Taner E. Demirci Lopez

Agree

I strongly support legal protection for human life once a heartbeat is detectable. There is a meaningful difference between conception and the point at which a heartbeat begins. I have long been a strong defender of heartbeat legislation, which protects a beating human heart from being intentionally stopped. Life ends when the heart stops beating, and the law should at least protect against that being caused by outside intervention.

Agree

I believe God alone places a soul into a human body, and that a heart cannot beat without a soul. Therefore, once a laboratory-created embryo develops a beating heart, it has received a soul and should be treated as a legal person protected from purposeful destruction. Before a heartbeat is present, I do not hold the same position.

As a federal candidate, after Dobbs abortion is primarily a state issue. Once a heartbeat is present, the unborn child deserves protection. Elective abortion after that should not be allowed. Many women who carry to term later are glad they did. Many who aborted suffer lifelong trauma. Pregnancy support can help mothers choose life, with adoption available after birth. I care about this, but it cannot be fixed by federal legislation. It requires ethical education and cultural change.

Strongly Disagree

As a Libertarian, I am strongly opposed to any private organization receiving taxpayer funds. Government should not take money from citizens and give it to private businesses or nonprofits. This is especially true on the issue of abortion. People who oppose abortion should never be forced to fund organizations that provide abortions through their taxes.

Agree

Abortion-inducing drugs end a human life once a heartbeat is present. The Comstock Act’s restrictions on interstate transportation of these drugs should be enforced to prevent that from happening across state lines.

Strongly Agree

Strongly Disagree

People who earn more money usually did so because they worked hard to improve their lives. Someone working two jobs for 16 hours a day is not doing it to subsidize others. If I want to help a person in need, I should be free to do so voluntarily with my own money. Taking what someone has earned without their consent and redistributing it is not a fair system.

Strongly Agree

The government is involved in far too many things and has failed to manage money responsibly. Taxpayers are forced to cover the cost of this poor administration. Government should remove itself from many areas it has no business being in and significantly cut spending in order to reduce the national debt.

End military aid to other countries. American taxpayers should not fund foreign wars while many citizens struggle to cover basic needs. End foreign aid. We have millions of people in our own country who cannot afford basic necessities, yet we continue sending money to address poverty overseas. End subsidies and grants to shady nonprofit and charity organizations. The recent Minnesota Somali fraud scandals show how easily taxpayer money can be wasted or stolen through poorly supervised programs.

Strongly Disagree

As a Libertarian, I believe individuals and business owners should have the freedom to decide whom they serve. If my personal ethics allow me to serve a customer whose views or lifestyle conflict with my beliefs, that is my choice. But I must also have the freedom to decline service when it would violate my moral or religious convictions. Freedom works both ways — no one should be forced to act against their conscience.

“Separation of church and state” means the government must not be controlled by, or show favoritism toward, any religious organization and its theological or ideological agenda. Jesus made this clear when He asked whose face was on the coin. Government’s job is to regulate worldly laws that protect people’s freedom and rights. God’s job is to transform people’s hearts so they can become better and seek salvation in the hereafter.

D, but not immediately: As a Libertarian, I support free markets and less regulation in healthcare. Reducing barriers to opening clinics and hospitals would increase competition, lower prices, and improve quality. Private care would become more affordable and better than government programs. I would not eliminate Medicare and Medicaid overnight, as that would cause disruption. The long-term goal is a free-market system where taxpayer-funded healthcare is no longer needed.

Strongly Disagree

C) The United States has become too involved in others' policies and should remain focused on issues regarding our own sovereignty unless in imminent danger.

Strongly Agree

The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cybersecurity, intellectual property, and economic threats to the United States. We must continue strengthening our defense systems and national power. At the same time, we should pursue bilateral peace agreements and fair economic and business deals so that we are not locked into permanent hostility.

Yes, the relationship with Israel is important because Israel has become a major military and nuclear power in the Middle East. However, it is not more important than our relationships with NATO members, with whom we have mutual defense commitments. Israel has no obligation to defend the United States if we are attacked. We should maintain strong and practical relationships with every powerful country in the world for the sake of our own national security.

Agree

I reject the broad label “Islamic terrorism,” because millions of Muslims live in the United States and are not terrorists. However, expansionist jihadist movements that seek to impose Sharia law and operate through organized networks are a serious threat to U.S. national security and must be treated as such.

People who invest significant capital to open manufacturing plants or create businesses that employ Americans. People who risked their lives helping U.S. troops overseas — as a matter of honor and recognition of their sacrifice. People who can fill genuine workforce shortages that Americans are not currently filling.

Strongly Disagree

Sanctuary cities undermine the rule of law by refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. The U.S. has the right to control its borders and decide who enters and remains. Local governments should not shield people who are here undocumented. I am the creator of the 10-12 Act, which offers a structured, lawful alternative that prioritizes American interests, security, and accountability instead of local nullification of federal law.

Strongly Agree

Strongly Agree

Strongly Agree

Disagree

Marriage is first a sacred, God-ordained union. Religious institutions may choose to provide a blessing or not, according to their own standards — that is their decision. Marriage is also a civil contract. Government’s role is not to define its spiritual meaning, but to protect individual rights and maintain order, such as protecting a spouse or child from abuse. As Jesus taught, give to God what is God’s and to government what is government’s.

I am a strong believer in God and a true follower of Jesus Christ. I grew up in Spain in a multi-faith family. From my mother I received Western Catholic tradition, ethics, culture, and the principle of not doing to others what I would not want done to myself. From my father, who held a traditional Turkish Islamic view (not the current regime’s version), I learned hospitality and openness toward other cultures. As a scholar of religions, I value certain spiritual insights from the Quran in my own understanding while remaining firmly rooted in Christ and the Western tradition. I believe human life is sacred and that we must live according to spiritual values.

Strongly Disagree

Agree

Agree (with distinctions) Biological males should not compete in women’s sports. They are physically stronger, and it is unfair to female athletes. On women’s spaces, safety is the main concern. If someone has had surgery and no longer has male reproductive organs, I do not see the same justification for exclusion. I do not support gender transition, but I will not forcibly stop an adult who chooses it. Fairness in sports and safety should come first.

It depends on the use. For transportation, oil is more reliable than electric vehicles. For home and grid electricity, hydroelectric power is the most reliable, consistent and without the safety and waste challenges of nuclear.

No

No

Conservative

I selected Conservative because on key issues here; life after a heartbeat, border security, cutting wasteful spending, fairness in women’s sports, and opposing taxpayer funding of abortion. My views align more with the conservative side. I am not a Republican. I am a Libertarian who believes in limited government, free markets, national sovereignty, and Americans first. I also oppose endless foreign wars and sending money overseas while Americans struggle; a view many in both parties share.

Strongly Agree

People with criminal records should not own guns. Severely mentally ill individuals who have shown dangerous behavior should also be prohibited. We cannot risk innocent lives. We should ban weapons with no legitimate self-defense purpose in a home or neighborhood, such as bombs, tanks, rockets, heavy machine guns, and weapons of mass destruction. These are for mass killing, not personal protection.