Shawn Tweten
Republican | Minnesota
Candidate Profile
Leans Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Shawn Tweten
Party
Republican
Election Year
2024
Election
Republican Primary
Race
U.S. Rep., Dist. 1
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Oak Hills Christian College, Bemidji, BA, 2004
Minnesota State University, Mankato, Mankato, MS, 2013
National University, PhD
WORK & MILITARY
Freedom Behavioral Health, Inc, Regional Behavioral Health Manager, 2023 to present
Minnesota Autism Center, Clinical Supervisor, 2021 - 2023
Minnesota Sex Offender Program, Clinical Program Therapist, 2018 - 2021
Leo A. Hoffmann Center, Inc., Unit Therapist, 2013 - 2018
Belgrade Avenue United Methodist Church, Minister of Invitation and Visitation, 2010 - 2013
AFFILIATIONS
Belgrade Avenue United Methodist Church, member, Tourtellotte Park Neighborhood Association
former founding member and board secretary, Blue Earth County Human Services Advisory Group, former member
Christ the King Lutheran Church, former Youth and Family Director, Bethel Lutheran Church
former youth director, Bemidji Covenant Church, former youth ministry intern
Oak Hills Christian College Student Government, former member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Agree
They should not receive funds for abortion services.
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
It should be a decision between a doctor and a patient.
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
It should be a decision between a doctor and a patient regarding safety of mother and circumstances of pregnancy (i.e., rape, incest).
Does the federal government have a role to play in limiting abortion, and if so what federal steps and/or federal legislation would you support?
No, the federal government should not play a role. I interpret the constitution as stating that morality issues should be left to the states.
ECONOMY
What actions would you take that would allow Americans to retain more of their income and wealth?
I believe the current tax system places too much burden on the middle class. The top one percent of Americans currently own 30 percent of the country's wealth. The top ten percent own 67 percent of the wealth. Tax system should be more distributed.
Student loan forgiveness unfairly shifts the financial burden to those not responsible for student debt.
Strongly Disagree
The federal government provides a lot of loan forgiveness and other monies to corporations (corporate welfare). Student debt relief is no more or less fair than corporate debt relief and corporate welfare. I would favor debt relief in exchange for public service. Having a public system of debt relief is also biblical, as Leviticus 25 discusses having years of Jubilee.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
Yes
Genesis 1 and 2 discuss how God made humans as earth's caretakers. Leviticus 19 and Matthew 22 say to love your neighbor. I do believe there is a time and place to take environmental and social impacts into account when making policies and investing public money.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
The separation of church and state means that each individual has the right to worship as they please. I also believe that this means politicians are not acting on behalf of religious organizations when making decisions, although politicians can be religious when making decisions. I do think there are some areas where we may have gone too far. For example, churches can elect not to have their employees pay unemployment tax so when they are separated, the employee has no income protection.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Disagree
A small business owner should have the right to decline services in situations that violate their morals. However, corporations and nonprofit organizations should have less leeway to decline services than an individual business owner should have.
HEALTHCARE
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
All small business owners should have the freedom to decide whether-or-not they want their employees to meet certain requirements. Schools are democratic and each board should decide what is best for their community.
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 favor universitas healthcare (A) because various levels of government already fund policies for millions of people. The private market is fairly small. The federal government already Medicaid, Medicare, VA, Tricare, IHS, employee policies, etc. The state and local governments fund additional policies their state programs and provide policies for state and local workers, including workers at public schools and college employees. Make a national system that covers basics.
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.
The United States should promote democracy and fight tyranny(B).
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
Yes, there are already documented cases of espionage, etc.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Jesus said to love your neighbor. Israel is a neighbor and Palestine is a neighbor. The Bible teaches that humans should not take revenge and they should let God take revenge on their behalf (Romans 12:19). The Bible also teaches (Psalm 82:4) that we are to rescues the weak and needy (the people in Gaza are both weak and needy due to starvation, etc.).
What are the causes of decline in U.S. military recruitment and retention?
There are multiple factors. Prolonged periods of conflict and war may cause some people to refrain from enlisting. Different values between generations may also cause some people to refrain from enlisting.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Neutral
This is a political talking point to promote fear and increase political donations. There are lot of drugs also come across the US-Canadian border and most of that border is not secure.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Congress needs to overhaul the immigration system. Currently congress is too concerned about promoting fear and raising political donations, so they do not solve the problem. Asylum seekers should not be turned away without a case review, especially because the concept of providing safe cities is biblical (i.e., cities of refuge in Numbers 35).
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Neutral
I do support parents having the option to choose where their children go to school. I do not support voucher programs or tax credits for choosing private schools.
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Disagree
I generally support states having ultimate control over their schools, I do believe the federal Department of Education does play an important role in helping states achieve their goals.
VALUES
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 Disagree
The federal government should not make rules dictating morality. It should ultimately be up to the states. I personally believe that marriage is between a man and a woman; however, it is a morality issue and government should not be legislating religious issues.
Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
Strongly Agree
This is a loaded question written in such a way to assume a conclusion. Yes, children are valuable and should be protected from abuse. Whether-or-not I agree with gender transition services should be a separate question. Part of American freedom allows people to make decisions on their own as an individual or family. I am free to disagree with other's decisions; however, I should not be dictating their decisions based on my morality.
Taxpayer funds should be used to provide gender transition services.
Neutral
Whether-or-not I agree with gender transition services is irrelevant because healthcare decisions (whether I agree with them or not) should be between a patient and their provider.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Jesus follower. I would describe myself as an evangelical Christian who believes in the value of living out one's faith. I am pursuing office as an expression of my faith. If elected, I would extend invitations to other congressional members (not matter the pollical party) to join me in prayer for the nation. Over the course of the first year, I want to make sure I pray with every representative and senator in congress for our nation.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Agree
I have grown up this way in Minnesota and it makes sense to me.
The Electoral College should be abolished.
Agree
Yes, the electoral college is outdated.
EQUALITY
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Neutral
I believe too many people are unjustly worked up about this issue. Local communities and institutions should be able to decide what they teach; the federal and state governments should not dictate excluding CRT from curriculum. Individuals should be free to believe what they want without others judging them.
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.
Neutral
I do not see this as a black-and-white issue because I have had patients who appeared biologically male but had an extra female chromosome (X, X, Y). I also do not see this as something the federal government should be dictating, and it should be something individual states, communities, and organizations should decide.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.
Strongly Agree
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
There is a saying that one should not keep all their eggs in one basket. Diversifying electricity sources would be beneficial. There is also non-uranium, individualized nuclear power generators that could be a good alternative in some areas.
ABOUT YOU
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?
Lean Conservative
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
The federal government exists to protect its citizens and help the states coordinate efforts.
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.
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
The Supreme Court should be reformed to include more seats.
Disagree
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs.
Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
I am in support of background checks. However, the background check system is not as comprehensive as the public thinks.
