Steve Gander
Republican | Minnesota
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Steve Gander
Party
Republican
Election Year
2024
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 1B
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Illinois College of Optometry, Chicago, IL, Doctor of Optometry, 1987
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
City of East Grand Forks, MN, Mayor, Minnesota Optometric Association
Member, Past President, Good Samaritan Nursing Center, Past Board Chair
Christ the King Chruch, Member, Past President, East Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce
Member, Past President, Scouting America (Formerly Boy Scouts of America), Board Member, Northern Lights Council
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Mayor, East Grand Forks, MN, 2017 to Present
Alderman-at-large, East Grand Forks, MN City Council, 2002-2007
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (5)
National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF
Republican Party of Minnesota
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Minnesota
Minneapolis Republican Party
OTHER (1)
Housing First MN
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (6)
Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association
Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters Association
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Leadership Fund
National Federation of Independent Business MN PAC
Housing First MN PAC
OTHER INFORMATION
1/13/24 KNOX Article: EGF mayor to seek legislative bid
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
In the case of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.
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.
Choose not to answer
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
Caring for a dying friend or loved one is painful and often traumatic. Seeing another person suffer, and suffering ourselves, is not easy. Hospice provides excellent spiritual and comfort care to the dying person and their loved ones. They discontinue therapeutic measures when the end of life is near and allow life to proceed according to its natural course.
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
Free enterprise is the fairest method of working and earning. The alternative is having someone tell you what kind of work you can do (like in the caste system), how much you can make, and even where you will live. Being trained and educated to perform a job and then working hard are good for the individual and for the greater good. Private property rights are an essential part of free market economics. We work hard serving others, and we have every right to enjoy the fruits of our labor.
What is your position on the minimum wage?
Minimum wage is what the name says--a decent starting point for a person entering the workforce. Most of us use our first job to learn life skills. Recent efforts to raise the minimum wage excessively are misguided, inflationary, and cost jobs.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
No
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
Churches, like any other business or entity, should be closed when they commit criminal acts of sufficient severity to render them completely corrupt and unable to make necessary corrections. Government closing of a church or business should be extremely rare because there is almost always a way for it to make corrections and continue within the law.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
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.
Did not answer
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Did not answer
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Did not answer
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Did not answer
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Did not answer
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.
Did not answer
VALUES
Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
Did not answer
Parents should have the right to make decisions for their minor children.
Did not answer
Taxpayer funds should be used to provide gender transition services.
Did not answer
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Did not answer
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Did not answer
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Did not answer
States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant.
Did not answer
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Did not answer
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Did not answer
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.
Did not answer
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.
Did not answer
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Did not answer
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
Did not answer
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
Did not answer
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
Did not answer
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?
Did not answer
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs.
Did not answer
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Did not answer
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Did not answer
