Jacob VandenPlas

Strongly Agree

I generally oppose taxpayer funding of private organizations, including abortion providers. Individuals should not be compelled to support causes or services that conflict with their values. Healthcare decisions should remain between patients and providers, but those services should be funded voluntarily rather than through government subsidies. A freer healthcare system would rely less on government funding and more on individual choice, competition, and private support.

I believe decisions about pregnancy and abortion are deeply personal and should primarily be made by the woman in consultation with her family, faith, and medical professionals—not the government. In a free society, government should be cautious about imposing one moral view on everyone, especially when doing so affects bodily autonomy. I believe elective abortion should be permitted, particularly in the early stages of pregnancy. As pregnancy advances, reasonable regulations are appropriate.

Neutral

While human life has inherent value, I do not believe government should define legal personhood as beginning at conception. Reasonable people disagree on this issue. We should also address the factors that lead women to consider abortion, including financial hardship, limited healthcare access, and lack of family support. A free and compassionate society should expand resources and opportunities so fewer women face these difficult choices. Address the root causes.

Neutral

Human embryos created through artificial methods deserve ethical consideration and should be treated with respect. However, I do not believe government should grant full legal personhood to embryos or broadly prohibit their destruction. Decisions involving unused embryos should be made by the individuals involved, guided by informed consent and ethical standards rather than government mandates. A free society should respect both scientific advancement and individual liberty.

Disagree

I do not support using the Comstock Act to impose broad federal restrictions on the mailing of abortion medications. The Constitution establishes a federal government of limited powers, and healthcare decisions are best left to individuals and the states. Expansive interpretations of a 19th-century law risk exceeding constitutional limits and could create uncertainty for the lawful distribution of other medications. A constitutional approach respects federalism, liberty, and limited government.

I believe wage policy should reflect our state's economic realities. My focus is creating opportunities for workers and businesses to succeed, with policies that encourage job growth, skills development, and upward mobility.

Strongly Agree

Yes. Free enterprise and private property rights are fundamental to economic prosperity and individual liberty. When people are free to innovate, invest, and build businesses, communities thrive and opportunities grow. Government's role should be to protect property rights, enforce contracts, and ensure a fair playing field—not pick winners and losers in the marketplace.

1. Conduct regular audits of state agencies and programs. 2. Increase transparency so taxpayers can see how their money is spent. 3. Eliminate duplicative or outdated programs. 4. Require measurable results before expanding funding. 5. Use technology and competitive bidding to improve efficiency. Taxpayers deserve a government that is accountable, efficient, and focused on core responsibilities.

"Separation of church and state" means the government cannot establish an official religion and should not interfere with the free exercise of faith. It was intended to protect religious liberty, not to remove religion from public life. People should be free to express their beliefs openly, and government should remain neutral while safeguarding the constitutional rights of all.

My view is closest to C. I believe government should focus on its core responsibilities and provide a safety net for vulnerable populations through programs like Medicare and Medicaid, while preserving private healthcare options and market competition. A constitutional approach favors limited government, individual choice, and reforms that increase affordability, transparency, and access without expanding taxpayer-funded healthcare into a government-run system.

Strongly Disagree

I do not support government-maintained databases that track individuals' medical conditions for economic analysis. The Constitution protects individual liberty and privacy, and personal health information should not be collected or monitored by the government without a compelling public interest and strong legal safeguards. Policymakers can assess healthcare costs using anonymous, aggregated data without compromising the privacy rights of individual citizens.

Agree

The Founders warned against threats to American liberty from both foreign powers and domestic complacency. The Chinese Communist Party presents serious challenges to our security, economy, and constitutional system. America should meet those challenges by maintaining a strong national defense, protecting our institutions, and promoting economic independence while avoiding unnecessary foreign entanglements and remaining faithful to our constitutional principles.

Israel is an important ally, but no foreign relationship should override America's constitutional principles or national interests. I support peaceful cooperation, trade, and diplomacy with all nations while opposing endless wars, nation-building, and foreign intervention. Congress—not the executive branch—should decide matters of war, and our foreign policy should prioritize peace, liberty, and the security of the American people.

Strongly Disagree

I believe immigration policy should be governed by the rule of law and constitutional principles. While states and local governments should not be compelled to enforce every federal policy, they should not actively obstruct lawful federal immigration enforcement. We need an immigration system that is secure, orderly, humane, and consistent with the Constitution.

Strongly Agree

I support returning greater control over education to states, local communities, parents, and educators. The Constitution does not explicitly grant the federal government authority over education, and decisions are often best made closest to the students they affect. Reducing federal bureaucracy can increase accountability, encourage innovation, and allow communities to tailor educational policies to their unique needs while maintaining high standards and equal opportunity.

Strongly Agree

I support strong safeguards against foreign government influence in American education. Protecting our institutions from foreign interference helps preserve national sovereignty, academic integrity, and self-government. Educational policy should be determined by Americans through our constitutional system, not shaped by the interests of foreign governments.

Agree

I believe parents have a fundamental constitutional right and duty to direct their children's education, healthcare, and overall well-being. Government should support, not replace, the role of parents in making decisions for their children. Public institutions should operate with transparency and accountability, recognizing that parents—not government—are primarily responsible for raising and guiding their children.

Agree

The Constitution recognizes the fundamental rights of parents to direct the upbringing of their children, but it also allows government to protect minors from potentially harmful practices. Because children cannot provide fully informed consent to irreversible medical interventions, I believe policies should prioritize parental rights, patient safety, and evidence-based care. The focus should always be on protecting the long-term health and well-being of the child.

Disagree

Many Americans believe marriage is a sacred institution defined by their faith, and they have every right to hold and practice those beliefs. Constitutionally, government's role is limited to the legal recognition of civil marriage and the equal protection of individual rights under the law. The First Amendment protects both the free exercise of religion and the freedom of individuals to live according to their own beliefs without government favoring one religious doctrine over another.

Neutral

While gambling policy is primarily a matter for states and local communities, I am cautious about expanding government-sanctioned gambling as a source of revenue. Any decision should be made transparently, with careful consideration of its impact on families, communities, and individual responsibility, while respecting the constitutional role of state government and the will of the people.

My faith, grounded in Protestant beliefs, teaches me the importance of a personal relationship with God, individual responsibility, humility, and service to others. I believe every person has inherent dignity and value. These convictions inspire my commitment to integrity, compassion, personal liberty, and stewardship in both my private life and public service.

Strongly Disagree

I do not believe the government should require mental health professionals to affirm any particular viewpoint or compel specific speech. The Constitution protects freedom of speech and conscience, and healthcare decisions should be guided by professional judgment, ethical standards, and the individual needs of each patient. Mental health professionals should be free to provide compassionate, evidence-based care without government mandates dictating what they must say or believe.

Strongly Disagree

Voting is a fundamental constitutional right, and citizens should have confidence that every legal vote is counted and protected. Requiring photo identification is a reasonable safeguard that helps maintain the integrity of our elections while preserving access to the ballot box. I support adopting the framework of the SAVE Act in Wisconsin to strengthen verification of citizenship and ensure that only eligible citizens participate in our elections.

Strongly Disagree

I believe every person should be treated equally under the law, regardless of race. The Constitution promises equal protection, and government policies should be based on individual rights and equal opportunity rather than racial classifications. While we should acknowledge and learn from our nation's history and work to remove barriers to success, I do not support government reparations distributed on the basis of race.

Strongly Agree

I believe public policy should be grounded in biological reality while respecting the constitutional rights and dignity of every person. Government has a responsibility to protect fairness in women's sports and privacy and safety in sex-specific spaces. The challenge is to uphold equal protection under the law while balancing competing rights in a manner that is reasonable, transparent, and consistent with constitutional principles.

Disagree

Environmental stewardship is important, but policy decisions should be guided by constitutional limits, sound science, and a careful balancing of costs and benefits. I am skeptical of expansive government mandates that restrict individual liberty or undermine economic opportunity. States, local communities, and private innovation should play a leading role in addressing environmental challenges while protecting both prosperity and our natural resources.

Nuclear Energy.

Conservative

I am a constitutional conservative who believes in limited government, individual liberty, personal responsibility, free enterprise, strong families, and the rule of law. I support federalism, parental rights, religious freedom, secure elections, fiscal responsibility, and a foreign policy that prioritizes peace, national sovereignty, and America's constitutional principles.

Negative

Negative

The primary goal of the criminal justice system should be to protect the constitutional rights of citizens, ensure public safety, and uphold the rule of law. It should hold offenders accountable, provide due process, deliver justice for victims, and reduce recidivism through rehabilitation when appropriate. A fair and effective system must balance individual liberty with personal responsibility while treating all people equally under the law.

Agree

Yes. Protecting children from exploitation is one of government's most fundamental responsibilities. While the Constitution protects free speech and individual liberty, those rights do not extend to the exploitation or abuse of minors. Government should enforce laws that protect children from online predators, trafficking, and sexual exploitation while respecting due process, privacy rights, and constitutional safeguards.

Strongly Agree

The Constitution and the laws of the United States must remain the supreme law of the land. No religious code—whether Sharia law or any other religious doctrine—should supersede or replace constitutional protections, individual rights, or the rule of law. Americans are free to practice their faith under the First Amendment, but all legal disputes and government actions must be governed by the Constitution and laws enacted through our democratic process.

The Second Amendment protects an individual's right to keep and bear arms, and any restrictions must be consistent with the Constitution. I support prosecuting violent criminals and ensuring due process for those who pose a genuine threat to themselves or others. Public safety is best achieved by targeting criminal behavior, not by infringing on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens.