Bob Gust
Republican | Minnesota
Candidate Profile
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Bob Gust
Party
Republican
Election Year
2024
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 50B
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, JD cum laude, 1984
University of Colorado, Boulder, B.S. magna cum laude, 1981
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Rotary, New Member Secretary, Presidential Nominating Committee
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (1)
Minneapolis Republican Party
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Sheriff Rich Stanek,
OTHER INFORMATION
Bob Gust completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Abortion is an unfortunate event and efforts should be made to minimize unwanted pregnancies and to provide support for all options. That being said, it is the expectant mother's decision until the fetus becomes viable. Thereafter, it is only appropriate to protect the physical health 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.
Agree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Agree
To the extent any organization receives taxpayer funds, it should not then be allowed to donate to political causes or candidates.
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Disagree
It's one thing to facilitate the passing of someone who is suffering and has no hope of recovery but it is quite a different thing to assist someone who wants to commit suicide because they are depressed.
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?
Market forces are generally superior for driving wages. Government mandated amounts usually result in unintended consequences. For starters, workers are frequently replaced by automation. Alternatively, the price of fast food goes way up.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
No
Those types of subjective criteria are a recipe for cronyism.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
Only if the church is not a legitimate church and is instead a front for something else that the government otherwise has the right to close.
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.
C.
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Virtually none. Exceptions would be where the person may be rendered unable to perform. For example, the Peace Corps may require vaccines against certain diseases common in an area where a volunteer is being assigned.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Agree
I do not think the military threat is serious.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Israel is very important to the United States and to the rest of the world. The Jewish community has contributed much to the advancement of the world and they are entitled to their ancestral homeland.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
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
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
I generally agree but there are limits when the decisions are clearly detrimental to the health or welfare of the child.
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.
Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Non-practicing Catholic.
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
That is a recipe for cheating.
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
The traditional idea of racism as between black and white is not a threat and is only an issue because progressives want to stir the pot. On the other hand, the anti-Israel factions are a potential threat as evidenced by their actions.
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 and C. Even if climate change is happening and even if it is man-made (both doubtful), there is no evidence of harm. The global warming theory is about thirty years old and is unable to point to any actual negative impacts.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Nuclear and Coal.
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?
To provide for the general welfare and common defense.
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 believe in self determination and individualism, but that does not grant the right to infringe on others' rights. For example, if someone wants to "identify" as something other than their anatomical and genetic gender, that is their right, but that ends when they want to infringe on the rights of others, e.g., biological men playing women's sports.
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?
Red Flag laws are good in theory but subject to abuse by unscrupulous officials. Licensing of gun ownership is appropriate. Requiring extra procedures for conceal and carry is not.
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
