John Gentry
Independent | Tennessee
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
John Gentry
Party
Independent
Election Year
2024
Election
General
Race
State Senator, Dist. 18
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Maryland, Goodlettsville, Bachelor, 1997
WORK & MILITARY
United States Marine Corps, Sergeant, 8.5
AFFILIATIONS
State Senate Candidate John Gentry
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
OTHER INFORMATION
Candidate Pledges to Support Congressional Term Limits. U.S. Term Limits. 3 Apr 2024.
John Gentry completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Our Declaration of Independence affirms; all are created equal and have a right to life. Life begins at conception and continues to the end of natural life. It is proper and just that all human beings, including preborn children, possess the same unalienable rights as all other people, and are entitled to the full and equal protection of the law. Exceptions should be permissible in instances of rape, incest, risk of life to the mother, and when the fetus is inviable.
Chemical abortion drugs should meet essential safety standards (such as in-person consultation with a medical doctor) and require reporting to gather evidence on reactions and outcomes.
Agree
Chemical abortion should only be permissible in instances of rape, incest, risk of life to the mother, and when the fetus is inviable.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
Taxpayer funds increase financial incentive for abortion providers to expand abortion services to increase their revenues.
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Neutral
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
I strongly support the free enterprise system as the best hope for men and women to fulfill their economic hopes and dreams. Free market is the most efficient and the least costly system to deliver the highest quality goods and services at the lowest price to the consumer.
What is your position on the minimum wage?
Wages should be market driven. Government interference almost always does more harm than good.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
No
Through corruption in government, our legislative houses have been perverted from their purpose, and are used to create financial advantage for special interests. "Investing" in environmental and social issues mostly just a scheme to transfer wealth.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
Under NO CIRCUMSTANCE. NONE. Our Tennessee Constitution affirms; "That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience; ...; that no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience; If government wants to close churches, the people must first ratify a constitution removing this provision which should never happen.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
Again, our state constitution affirms; "that no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience."
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) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.
I choose C. Government interference increases premium costs, lowers service quality, and facilitates fraud draining tax revenues.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Under NO CIRCUMSTANCE. NONE. Forced medical treatments, including vaccinations, are inconsistent with the principles of free government and liberty.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
I know first hand this is a serious problem. I created a patent pending product, for which I had a distributors in Australia and the UK. My product was a food safe, food applicator, copied by a Chinese company using non food safe material.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Yes. As a United States Marine, I trained with IDF personnel and I know personally the strength of Israel's military. Iran and its proxies, want to see the United States fall, and Israel is an important ally in that region.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
Absolutely, the southern border should be secured. I support lawful immigration. Illegal immigration drains our economy through social services provided to illegal immigrants, and as a result of most all immigrants supporting their families in their home country with wages earned in the U.S, transferring money from the U.S. to outside our borders. Along with the many poor illegal immigrants who drain our economy, come criminals who engage in crime here in the U.S. This needs to be stopped.
EDUCATION
The state should fund education by allowing dollars to follow the child through programs which protect parents' freedom to choose their child's school – public, private, or homeschool.
Strongly Disagree
School vouchers will increase demand on private schools driving up tuition costs, eventually wiping out any new affordability created by school vouchers. Just as the federal government uses federal incentive money to force compliance upon state governments; state governments will use the same financial strings, to force compliance upon private and homeschooled educators.
VALUES
Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
Strongly Agree
Most certainly children should be protected from gender ideology, grooming, and especially bodily mutilation.
Parents should have the right to make decisions for their minor children.
Agree
Agree, parents should have authority to make decisions for their children, except when it comes to gender modification
Taxpayer funds should be used to provide gender transition services.
Strongly Disagree
Children should be protected by law from gender transition services. Taxpayer funds should NOT be used to provide transition services.
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 believe in the traditional American family, beginning with one man and one woman, are the cornerstone of our American society. I also believe that every person is created equal with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To that end each persons’ choice in how they pursue liberty and happiness is their own, so long as their choices do not infringe on the rights of others
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Like our founders, much of my ethical and moral standards are based in religious and philosophical principals. Religious and philosophical principles provide rational and reasonable explanation of what is to be considered rightful or wrongful conduct.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Disagree
Photo ID is required for purchasing alcohol, tobacco. The 2024 Democratic National Convention requires photo ID to enter the convention. Just as a photo ID is required to prove sufficient age to purchase alcohol/tobacco, photo ID should be required to eligibility to vote.
States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant.
Strongly Disagree
The founders established an electoral college as a compromise to guard against mob rule. No, the states should NOT join such a compact to establish mob rule. Our form of government is a republic. The founders despised democracy because history has shown that democracy eventually leads to anarchy.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
No, racism is not a threat to domestic security. The biggest threat to domestic security is the gross oppression of the fundamental right of aggrieved citizens to petition the government for redress of grievances.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
CRT is but another tool used to create conflict and division.
Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.
Strongly Agree
Bio males participating in women's sports is nothing less than cheating, and bio males access to women's spaces is an infringement on a woman's right to privacy.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? (Select all that apply) A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost. C) Stricter environmental laws undermine U.S. energy independence and deter development of reliable electricity sources. D) Climate change is real and requires urgent policy action.
A and C
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Diversification and further research are the solutions to reliable energy. All sources of energy should be tapped; clean coal, wind, sun, nuclear, and flowing water, and tapped in new ways not yet conceived.
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
No
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
No
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
I don't think, I know. It is stated in our constitutions. In the Tennessee Constitution; to provide for the peace, safety, and happiness of the people. In the federal constitution; to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity
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
My work is NOT about party politics. My work is about reforming government, and restoring the right of the people to directly participate in government through rights in our state and federal constitutions.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs.
Strongly Disagree
Such programs are just another scam to redistribute funds.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Our state constitution affirms that the legislature only has the power to regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime. Beyond regulation of the carrying of arms, any other restrictions first require the people to grant additional powers to government through ratifying constitutional amendments.
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
Teachers should be allowed to carry firearms but only after a thorough background investigation, psychiatric evaluation, and after completing police training. Our state constitution affirms in Art. I, Sect. 26. That the citizens of this state have a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defense; This provision is the solution to school shooter safety; keeping and bearing arms for our common defense – for the defense of our children.
