Cheryl Riley
Republican | Maryland
Candidate Profile
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Cheryl Riley
Party
Republican
Election Year
2026
Election
Republican Primary
Race
U.S. Representative, District 8
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Montgomery College, Rockville, No
University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, No, 1983-
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
MCGOP, National Federation of Republican Women, UMRWC, CCWRC, MDGOP, MCFRW,, Social Committee 10101
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Montgomery County Council District 4, 2022-
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (1)
Montgomery County Republican Party MCGOP
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Chris Burnett (2025)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Will Scharf (2024)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Strongly Agree
The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.
Strongly Agree
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
. In rare cases where the baby has zero chance of survival due to severe illness, or the mother's life is in jeopardy, both heartbreaking medical decisions.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Disagree
The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.
Agree
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
People who can afford to pay more taxes should do so in order to provide relief for working families.
Strongly Disagree
True relief comes from lower taxes, less government spending, and economic growth that rewards hard work for everyone.
The government should cut spending in order to reduce the national debt.
Strongly Agree
The cuts must start with the massive waste, fraud, and abuse in bloated programs especially NGO funding driven by lobbyists and special-interest donors. Non-transparent spending has to end; it's time for real accountability. Hard working families shouldn't be saddled with endless deficits while unelected groups and inefficient bureaucracy drain resources.
List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.
NGO Waste and Fraud Non-Transparent Spending Lobbyist & Special Interest Donor Influence Bloated Federal Bureaucracy Audits in every State
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
We are a nation built on Judeo-Christian values. The First Amendment stops government from establishing an official religion or forcing violations of genuine faith. It keeps the state out of the church, not the other way around, and does not protect radical ideologies that call themselves religions. As a Christian, I believe faith belongs in the public square.
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.
B. Americans deserve real choice and competition to drive down costs, not socialist "medicare for all" monopolies or the Obamacare disaster that lied to us and failed everyone. Keep safety-net programs like Medicaid and Medicare for Citizens who need them, eliminate waste/fraud/abuse, and end funding illegals. America First means protecting patients, doctors, and taxpayers, not government control.
The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.
Strongly Disagree
It's a massive privacy invasion for the government to keep a centralized database of people's private medical conditions. Economic Burden speak is code for rationing care and discriminating against the chronically ill. We have too many "conditions", especially mental health issues being inflated into lifelong "illnesses" that drive costs up. Fix healthcare with real competition, transparency and less bureaucracy.
NATIONAL SECURITY
With regard to America's foreign policy, which view most closely resembles yours: A) The United States should intervene whenever freedom is threatened. B) The United States should selectively help countries trying to grow democracy and fight tyranny. C) The United States has become too involved in others' policies and should remain focused on issues regarding our own sovereignty unless in imminent danger. D) The United States should stay out of foreign conflicts completely.
C. America First means protecting our borders, economy and Citizens first. We've overextended for too long, but when a hostile regime like Iran threatens us for over 4 decades through terrorism, proxies and nukes, we must act decisively to defend American lives and interests to finally remove the threat that will also end the threats connected to the regime within our borders.
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
The CCP is America's #1 strategic adversary as they continue to align with our enemies, build their military to challenge us, launching relentless cyber attacks, stealing our intellectual property on a massive scale, weaponizing trade to hollow out our economy, funding national security threats within the US as they align with domestic enemies. We must treat them as the existential threat they are.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Yes, the US-Israel relationship is strategically vital. They are our strongest ally in the Middle East. They share critical intelligence, develop joint military tech that strengthens American defense, and stand as a frontline partner against Iran and radical terrorism.
Islamic terrorism is a threat to the United States' national security.
Strongly Agree
Yes. They have targeted the US for decades and I fully support any and all measures to remove their threats and acts of terrorism on American soil, or against Americans anywhere. The terrorists must be removed from the US, and their regime eliminated.
IMMIGRATION
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Given the crisis we now face due to the open border invasion, I advocate to halt all immigration until we remove those who came in illegally. Once we have secured our nation, then I would support limited immigration that would include stricter vetting processes to ensure we don't have those who want citizenship to do harm, or take advantage. Those who truly want to be American and embrace our values, laws and culture would be given priority.
I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.
Strongly Disagree
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Strongly Agree
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education as it has been run for years, especially the last decade, and removing the radical "indoctrination" leadership, Unions and educators who have not taught viable, valuable curriculum, but have taught radical ideologies based on Marxists theories. Restore American values and provide our children with real educations that will help them thrive.
Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.
Strongly Agree
VALUES
Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.
Strongly 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.
Neutral
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I'm a Christian who believes in God and follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. My core values are faith, family, freedom, integrity, decency and standing up for what is right. I am grateful for good people and thankful for each new day. God Bless America.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
EQUALITY
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
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Nuclear Power
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
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
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.
Strongly Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
2A protects the right of law-abiding Americans to keep and bear arms. We already have more than enough gun laws. Further restrictions only disarm responsible citizens while criminals ignore them. True public safety comes from enforcing existing laws, securing borders, prosecuting violent offenders, and stop protecting criminals over innocent law-abiding citizens.
