Brian Herr
Republican | Kansas
Candidate Profile*
Conservative (Conditional)
*Additional information appears below for educational purposes; however, only data received prior to the candidate deadline was considered during Panel Evaluation.
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Brian Herr
Party
Republican
Election Year
2022
Election
Primary
Race
State Rep., Dist. 78
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, Bachelor's of Science Mechanical Engineering, 2010
Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, Bachelor's of Business Administration, 2006
Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Associates of Applied Science, 2008
WORK & MILITARY
United States Air Force, Staff Sergeant, 2002-2008
AFFILIATIONS
Journey Community Church, Herculaneum, MO, Youth Pastor, Christ Community Church, Olathe, KS
Youth Leader, Kansas City YMCA, Youth Sports Coach
Olathe Parks and Recreation, Youth Soccer Coach, Kansas Rush
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Precinct Committee Man, 2022
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (1)
Kansas State Rifle Association
OTHER INFORMATION*
*Additional information was received after the evaluation was assigned and was not considered in the Panel Evaluations, therefore it is for additional educational purposes only.
*Brian Herr is pro-life and supports VTB.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
When the life of the mother is at risk due to the continuation of the pregnancy.
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.
Agree
When a person is faced with a terminal disease and the success in treatment is low, or the quality of life for the patient during the treatments would produce excruciating levels of pain, I think it's appropriate to honor the wishes of someone who wants to die with dignity.
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
The Tax Code should be simplified. For example, in sales tax exemptions, there are multiple codes associated with exemption certificates. I would consider merging these on the usage side so the interactions between businesses are simplified.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
I would refocus educational spending to be on education and not on all the non-educational side of the School systems. I would encourage State subsidized colleges and universities to address their internal expenditures as they have ben experiencing runaway budgets, forcing tuition hikes due to massive capital expenditure projects. I would address the expenditures on State subsidized transportation to pursue a self-sustaining transportation system.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Disagree
Forcing college as the epitome of future success is one of the shortfalls of the past generation. Encouraging a diversity of paths, whether it be public service, trade schools, college education, etc. will produce the best options for the next generation. College funded with tax-payer dollars should be limited to career fields that are in demand in the market. Private corporate sponsorships are appropriate beyond those. The trend of creating college degrees with no market value should stop.
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?
The government should not be closing down any organization that gathers freely.
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.
C. The Insurance market should open up options for catastrophic care. Govt funded care should be available to care for our physically and mentally disabled. Healthcare is not a right. Anything that requires the performance of another human being is not a right. We can choose to provide care as a community, and local communities are best for deciding how to handle more universal care.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
None.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
Islamic Terrorism is based on an ideology, therefore success in eradication must be in ideological warfare rather than physical.
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
We can leverage modern technology to track people movements at the border more effectively than by just having a wall.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Anyone from any background or culture who adopts the US core principles of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness and wants to embrace the culture of the USA rather than change it to be the culture they came from.
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.
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
Strongly 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 a Christian. I believe Jesus Christ is the physical incarnate God Yahweh. I am also a man of science as a Mechanical Engineer and Researcher.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Disagree
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
I would change laws relating to mail-in ballots and ballot harvesting. Mail-in ballots should be limited to people with some incapacitation and their ballots counted by approved staff with ID proof that said person(s) ID was validated. Ballot harvesting should not be allowed, period.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Yes, racism is a threat. We still have racism in the USA today. The problem is that racism has shifted drastically. Instead of fighting to end racism, we maintain it through incensed media reporting and racial programming in data collection and reporting.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
The United States has already provided reparations through a long list of programs intended to resolve the injustices of the past. Further reparations at this point only fuel further racism on multiple fronts and take away the dignity a person has from the merits of their own production.
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. Stricter environmental laws and regulations need to be weighed by their effectiveness and enforceability. History has shown we need environmental laws to prevent companies from negligently or willfully harming the environment. An example of stricter environmental laws costing jobs and hurting the economy is the EPA's passing of extremely strict regulations for the Doe Run Lead Smelting plant in Herculaneum, MO. Doe Run's plant was the last Primary Lead smelter in the USA. With the shutdown of Doe Run's Lead Smelter, all lead in the USA is recycled. All primary lead is now imported, meaning we shifted the environmental impact to less developed countries, putting their people at greater risk, and destroying all the jobs the Doe Run plant had.
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Neutral
The real solution to our energy crisis is actually in Nuclear power, utilizing Molten Salt Reactors based on the design developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
1) to form a more perfect union; 2) establish justice; 3) insure domestic tranquility; 4) provide for the common defense; 5) promote the general welfare; and 6) secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity. - US Constitution
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 publicly stated my position on many points.
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 goals are to address Economic Reform and Rights Reform. Economic Reform should bring change in the Kansas Statutes through Property Tax Reform to prevent the runaway taxation problem we currently have. In addition, right-sizing regulations so that they do not become burdens for businesses protects the market, encouraging small business growth. Rights do not require the government to grant them but are there to prevent the government from infringing on them. Parental Rights: Parents are the primary influence and care takers of children and the government shall have no power to circumvent those rights aside from illegal activity. Health Freedom: We have the right to be thoroughly informed on our medical care, costs, and treatments both for adults and for their minor children. Personal Rights: We need to return to a foundational understanding of the 10th Amendment, claiming our powers and rights not explicitly granted to the State and Federal governments.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Agree
Conduct consistent with Department Policy must also comply with state and federal law. Officers may not violate laws outside the authorized exemptions, nor should they be given immunity when they willfully violate laws, regardless of policy.
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Neutral
I don't think these are mutually exclusive. I think changing some of the police force over to people trained in mental health will actually provide Law Enforcement Officers with a better grasp on how to address mental health issues.
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
