Nels Christianson
Republican | North Dakota
Candidate Profile*
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Nels Christianson
Party
Republican
Election Year
2024
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 18
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, BS in Business Administration, 2002
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Trinity Free Lutheran Church, Congregational Treasurer
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
ENDORSEMENTS*
CONSERVATIVE (2)
National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF
NDGOP District 18
OTHER (1)
*NRA-ILA
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Scott Walker (2012)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Life is precious. Abortion should be allowed in those rare, tragic cases when needed to save the life of the mother. I support North Dakota's existing statute that protects the lives of preborn children with exceptions for rape or incest up to six weeks.
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
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
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
Absolutely never!
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
The state should never compel individuals or businesses to violate their moral or religious beliefs.
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?
The relationship of the United States with Israel is important since Israel is an ally and the best example of a free democracy in the Middle East.
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.
Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. We should also identify opportunities to increase personal choice, free markets, price transparency, and individual responsibility in healthcare markets.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Never. Vaccine choices are a matter of individual informed consent for each person or each child's parents.
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?
The best minimum wage is zero, so each individual is free to exchange labor for that wage which he or she feels is fair. The next best alternative is to leave the minimum wage as it currently is: largely irrelevant due to market wages being higher.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
No
Public funds should be invested for efficient returns. I do support wise investments of state funds in North Dakota-based industries.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
The current border invasion is a serious threat to the security of the United States. Terrorists can enter unhindered. Criminal cartels are gaining hegemony along the southern border. Many illegal immigrants commit crimes against Americans. The invasion also represents an economic threat to working people of our country by distorting labor markets. I support a physical wall and strict enforcement on the southern border.
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
As a homeschool parent, I celebrate those families that take ownership of their children's education. I support school choice, with funding following the student, so that families of all economic backgrounds can make the best choice. I believe we can do this while still maintaining a strong public school system.
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?
I support restrictions on convicted violent felons owning firearms. Law abiding citizens, though, should be free to own firearms and carry them. I support--and practice--constitutional concealed carry. I oppose all efforts to prohibit certain types of rifles, limit magazine capacity, or burden gun show sales with extra requirements.
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
School staff should have the option to receive training and carry firearms to protect schools.
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?
Government exists for the purpose of protecting life, liberty, and property from infringement by others. It should protect national borders and ensure law and order. It should protect the rights of all to live and worship as they choose, as long as they do not infringe on others' rights.
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
VALUES
Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
Strongly Agree
Parents should have the right to make decisions for their minor children.
Agree
Parents have the right to make decisions on the instruction of faith, education, and values for their children. There are a few exceptions: for example, there should be limits on the right of a parent to choose irreversible transgender treatments for minor children.
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
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Bible-believing Christian. I seek to follow God's law in my life and to shepherd my family to live in a manner consistent with His law. We are all sinners, though, and we fall short of Christ's perfect example. God creates each person with inherent worth and dignity. Even if I disagree with someone's lifestyle, I am still called to love that person and treat him or her with respect.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant.
Strongly Disagree
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Each individual is entitled to dignity and respect. We should move toward a society where race is irrelevant in the context of the government or law. Racially-motivated violence is a crime and should be aggressively prosecuted as such.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
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
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. Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy, C. Stricter environmental laws undermine U.S. energy independence and deter development of reliable electricity sources. We all want to live in a clean and healthy environment, and the laws are in place to preserve this. Most new environmental laws and regulations are unneeded and cause more harm than benefit to human health and the natural environment.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Base-load energy from nuclear, coal, and natural gas should form the foundation of our power supply. Renewables have a role if they can function without market-distorting subsidies.
