Dan Lonowski
Non-Partisan | Nebraska
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Dan Lonowski
Party
Non-Partisan
Election Year
2024
Election
General
Race
Member of the Legislature, Dist. 33
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Nebraska - LIncoln, Lincoln, Masters of Education Administration, 1999
University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, Bacherlor's of Journalism and English, 1985
WORK & MILITARY
Army National Guard, Colonel, 36
AFFILIATIONS
Knights of Colombus, National Rifle Association
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Blue Hill School Board, 2000-2004
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
na
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (2)
National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF
The Nebraska Republican Party (NEGOP)
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Nebraska Right to Life, Nebraska Republican Party, Nebraska Farm Bureau, Nebraskans against Government Overreach
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Under no circumstance should a baby be aborted. With rape, especially severe rape situations, I believe counseling with pro-life groups should be the first option. We need to always look at adoption possibilities before allowing a woman to abort the baby.
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.
Strongly Disagree
Chemical abortions only reduce the significance of life. Chemical abortion drugs should be illegal.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer 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.
Strongly Disagree
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
What is your position on the minimum wage?
Each state should set their own minimum wage not to be less than the federal minimum wage. I think a minimum wage should slowly be raised to align with cost of living expenses or inflation rates.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
No
I do not want the federal government, nor the state government telling me that I must allow a man, who is dressed as a woman, to use the women's restroom. While the government must have some oversight, we have allowed government, especially the federal government, to overreach its authority.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
The government should NOT have the authority to close a church. I think the government can make recommendations under certain conditions, but we must be free to worship.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
As a constitutional right, I have the right to refuse service to anyone. However, discrimination laws require us to serve certain classes (because of government overstepping its authority).
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 have to agree with option C as I believe we need to care for those who cannot care for themselves. However, our Medicaid and Medicare systems are badly in need of an overhaul. We must fix these programs. In addition, we need to make healthcare more affordable.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
I do not believe the government should require vaccinations. People have the freedom to make this choice. However, as a retired veteran, I was required to take many vaccinations. I understood that as part of my obligation.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Yes. It is important. There are many reasons for the United States to support Israel. As the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel provides the U.S. with a staunch ally in that region. Our relationship with Israel is vital for stability in the region. Nearly as many Jewish people live in the U.S. as in Israel; we are the second largest Jewish nation. We also import high-tech materials from Israel for various companies.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
We need to fence off the border for the security of our country. We have a legal process to become citizens of the United States. This process allows us to vet all incoming foreign people.
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 Agree
We must always put the student's needs first. That means we must allow the dollars to follow the child. However, we must be aware that we do not want to cut funds from public institutions. We want to make educational improvements in our public schools; we cannot cut the spending.
VALUES
Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
Strongly Agree
Nebraska now has a law that prohibits gender affirming surgeries for minors. We should not allow drugs to be administered to minors as well (i.e. puberty blockers). When a person becomes an adult, they can make these permanent, gender altering decisions.
Parents should have the right to make decisions for their minor children.
Agree
Parents have the rights. I did not "strongly agree" because there are times when authorities must intervene. We do not allow parents to beat their children to near death. Likewise, we should not allow parents to assist children in mutilating their bodies.
Taxpayer funds should be used to provide gender transition services.
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 strongly agree with the above statement. However, the government DID allow this sacreligious practice when the supreme court voted in 2015 to allow same-sex couples to marry.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
My wife and I have five children and nine grandchildren. We are Catholic and we work hard at maintaining moral values and ethical practices despite an eroding society. I am the only candidate to be endorsed by the Nebraska Right to Life during this campaign cycle. I continue to work to become a better version of myself.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
Photo ID has been a needed part of this process for quite some time. Due to voter fraud I think we should return to hand-counted ballots and eliminate machines that can be manipulated.
States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant.
Strongly Disagree
I do not trust liberal states to follow any compact, especially where voting is concerned.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
No. If I lived in Los Angeles or Chicago, I would probably say yes. For 40 years we did not see the racial issues that we are seeing today. When we make race an issue, it becomes an issue. President Obama continued to make race an issue: his rhetoric continues to create problems today. Our liberal mayors of large cities are a problem. We need to give our police forces and security forces the ability to carry out their jobs without repercussions. The threat comes from "soft on crime" policies.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
CRT is not new. However, it is relatively new to academia in the United States. Many, if not most universities teach CRT and it is now trickling down to large city high schools. CRT is divisive and creates racial issues.
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 Disagree
How is this even an issue? Twenty years ago, we would arrest a man for entering a women's bathroom. We would seek mental health care for men who said they were women. We would have absolutely rejected boys wanting to join the girls' track team. We need to seriously look at these issues and return to using common sense. Governments are wasting millions of dollars on this issue: insanity.
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. Because we impose overly strict regulations in our nation, we are losing jobs, hurting the economy and being forced to rely on other energy means.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Nuclear Power is probably the most reliable but I think we need a combination of our energy supplies for the U.S. to operate most efficiently. I believe nuclear, biofuels and fossil fuels (coal) must all be used.
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?
In short, the government has a role to provide goods and services that people cannot provide on their own. Roads, energy, economic development, establishing laws, and general welfare are all areas where the government should play a role.
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
I am conservative to very conservative. I hate to use terminology because I believe 95% of people from 1970 would agree with how I think today. I believe liberalism is the downfall of society.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs.
Strongly Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Background checks for handgun owners and age restrictions
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
I believe school boards and administrators should be allowed to select a certain teachers to be trained and qualified to carry guns. As a former teacher, I was a member of our security team during my final three years at Adams Central. Our superintendent had a plan in place, in case the Unicameral voted to allow teachers to carry, we already had chosen who and how we would carry out this detail.
