Matt Gaetz

Republican | Florida

Candidate Profile

Leans Conservative

BIOGRAPHY

Name

Matt Gaetz


Party

Republican


Election Year

2016


Election

General


Race

U.S. Rep., Dist. 1


Incumbent

No


Links

Matt Gaetz websites FacebookXLinkedIn

EDUCATION

William & Mary Law School, Williamsburg, VA, JD, 2007

Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, BS, 2003

WORK & MILITARY

Keefe, Anchors & Gordon, Attorney, 9

AFFILIATIONS

First Baptist Church of Fort Walton Beach, Parishioner

NRA, Lifetime Member

Destin Chamber of Commerce, Member

Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, Member

Navarre Chamber of Commerce, Member

Niceville Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, Member

Okaloosa Walton Bar Association, Member

POLITICAL OFFICES HELD

Florida House of Representatives, 6

POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT

(Candidate did not provide)

SCORECARDS

CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS


LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS

ENDORSEMENTS

CONSERVATIVE (4)

Florida Right to Life PAC; Huck PAC; National Rifle Association; National Right to Life

REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (5)

Governor Mike Huckabee; Admiral Robert Kelly; General Gary McCoy; General Richard Secord; Sheriff Larry Ashley

SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS

CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (22)

Andy Gardiner; Brad Drake; Clay Ingram; David Rivera; Elizabeth W. Porter

RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (38)

67 Florida; Associated Builders and Contractors; Bill Galvano; Clay Ingram; Committee for a Conservative House


LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)

RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (5)

Bill Montford; Florida Police Benevolent Association; International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts; National Education Association; UniteHere

QUESTIONNAIRE

OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES

Congress should repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

Strongly Agree

Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.

Strongly Agree

I am in favor of construction of a wall and other necessary infrastructure on our border that gives complete control over entering and exiting the United States.

Strongly Agree

The U.S. military should wait for militant Islamic groups to directly threaten our national security on our shores, rather than eradicate them now wherever they may be worldwide.

Strongly Disagree

The United States must maintain a nuclear arsenal that is safe, reliable, modern and numerically superior to those of potential adversaries.

Strongly Agree

I support legislation such as the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) that would prohibit discrimination against individuals, organizations and small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.

Strongly Agree

The federal government should establish Common Core as a nationwide academic standard for high school graduation.

Strongly Disagree

I oppose the resettlement of Syrian refugees into the U.S. without proper vetting.

Strongly Agree

Current regulations on domestic oil exploration and drilling are more restrictive than are necessary.

Strongly Agree

It is the government’s responsibility to be sure everyone has health care and a livable income.

Strongly Disagree

Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which permitted our system of limited government.

Strongly Agree

More restrictive gun control laws are needed to protect public safety.

Strongly Disagree

The founders established pure democracy in the Constitution because they believed that it is the best form of government to ensure the safety and equitable treatment of all citizens.

Strongly Disagree

Free enterprise and the right to private property turn mankind's natural self-interest into the most productive economic system there is.

Strongly Agree

Governments should pay to develop wind and solar energy solutions until they are economically feasible.

Strongly Disagree

Religious liberty is at risk in the United States.

Strongly Agree

Governments should define marriage as between one man and one woman; no other definition of marriage should be legalized or supported with public funds.

Strongly Agree

People should be able to vote without photo identification.

Strongly Disagree

The United States should help defend Israel from attack by its enemies.

Strongly Agree

Planned Parenthood should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments.

Strongly Agree

Marijuana should be legalized and regulated like tobacco and alcohol.

Disagree

Islamic law (Sharia) does not pose a threat to the United States and its Constitution.

Strongly Disagree

Based on the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, please arrange the following entities, starting with the highest source of authority, and continue the list in descending order of authority, skipping any that do not apply: Academia, Congress, Constitution, God, Industry, Media, Professional Sports, Supreme Court, Voters.

God, Constitution, Voters, Congress, Supreme Court

Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?

I am 100% pro-life. We must fight to protect life at every step. Roe v. Wade was a terrible decision that has severely hurt our country. I am pro-life without exception.

What in the nature of mankind caused America’s Founders to carefully define, separate, and limit powers in the Constitution?

America is unique in the world because we acknowledge that our rights come from God, not government. Our Founders created the greatest system of government the world has ever seen. They recognized men are flawed - greed, self-interest, and desire for control - showed the Founders the need for a Constitution that created a system of limited government to protect the rights of all citizens and restrict the powers of the federal government.

Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

My father is a Lutheran, my mother is Methodist. While I've attended church with both throughout my life, I was saved in a Baptist Church during my teenage years. I am a member of First Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach. The Bible, the Gospel - these are our instructions from God. We are to follow faithfully.

Considering all issues (social, economic, national security, etc.), which of these best describes you?

Very Conservative

Please defend your answer to the previous question by referencing your publicly available track record.

The Tampa Bay Times, one of Florida's most liberal newspapers, once said I have "sponsored (and passed) some of the most conservative legislation in a conservative-dominated Legislature." I consider that a badge of honor. I've been A+ rated by the NRA year after year. In the Florida Legislature, I fought to pass Open Carry, protect Stand Your Ground, stop the expansion of Obamacare in our state, protect religious liberty, and always stand on the side of life. Thanks to my record, I was named the "Defender of Liberty" by the American Conservative Union.

E-mail address and phone number for voters to reach you.

matt@mattgaetz.com 850-240-3778

Additional comment from candidate:

N/A

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