
Jay Schlum
Republican | Arizona
Candidate Profile
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Jay Schlum
Party
Republican
Election Year
2026
Election
Republican Primary
Race
State Representative, District 3
Incumbent
No
EDUCATION
Coronado High School, Scottsdale, Diploma, 1981-1984
Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale, Studied Real Estate, 1984-1986
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Studied Business & Communications, 1986-1988
Flinn Foundation Flinn Brown Civic Leadership, Phoenix, Fellow, 2011-2011
Scottsdale Area Assoc of Realtors Leadership Academy, Scottsdale, Certificate, 2013-2013
Arizona School of Real Estate and Business, Scottsdale, Licensed, 1997-1997
WORK & MILITARY
Real Estate Agent, Self Employed Agent, 1992-2026
Fountain Bowl Inc, General Manager, 1989-1991
Qwest Communications, Management, 1998-2011
AFFILIATIONS
Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce, Chairman & Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Mayor of Town of Fountain Hills Arizona - 2 terms, 2008-2012
Town Council Town of Fountain Hills Arizona - 1 term, 2004-2008
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Arizona House of Representatives Dist 3 (currently seeking office), 2026-2026
ENDORSEMENTS
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Sheriff Jerry Sheridan
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (2)
Lea Marquez Peterson (2024)
William P. "Bill" Huizenga (2016)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Daniel Hernandez Jr. (2018)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
May 2026: Candidate participated in the AZ Clean Elections LD3 Primary Debate.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Only when the pregnancy has real risk to the life of the Mother
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Strongly Agree
I am pro-life and believe we should protect the unborn, defend the vulnerable, support mothers and families, and uphold the dignity of every human life. Babies are deserving of protection just as are those incapable of protecting themselves due to illness, disease, old age ...
The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.
Strongly Agree
The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.
Strongly Agree
ECONOMY
What is your position on the minimum wage?
I'm not in favor of an artificial government mandated wage.
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.
1- Reduce the size and scope of state government. The larger the Government the smaller the Citizen. 2- Public funding requires strict accountability to ensure no fraud or waste. DOGE AZ. 3- Zero based budgeting each year for all departments, find efficiencies to reduce costs. 4- Ensure state operations are not redundant across departments . 5- Protect core responsibilities first. Public safety, infrastructure, education accountability, border security, and essential services first.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
To me, “separation of church and state” means government should not establish an official religion, prescribe one religion, or force any religion on the people. It does not mean there should be no religion in government, or that faith must be removed from public life, public service, or public decision-making. Our nation was built on the understanding that our rights come from God, not government, and government exists to protect those rights. As a Christian, my faith shapes and helps me serve.
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) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. We should protect Medicare and Medicaid for seniors, people with disabilities, and the truly vulnerable, while keeping them accountable and sustainable. I do not support government-run healthcare that eliminates private choice. We need lower costs, more transparency, competition, and healthcare decisions kept between patients and doctors, not government bureaucrats.
The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.
Strongly Disagree
I strongly oppose government keeping broad databases of citizens based on medical conditions. Personal health information must remain private and protected. Healthcare cost analysis should use anonymous, aggregated data, not government lists of individual patients. We can study costs without sacrificing privacy, medical freedom, or trust.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
We need to be clear-eyed and strong: protect American innovation, secure critical infrastructure, reduce dependence on China for essential goods, defend Taiwan and our allies, and stop CCP influence in our universities, technology, farmland, and strategic industries.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Yes. Israel is America’s strongest democratic ally in the Middle East and a vital partner in security, intelligence, technology, and the fight against terrorism. Supporting Israel is both a strategic and moral priority. America should stand firmly with Israel and its right to defend itself.
IMMIGRATION
I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.
Strongly Disagree
No city should be allowed to ignore federal immigration law or shield people here illegally from lawful enforcement. It undermines the rule of law, weakens public safety, and burdens Arizona families and taxpayers. We can be compassionate while still securing the border and enforcing the law.
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Strongly Agree
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and returning control to states, parents, teachers, and local communities. Education decisions should be made close to the student, not by federal bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. Any truly necessary functions can be moved to other appropriate departments, while reducing bureaucracy and putting more focus on accountability, parental rights, school choice, and student outcomes.
Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.
Strongly Agree
This seems to be a real no-brainer. Our schools and universities should serve American students, families, and national interests, not foreign governments or political agendas. We need transparency, accountability, and strong protections against foreign influence in our classrooms, research, and institutions.
VALUES
Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child's health and educational well-being.
Strongly Agree
I strongly agree. Parents have the fundamental right and responsibility to direct their child’s health, education, and overall well-being. Government should respect and protect that role, not replace it. Schools and agencies should be transparent, accountable, and work in partnership with parents, with parents having the final say in major decisions affecting their children.
Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.
Strongly Agree
I agree that children must be protected from life-altering decisions they are not mature enough to make. No school, medical provider, or government agency should hide gender-transition issues from parents or push a child toward transition. Protect children, respect parents, and keep ideology out of these decisions.
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
I believe marriage is a sacred, God-ordained union between one man and one woman. That belief is rooted in my faith and in the traditional understanding of family as the foundation of society. Government did not create marriage, and government should not presume to redefine what God established.
I support the expansion of gambling in my state.
Strongly Disagree
I do not support expanding gambling in Arizona. While gambling may generate revenue, it can also bring real costs to families and communities through addiction, debt, and social harm. Government should be very cautious about growing revenue streams that often come at the expense of vulnerable people.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
My Christian faith is central to who I am. I believe our rights come from God, not government, and that EVERY person is created with dignity, purpose, and value. My values are rooted in faith, family, service, personal responsibility, compassion, truth, and respect for others. I try to lead with humility, conviction, and a servant’s heart while standing firm for what I believe is right.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
I disagree. Voting is a right and a responsibility and election integrity matters. Requiring photo identification is a reasonable safeguard to help ensure every legal vote counts and every voter can trust the process. We should make it easy to vote, but hard to cheat.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
We should recognize our nation’s history honestly and not repeat this tragic, but public policy should focus on equal opportunity, strong families, quality education, safe communities, economic growth, and helping people in need, without dividing Americans by race.
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
Biological males should not compete in women’s sports or occupy spaces reserved for biological women. This is about fairness, safety, privacy, and common sense. Women and girls deserve equal opportunity in athletics and the right to private spaces such as bathrooms, locker rooms, shelters, sororities, and prisons.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.
Strongly Disagree
I believe we should be good stewards of our environment, but I do not support using climate change as an excuse for rushed, expensive government mandates that hurt families, jobs, energy reliability, and economic freedom. Arizona should pursue practical solutions: clean air, responsible water policy, forest management, innovation, reliable energy, and conservation, without heavy-handed political agendas.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Nuclear is the most reliable long-term energy source for growing demand. It provides constant baseload power, strengthens grid reliability, and should be paired with natural gas and other practical sources.
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?
Very Conservative
I would describe myself as a principled conservative. My views are rooted in faith, family, limited government, fiscal responsibility, personal freedom, parental rights, free enterprise, strong national security, election integrity, and protecting our constitutional liberties.
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?
Protect the public, uphold the rule of law, hold offenders accountable, and deliver justice fairly. It should support victims, deter crime, and allow room for rehabilitation where appropriate, but public safety and justice must always come first.
Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.
Strongly Agree
I strongly agree. Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation online. That means holding predators and exploitative platforms accountable, giving parents better tools, enforcing age protections, and making sure technology companies are not allowed to profit while children are put at risk.
Sharia law should not be accepted or incorporated in any form within the legal framework of the United States.
Strongly Agree
As I understand Sharia law, it is not compatible with the U.S. Constitution, individual liberty, equal protection under the law, religious freedom, or the rights of women. America’s legal system must be rooted in the Constitution and the rule of law, not any foreign or religious legal code.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
The Second Amendment is clear, and law-abiding citizens have the right to keep and bear arms. The focus should be on enforcing existing laws, keeping guns out of the hands of violent criminals, improving mental health response, securing schools, and holding those who misuse firearms accountable, not adding new restrictions that punish responsible gun owners.
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