Michael Jonah Neal
Republican | Kentucky
Candidate Profile
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Michael Jonah Neal
Party
Republican
Election Year
2026
Election
Republican Primary
Race
State Rep., Dist. 52
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg, B.S. Political Science; B.S. Christian Ministries, 2022-2025
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Christ the King Anglican Church, Junior/Senior Warden, 2022-2026
Scott County AYSO Area 385, Referee Coordinator; Board Member, 2023-2026
McCreary County Heritage Foundation, Production Team; Committee Member (Polar Express), 2022-2026
Student Government Association (University of the Cumberlands), President, 2024-2025
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
ENDORSEMENTS
CONSERVATIVE (1)
Freedoms Heritage Forum
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Strongly Agree
Absolutely, the life of a human being, from conception through deth, should be protected at all costs.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Agree
Yes, taxpayer funds should not be used for abortions at any level.
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Elective abortions should not be allowed. The life of an unborn child is priceless, and the mother and or parents should be given resources to help if needed. If not, the child should be given a chance to live and have a future through adoption.
The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.
Agree
Human lives are important no matter how it is conceived.
The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.
Strongly Agree
Yes.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
The "separation of church and state" means that the government shall not establish and require an individual to worship a specific state sponsored church or denomination. The individuals ability to worship the way he or she chooses, so long as it is not interfering with someone else, is foundational to ensuring the stability of our Commonwealth and nation.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Disagree
The individual's ability to not violate their own moral or religious beliefs, so long as this doesn't harm anyone else. A individual's ability to say yes or no to certain actions in their own lives or businesses is extremely important and necessary.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
The Chinese Communist Party poses a serious threat to the United States. Although not always through clear or direct avenues, the pose threats on all fronts that should be addressed and taken into consideration.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
The relationship between the United States and Israel is major in the stability of the Middle East, as well as the world. Israel is arguably the strongest and longest allied country in that region, and reassuring Israel and our other allies in the region that we are supportive and there to help when necessary is key to stability.
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.
The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.
Strongly Disagree
No, the government should not keep a database of all people with ongoing illnesses to assess the economic burden caused by them. The information regarding the individuals health should be generally protected, and should not be kept in a database.
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
Free Enterprise and the right to private property are key to ensuring our economic system is productive and strong. The ability to start your own business and have private property to build businesses is paramount to developing a economic system that is strong and prosperous. The growth of business is dependent on the ability of a person or persons to establish their business and develop it into a strong business.
What is your position on the minimum wage?
The minimum wage is a cornerstone of our economy. The enforcement and adjustment of the minimum wage with the cost of living are key in ensuring that individuals and families can be confident that their wages are sufficient to live comfortably.
I support using taxpayer funds to lobby the state legislature.
Neutral
List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.
1. Balanced Budget: We must ensure we are taking in revenue, while spending that money wisely and investing it back into the state effectively, while not incurring large debts. 2. Smart Spending: Spending our tax dollars well is important in ensuring no wasting of funds. Although it is never a guarantee, making sure we spend funds effectively and on project that are worth while is extremely important. 3. Common Sense Spending: It's simple, don't spend money we don't have; spend effectively.
IMMIGRATION
I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.
Strongly Disagree
No. Sanctuary cities are not necessary in the protection of a undocumented person. Often, sanctuary cities provide the welfare of undocumented persons before the needs of the citizens in their cities, spending money in places where that same money could be used to provide for the citizens of that city. With that said, undocumented persons should not be mistreated by anyone, anywhere, but a blanket protection of any and all undocumented persons is a nonstarter.
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Neutral
The U.S. Department of Education should be scaled back gradually to ensure a smooth transition back to the states. The educational needs of one state aren't exactly the same as another state, this applies across the country. I believe there are better ways in which states can adequately teach and reach the needs of their students that do not have "cookie-cutter" solutions, but there are some things that should be taught across all states, but those are basic skills/knowledge.
Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.
Agree
Yes, outside funding of the American education system should be prohibited. No foreign government should be interfering with the American education system.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
What should be the goal of the criminal justice system?
The goal of the criminal justice system is to ensure that all individuals are protected under the rights of the State and United State Constitution, and to ensure that they are protected by these Rights and Laws. This includes upholding the current laws and regulations of the State and the United States to ensure that all individuals are fairly treated, and especially in cases of criminality, tried and ensured innocence until proven guilty by a jury of their peers.
Sharia law should not be accepted or incorporated in any form within the legal framework of the United States.
Strongly Agree
Only the laws of the local jurisdiction, state, or United States, Federally, should be enforced in the United States; these laws are the laws of the land and are not subject to or altered by any other laws.
The government should use automated-enforcement cameras to track speeding and criminal activity.
Agree
In certain cases, I believe that it would be within reasonability to use cameras and automated enforcement to track criminal activity. All activity should be reviewed before there is any legal action taken by any law enforcement agency.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
I believe that the 2nd Amendment is a cornerstone of our society to ensure that citizens have the right to defend themselves, however, there are some restrictions that could be beneficial to creating a safer society. Ensuring that owners are well trained and are able to use their weapons effectively is very important. Common sense gun laws are needed and necessary to ensure safe societies without encroaching on the individuals rights to own weapons to defend themselves and use in sport/hunting.
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
I believe that rules and laws should be made with the best interest of the constituents in mind, and that should be the top decider. I believe that we should be making decisions with the best intentions for the people in mind, and this would be my deciding factor in these decisions. Sometimes these decisions do not follow traditional party lines, but the best decision should be made, so long as morality is not compromised.
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.
VALUES
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian in the Anglican tradition (ACNA). I believe that the Bible is the ultimate source of truth and what is Right and Wrong, Just and Unjust. I believe that the rights of man are given by God through natural law, and that all people are able to understand the natural order and what is right and wrong because it is naturally given to all mankind. God, as the Creator of the Universe, has established and ordained a specific order to the Universe and all things in it, and all decisions should be made in line with this order.
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Agree
I support the expansion of gambling in my state.
Neutral
Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child's upbringing, including their religious, health, and educational well-being.
Strongly Agree
Yes, the parents are the primary providers and decision makers of children, ensuring their best interest.
Attempts to transition or encourage a child to transition to the opposite sex constitutes child abuse.
Strongly Agree
Children are not in a place to be able to know what is best for them, this is particularly true for young children. Any attempt to transition or persuade a child to transition to the opposite sex is wrong and anyone who does so should be held accountable.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
The right to vote is one of our most sacred and important institutions, ensuring the ability of a person to have a say in how their community, state, and nation are run and operated, and this right is exclusively reserved to the citizens of this state and nation. Individuals who have gone through the process of either becoming a citizen through naturalization, or are born citizens, have the exclusive right and duty to vote in elections. This ensures fairness across the board.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
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
Males, specifically biological males, should not be allowed to compete in women's sports in any capacity. A persons gender is not defined by how someone feels, but what their gender is biologically. A male is biologically a male, and a female is biologically a woman, no exceptions.; this is a biological fact.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
I believe that coal is our most reliable source of energy that will currently keep up with the growing demand for electricity, but I also believe that we should be looking into clean and sustainable solutions for the future.
Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.
Neutral
Climate change and proper care for the environment is something that we should all be concerned about. I believe that there are factors that are man made that can play crucial factors in the destruction of our climate, however, we cannot take action that is also detrimental to our society and our people. I believe there are many common sense ways in which we can help preserve and save our environment, while not taking drastic, unnecessary action.
