Thomas West
Republican | Pennsylvania
Candidate Profile
Moderate
BIOGRAPHY
EDUCATION
Lyndon State College, Lyndonville, BS, 1999
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
East Liberty Chamber of Commerce, (former) Board Member
Allegheny County Elections Division, (former) Elected Judge of Elections
Three Rivers Business Alliance, Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
PA State Senate District 38, 2026
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (1)
Hampton Township Republican Committee
OTHER (2)
Allegheny County Fraternal Order of Police FOP Lodge 91
Fraternal Order of Police FOP Fort Pitt Lodge 1
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (3)
NFIB
FOP Lodge 1
FOP Lodge 91
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (2)
Jeremy Shaffer (2025)
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2025)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
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).
Did not answer
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Did not answer
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Did not answer
The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.
Did not answer
The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.
Did not answer
ECONOMY
What is your position on the minimum wage?
Did not answer
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
As a small business owner, I know the work and risk that go into building a business. People should be able to own property, start a business, and benefit from their hard work. Government should protect those rights, keep rules clear and fair, and make it easier for businesses to grow and workers to get ahead.
List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.
1. Review contracts and grants to make sure taxpayers get what they paid for. 2. Reevaluate programs that repeatedly miss their goals or fail to deliver results. 3. Make state spending and program results easier for taxpayers to track. 4. Build budgets on realistic revenue estimates and dependable funding for ongoing expenses.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
Did not answer
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Did not answer
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
The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.
Did not answer
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Agree
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Did not answer
IMMIGRATION
I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.
Did not answer
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Did not answer
Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.
Did not answer
VALUES
Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child's health and educational well-being.
Did not answer
Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.
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
I support the expansion of gambling in my state.
Did not answer
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
My father was a minister. I am a Christian, and I try to live with honesty, compassion, and respect for others. To me, faith is reflected in how we treat people: listening, helping a neighbor, keeping our word, and showing up when someone needs us. Those are values I want to bring to public service. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity, and I believe serving others begins with recognizing that.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Disagree
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
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.
Strongly Agree
I support Title IX and fair athletic opportunities for women and girls. Women's sports should be based on biological sex, and women's spaces should protect privacy and safety.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.
Did not answer
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
I support more natural gas drilling today and investment in the next generation of nuclear power, building on Western Pennsylvania's energy legacy. My focus is reliable, affordable electricity.
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?
Moderate
I’m a small business owner. I believe government should be accountable for how it spends taxpayers’ money, support law enforcement, and make it easier for businesses to grow and create jobs. My focus is on lowering everyday costs and getting results for the people I represent. I’ll listen to anyone with a good idea and judge policies by what they actually accomplish.
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.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
What should be the goal of the criminal justice system?
The goal should be safer communities, justice for victims, and accountability for those who break the law. That means consistent enforcement, support for law enforcement, and protection of due process. We should also reduce repeat offenses through effective treatment, rehabilitation, and opportunities to return to work. Success means fewer victims and safer neighborhoods.
Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.
Strongly Agree
Children's safety cannot depend on social media companies policing themselves. Government must set and enforce safeguards against sexual exploitation, hold companies accountable when they fail to meet those standards, and give law enforcement the resources to pursue offenders and support victims. Parents also have a responsibility to supervise their children's online activity and put appropriate safeguards in place. Corporate profits must never come at the expense of children's safety.
Sharia law should not be accepted or incorporated in any form within the legal framework of the United States.
Strongly Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Did not answer
