Ed Pope

Strongly Agree

I believe every human life has inherent dignity and deserves legal protection from conception until natural death. A just society must defend the most vulnerable, including the unborn, the elderly, and those with disabilities, while also supporting mothers, families, adoption services, prenatal care, and compassionate end-of-life care. Protecting life must be matched with compassion, resources, and responsibility.

Strongly Agree

Human embryos created through artificial reproductive technologies deserve respect and protection from purposeful destruction. Scientific advancement and fertility treatments should be pursued ethically, recognizing the inherent value of every human life. We should encourage responsible medical innovation while promoting practices that respect human dignity and safeguard the lives of the most vulnerable.

I support protecting unborn life and believe elective abortion should not be permitted except under limited circumstances consistent with Florida law, including when necessary to save the life of the mother or in cases otherwise provided by law. I also believe women and families facing difficult pregnancies deserve compassionate support through quality prenatal care, adoption services, counseling, and other resources that protect both mother and child.

Strongly Disagree

I do not believe taxpayer dollars should fund abortion providers, including through federal, state, or local programs. Public funding should instead prioritize comprehensive healthcare services that do not perform abortions, including community health centers, prenatal care, women's health services, adoption support, and maternal healthcare. Taxpayer resources should protect both women's health and the sanctity of human life.

Strongly Agree

Federal laws should be enforced as written unless and until they are changed through the legislative process or found unconstitutional by the courts. I support enforcing laws governing the interstate distribution of abortion-inducing drugs while ensuring due process and protecting both maternal health and unborn life.

Strongly Agree

Free enterprise and private property rights are fundamental to America's prosperity, innovation, and individual liberty. Government should foster an environment where entrepreneurs, small businesses, and workers can succeed by reducing unnecessary regulations, protecting property rights, encouraging competition, and maintaining a fair, predictable legal system. Economic opportunity grows when individuals are free to invest, create, and build a better future.

Strongly Disagree

The goal should be a fair tax system that promotes economic growth and opportunity for everyone, not higher taxes on success. Working families are best helped by reducing inflation, lowering taxes, creating good-paying jobs, and eliminating wasteful government spending. A stronger economy and responsible fiscal policies provide lasting relief without discouraging investment, entrepreneurship, or job creation.

Strongly Agree

Reducing the national debt requires fiscal discipline and responsible budgeting. Congress must eliminate wasteful spending, improve government efficiency, and prioritize essential services while protecting Social Security and Medicare for those who have earned them. We cannot continue passing unsustainable debt to future generations. A balanced approach that promotes economic growth and controls spending is essential to America's long-term prosperity.

My priorities are: (1) Conduct independent performance audits of every federal agency to eliminate duplicative and ineffective programs; (2) Reduce bureaucracy by streamlining government, cutting unnecessary regulations, and modernizing operations; (3) Strengthen oversight to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in federal contracts and entitlement programs; and (4) Require every federal dollar to produce measurable results and accountability for taxpayers.

Strongly Disagree

I believe religious liberty and freedom of conscience are fundamental constitutional rights that must be protected. Individuals and businesses should not be compelled by the government to act against their sincerely held religious or moral beliefs. At the same time, we should promote mutual respect, equal dignity, and lawful solutions that protect both religious freedom and the rights of all Americans.

To me, separation of church and state means the government cannot establish or favor a religion, nor can it interfere with an individual's free exercise of religion. It protects both religious liberty and government neutrality. It was never intended to remove faith from the public square, but to ensure every American has the freedom to worship or not worship without government coercion.

C. I support preserving Medicare and Medicaid for those who qualify, while protecting access to quality healthcare for seniors, veterans, and vulnerable Americans. Rather than expanding government run healthcare, we should increase competition, improve price transparency, reduce unnecessary regulations, and empower patients with more choices to lower costs, improve access, and strengthen healthcare outcomes.

Strongly Disagree

While public health data can help guide policy, the government should not maintain identifiable databases of individuals' ongoing medical conditions. Patient privacy and personal medical information must be protected. Health data used for research or planning should be de-identified, securely managed, and collected only when necessary, with appropriate legal safeguards and respect for individual rights.

C. America's first responsibility is to protect its own citizens, borders, and national interests. I support a strong military, peace through strength, and strategic alliances, but we should avoid unnecessary foreign entanglements. The United States should engage abroad when our national security is directly threatened or when vital interests are at stake, while ensuring accountability for every taxpayer dollar spent overseas.

Strongly Agree

The Chinese Communist Party poses one of the greatest strategic threats to the United States through military expansion, cyberattacks, intellectual property theft, economic coercion, and influence operations. We must strengthen our military, secure critical infrastructure, protect American innovation, reduce dependence on China for critical supply chains, and stand firmly with our allies to defend America's security, economy, and national sovereignty.

Yes, Israel is one of America's most important allies and a critical partner in a volatile region. Our relationship is rooted in shared democratic values, national security interests, intelligence cooperation, and the fight against terrorism. A strong U.S. Israel alliance helps protect American interests, support regional stability, counter hostile regimes, and defend the right of Israel to exist and protect its people.

Strongly Agree

Radical Islamic terrorism remains a serious threat to America's national security, our allies, and global stability. We must confront it with strong intelligence, secure borders, military readiness, law enforcement coordination, and support for allies fighting terrorism. At the same time, our focus must remain on extremists who seek to harm America, while protecting the religious liberty and constitutional rights of peaceful Americans of all faiths.

The United States should welcome legal immigrants who respect our laws, pass proper background and security checks, and contribute positively to our country. Immigration should be lawful, orderly, merit-based where appropriate, and consistent with America's economic needs and national security. We must secure the border, enforce immigration laws, protect American workers, and maintain a fair process for those seeking freedom, opportunity, or lawful refuge.

Strongly Agree

I do not support sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with lawful immigration enforcement. Public safety and the rule of law must come first. Local governments should work with federal authorities to remove dangerous criminals, protect communities, and ensure immigration laws are applied fairly and consistently. Compassion is important, but it cannot come at the expense of public safety, accountability, or national sovereignty.

Strongly Agree

I support returning primary responsibility for education to states, local communities, parents, and educators. The federal government should focus on protecting students' rights, ensuring accountability, and providing appropriate support where authorized by law—not directing local classrooms. Decisions about curriculum, school policies, and educational priorities are best made closest to the students and families they serve.

Strongly Agree

Foreign governments should not be allowed to influence American education through direct or indirect funding, especially when it threatens academic independence, national security, or American values. Schools and universities must be transparent about foreign funding and partnerships. Education should prepare students to think freely and critically, not serve the interests of foreign governments or hostile regimes.

Strongly Agree

I believe children deserve protection from irreversible medical interventions that can have lifelong physical and psychological consequences. Decisions involving permanent medical procedures should be made only when individuals are adults and able to provide informed consent. Parents should be actively involved in their children's care, and children should receive compassionate, evidence-based support that prioritizes their long-term health and well-being.

Strongly Agree

I believe marriage is a sacred institution established by God and, as a matter of personal faith, is the union of one man and one woman. At the same time, I recognize that public officials have a duty to uphold and faithfully execute the Constitution and the laws of the United States. I remain committed to protecting religious liberty and the rights of individuals to live according to their sincerely held beliefs.

As a Catholic, my faith is rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the belief that every person is created in the image of God with inherent dignity and worth. My values of service, integrity, compassion, accountability, and respect for life guide both my personal and professional decisions. I believe we are called to serve others, care for the vulnerable, be faithful stewards of our blessings, and lead with humility, honesty, and moral courage.

Strongly Disagree

I support requiring valid photo identification to vote because it helps protect the integrity of our elections and strengthens public confidence in the democratic process. Voting is one of our most fundamental rights, and reasonable safeguards such as voter ID help ensure every legal vote is counted and that elections remain secure, fair, and transparent while preserving access for all eligible voters.

Strongly Agree

I believe fairness, safety, and privacy should guide these policies. Athletic competition and private spaces designated for women should be based on biological sex to ensure equal opportunities, competitive fairness, and the protection of women and girls. At the same time, every individual should be treated with dignity and respect, and policies should be applied consistently under the law.

Natural gas and nuclear power are the most reliable sources to meet growing electricity demand. They provide dependable baseload power, strengthen energy independence, and keep costs affordable while supporting innovation, and grid reliability.

Never

Never

Conservative

Overall, I consider myself a constitutional conservative guided by faith, fiscal responsibility, individual liberty, limited government, strong national defense, the rule of law, free enterprise, and the protection of life and religious freedom. My philosophy is rooted in servant leadership and my Florida First Agenda: putting the people of Florida's 16th Congressional District ahead of politics through Service. Leadership. Results.

Strongly Agree

Protecting children from online sexual exploitation is a fundamental responsibility of government. We must strengthen laws targeting predators, improve cooperation with law enforcement and technology companies, enhance online safety measures, and ensure offenders are aggressively prosecuted. At the same time, we must protect constitutional rights and privacy while giving parents the tools and information they need to keep their children safe online.

I strongly support the Second Amendment and the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms. Public safety is best protected by enforcing existing laws, keeping firearms out of the hands of violent felons and those legally adjudicated as dangerous, improving mental health resources, securing schools, and prosecuting gun crimes. We should focus on criminals, not restricting responsible gun owners.