Jean Zott

Republican | Michigan

Candidate Profile*

Conservative

*Additional information appears below for educational purposes; however, only data received prior to the candidate deadline was considered during Panel Evaluation.

BIOGRAPHY

Name

Jean Zott


Party

Republican


Election Year

2026


Election

Primary


Race

State Rep., Dist. 59


Incumbent

No


Links

Jean Zott websites FacebookXYouTubeLinkedIn

EDUCATION

Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, B.S. Business Administration, 1981-1985

WORK & MILITARY

Joe Randazzo's Fruit & Vegetable, Inc., Controller & CPA, 1989-2018

Jean Zott Tax Services, PLLC, Owner, 1986-2026

AFFILIATIONS

Michigan Association of CPAs, 1987-2026

POLITICAL OFFICES HELD

Precinct Delegate, 2024-2026

POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT

Michigan House of Representatives, 2024-2024

ENDORSEMENTS*

*These endorsements were received after the deadline and were not considered in the Panel Evaluations and are for additional educational purposes only.
CONSERVATIVE (1)

*Citizens for Traditional Values

REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (3)

Terence Mekoski, Former Michigan House Representative

Anthony Urbani, Macomb County Attorney

Lisa Mankiewicz, Former Vice Chair Macomb GOP

SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS

CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)

State Republican Party Organizations (2023)

RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)

OTHER INFORMATION

QUESTIONNAIRE

RIGHT TO LIFE

Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).

Strongly Agree

Healthcare Funding should prioritize comprehensive medical services that respect the values of Michigan families including prenatal and postnatal care.

Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?

Elective abortion should only be allowed in the rare and extreme circumstance when the life of the mother is at risk.

Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.

Strongly Agree

Every human life has inherent dignity and value, and our laws should protect the most vulnerable at every stage of life,

The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.

Strongly Agree

Human life has inherent value at every stage of development, and scientific advancement should be guided by respect for dignity of human life

The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.

Strongly Agree

Safeguards and oversight are important to ensure these drugs are not distributed in ways that violate existing laws or put women's health and safety at risk.


ECONOMY

What is your position on the minimum wage?

I believe the market should drive labor compensation and employee benefits. Market based approach allows wages to grow through competition, productivity, and opportunity rather than government mandates.

Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.

Strongly Agree

When people are allowed to own property, start businesses, invest in their future without excessive government interference, communities prosper, jobs are created, and families have a pathway to financial independence and long-term stability.

List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.

Program integrity must be a top priority in government. Taxpayers deserve accountability and responsible spending. First, assistance programs need stronger safeguards to prevent fraud and abuse. Second, state departments must reduce wasteful spending on travel, staffing, consulting and real estate. Third, Michigan must prioritize core responsibilities like infrastructure, education, and public safety instead of expanding government into areas better handled locally or privately.


RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?

The separation of church and state means government should not establish or favor a specific religion, while also protecting every individual's right to freely practice their faith. I believe the people of faith should never be excluded from the public square, and our constitutional freedoms protect religious liberty, limited government interference and personal beliefs.

Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.

Strongly Disagree

Religious freedom and individual conscience are fundamental constitutional rights that should be protected. While everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, government should not force individuals or businesses to violate their deeply held moral or religious beliefs


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.

Answer C However, program integrity must be strengthened to ensure taxpayer funded benefits go to those who truly need them. Expanding these programs to able bodied individuals who refuse to work, places an unfair burden on hard working taxpayers and threatens the long-term stability of these essential programs.

The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.

Strongly Disagree

Americans have a right to medical privacy, and government should not maintain broad databases tracking individuals personal health conditions beyond what is necessary for direct care and legal protections. Protecting sensitive medical information from government overreach is essential to preserving individual freedom and privacy.


NATIONAL SECURITY

The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.

Strongly Agree

Recent espionage arrests, cyber-attacks, and intelligence reports show the Chinese Communist Party poses a serious threat to American national security, intellectual property, and economy. The CCP has repeatedly targeted U.S. military technology, infrastructure, businesses, and research institutions to expand its influence and weaken Americans competitive and strategic position.

Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?

Yes, the relationship between US and Israel is important due to shared democratic values, strong intelligence cooperation, and close collaboration on defense, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism in a volatile region. Israel is also a key strategic partner in technology and security innovation.


IMMIGRATION

I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.

Strongly Disagree

Government's first responsibility is to its own citizens, and public resources should prioritize the safety, services, and needs of legal residents and taxpayers. Sanctuary city policies can strain local budgets, law enforcement, and social services by extending limited resources to individuals who are not lawfully present, potentially reducing availability for American citizens who depend on those systems.


EDUCATION

I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.

Strongly Agree

Education decisions are often best made at the state and local level, where communities can tailor policies to the needs of their students. Eliminating the federal Department of Education would reduce bureaucracy allow more flexibility in curriculum and standards and return accountability closer to parents, teachers, and local school boards who directly understand their students' needs

Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.

Strongly Agree

Allowing foreign governments to fund American education raises serious concerns about influence, transparency, and national security. US education policy should be shaped by American interests, not external actors, and limiting foreign funding helps protect academic independence, safeguard sensitive research, and ensure accountability to students, parents, and taxpayers.


VALUES

Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child's health and educational well-being.

Strongly Agree

Parents not government, should have the primary role in directing their child's health care, education and overall well being.

Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.

Strongly Agree

Children should be protected from life altering medical and social decisions they may not fully understand. Parents, counselors, and medical professionals should focus on compassionate support and long-term well-being rather than encouraging irreversible changes at a young age.

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 support the expansion of gambling in my state.

Strongly Disagree

Recent evidence shows expanded gambling especially, online sports betting, has created serious financial and addiction problems, particularly among young men. Government should focus on protecting families and communities rather than expanding policy that can fuel debt, addiction, and long-term social harm.

Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

I believe in God and Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. My faith guides how I live, treat others, and serve my community. I believe in prayer, personal responsibility, compassion, forgiveness, and the importance of living with integrity. My values are rooted in the sanctity of life, strong families, hard work, service to others, and treating every person with dignity and respect.


ELECTIONS AND VOTING

People should be able to vote without photo identification.

Strongly Disagree

Requiring a photo identification to vote is a common-sense safeguard that helps protect election integrity and maintain public confidence in our elections. Showing ID is already required for many everyday activities. It will ensure that each legal vote is counted fairly and it strengthens our democratic process.


EQUALITY

Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.

Strongly Disagree

Americans should be treated equally under the law, regardless of race. Policy should focus on expanding opportunity, strengthening families, improving education, and growing the economy for all citizens rather than dividing people based on race or holding current generations responsible for past injustices.

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

Women's sports and private spaces were created to protect fairness, safety, and dignity for biological women and girls. Policy should respect biological differences and ensure that women have equal opportunities, privacy, and protection in athletics, locker rooms, shelters, sororities, and correctional facilities. Athletics are competitive enough without having to adding the biological advantages of males.


ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.

Strongly Disagree

While pollution and environmental care is important, I do not support claims of a catastrophic man-made climate change being used to justify urgent political mandates. Many proposed policies place heavy costs on working families and the poor without clear, measurable evidence of meaningful global improvement. Environmental action should be practical, balanced, and based on transparent, verifiable science rather than alarmism or unproven claims.

What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?

Reliable energy strategy must prioritize affordability and dependability. In Michigan, a balanced mix of natural gas and nuclear power can provide a steady base load electricity. A diversified approach ensures grid stability and keeps costs down.


ABOUT YOU

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?

Very Conservative

I prioritize limited government, individual responsibility, strong families, traditional values, and the protection of our constitutional rights, including religious freedom. I also support a strong National Defense and policies that promote economic growth, energy independence, and fiscal responsibility while preserving core cultural and moral foundations.

Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.

Never!

Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.

Never!


CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY

What should be the goal of the criminal justice system?

The goal of the criminal justice system should be to protect law-abiding citizens, uphold the rule of law, and ensure justice is fairly and consistently applied. It must support strong, well-resourced law enforcement, holding offenders accountable, and deter future crime. At the same time, it should promote public safety, respect victims' rights, and reinforce personal responsibility while maintaining order and stability in society.

Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.

Strongly Agree

Government has a clear responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation and predatory behavior online. This includes enforcing strong laws, supporting law enforcement efforts, and holding tech platforms accountable for unsafe content and activity. Safeguarding children in digital spaces is essential to their safety, well-being and healthy development, and should be a top public safety priority.

Sharia law should not be accepted or incorporated in any form within the legal framework of the United States.

Strongly Agree

The United States is founded on a constitutional legal system that applies equally to all citizens and must remain free of any parallel legal frameworks. American law should be based on Constitution, due process, and equal protection under the law. While cultural diversity is part of our nation, all practices must align with the US law and shared civic values.


2ND AMENDMENT

What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?

I support the constitutional right to bear arms and believe public safety is best served by enforcing existing laws rather than adding new restrictions. Many gun crimes are committed by individuals already prohibited from owning firearms. We should focus on stronger enforcement, prosecuting violent offenders, increasing penalties for illegal possession while protecting the rights of lawful gun owners.

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