a continuation of a system that routinely fails a large portion of our students.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Agree
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
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
Disagree
I've been a family law attorney for 30 years. And, I've seen many Man-Woman marriages fail and I've seen many same-sex marriages succeed. I do not intend to introduce legislation that would change Washington's current definition of marriage.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Disagree
I disagree with the way the question is worded. I tend to think that CRT is needed so long as anyone sees anyone else as fundamentally different based on their skin color, how they dress, how they cut their hair, or their sexual identification, etc.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a christian. My values are hard work,self sufficiency, commitment, loyalty, and essential family values. And, I like to have fun.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Agree
I vote using a mail-in ballot. No one checks my photo ID. Everyone that chooses to vote should be treated the same.
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
I'd like to see all votes counted at the same time ... no time zone differences, no state differences, no political boundary differences at all. It should be easy to register to vote. And, everyone should be able to vote in one, common way.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
I don't think so. My perspective is very much based on 37 years of service in the US Army and my working side by side with people of all races, religions, etc. The more diversity tends to mean more points of view tends to result in better solutions.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Disagree
Reparations are only meaningful if they occur soon after one group commits a reason for reparations to another group. As we all watch and feel for the situation between Russia and Ukraine it looks like there will be a huge justification for reparation once the situation ends.
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.
B.
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Disagree
I drive a gas powered car. I expect I'll end up driving an electric car soon. I worry about the environmental impact of battery disposal as much as I worry about burning fossil fuels.
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
The US Constitution speaks for me. Also, there needs to be a government to address disagreements that cannot be worked out through mediation or other forms of civil dispute resolution. Also, the geopolitical boundaries tend to give people a useful identity and purpose.
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
Again, I believe in hard work, self-sufficiency, loyalty, freedom, the nuclear family, all children getting a good K-12 education, and all adults having every opportunity to succeed in 2022 and beyond.
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
Because I am an attorney, I am associated with hundreds of public court records. I also have 37 years of military records that are available to anyone that may make a public records request to the Department of Defense. Or, all you have to do is "Google" Sans Gilmore or Sans M. Gilmore. Thanks.
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?
My legislative priorities are to make sure all District 22 Veterans are educated on their rights and have full access to all of their rights. Next, I will make sure all District 22 K-12 students have the best education that they can get. Next, I will make sure everyone in District 22 is safe. Next, I will make sure that all District 22 citizens know that they can discuss their concerns with me and that I am there for them.
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
Police officers should not have to second guess their actions when performing their duties and upholding the law.
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Neutral
All citizens that need mental health services should have them ... period. No responsible budget manager would put themselves into a situation whereby they are choosing to spend on police vs. mental health services.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
None. I have more than 45 years of experience with guns and gun safety education. When our daughter was young, she expressed interest in learning to shoot. So, I was directly involved in her gun education. She enjoyed learning to shoot and shooting targets. Parents should be involved in their children's gun education.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Neutral
I take the question to mean that firearms dealers and firearms manufacturers should be "strictly liable" for any violence done with a firearm that may have been manufactured by such a manufacturer or sold by such a dealer and I don't support strict liability. Choosing to own, load, and take a firearm anywhere and do violence with it is a premeditated act and a crime.
