Austin Garmon

Republican | Iowa

Candidate Profile*

Leans Conservative

*Additional information appears below for educational purposes; however, only data received prior to the candidate deadline was considered during Panel Evaluation.

BIOGRAPHY

Name

Austin Garmon


Party

Republican


Election Year

2026


Election

Republican Primary


Race

State Senate, District 13


Incumbent

No


Links

FacebookFacebook

EDUCATION

Candidate did not provide

WORK & MILITARY

Candidate did not provide

AFFILIATIONS

Southeast Iowa Young Republicans, Political Director, 2025-

Americans For Prosperity, Volunteer, 2023-

Main Street Ottumwa, Board Of Directors/Communications Committee, 2025-

Ottumwa Community Garden Project, Founder, 2025-

POLITICAL OFFICES HELD

Candidate did not provide

POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT

Candidate did not provide

ENDORSEMENTS*

*These endorsements were received after the deadline and were not considered in the Panel Evaluations and are for additional educational purposes only.
CONSERVATIVE (1)

*Stand For Health Freedom

REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)

Senator Cherielynn Westrich

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).

Neutral

Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?

Loss of life due to complications/risks, attack, incest, rape.

Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.

Agree

The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.

Neutral

The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.

Agree


RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?

The separation of church and state means government should not establish or control religion, while fully protecting every individual’s right to freely practice their faith. It ensures both religious liberty and prevents government overreach into personal beliefs.

Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.

Disagree


NATIONAL SECURITY

The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.

Strongly Agree

Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?

Yes. The United States’ relationship with Israel is important because it is one of our closest democratic allies in a strategically critical region. Our partnership supports regional stability, intelligence cooperation, and shared values like democracy and individual liberty. A strong alliance also helps deter common threats while promoting peace in the region.


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.

B

The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.

Disagree

The government should not maintain centralized databases of individuals’ medical conditions due to serious concerns about privacy, security, and potential misuse. Healthcare decisions should remain between patients and their doctors, not tracked for broad government analysis.


ECONOMY

What is your position on the minimum wage?

I support a market-driven approach to wages rather than broad federal mandates, while encouraging policies that help workers earn more through skills, competition, and economic growth.

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.

Audit state agencies to eliminate overlapping programs and administrative bloat. Require departments to justify every dollar spent each year instead of automatically increasing budgets. Identify programs that fail performance benchmarks and sunset them. Strengthen oversight systems to prevent abuse in public assistance and contracting. Ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently through open, competitive processes.


IMMIGRATION

I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.

Strongly Disagree


EDUCATION

I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.

Agree

Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.

Strongly Agree


CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY

What should be the goal of the criminal justice system?

To protect public safety, hold offenders accountable, and ensure fair and consistent application of the law while reducing repeat offenses.

Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.

Strongly Agree

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?

I support the right of law-abiding citizens to own and carry firearms. Gun laws often only restrict responsible owners, while criminals ignore them. A well-armed public is the best defense against crime, and the focus should be on enforcing existing laws and keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals.


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?

Conservative

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

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

Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.

Strongly Agree

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

I support the expansion of gambling in my state.

Strongly Agree

Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

I am guided by my faith and values in striving to serve my community with integrity, compassion, and personal responsibility. I believe in treating others with respect, upholding ethical principles, and contributing to the common good while honoring my spiritual convictions.


ELECTIONS AND VOTING

People should be able to vote without photo identification.

Strongly Disagree


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


ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.

Agree

What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?

An all-of-the-above strategy with a strong emphasis on reliable baseload energy like natural gas and nuclear.

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