Dennis Riddell
Republican | North Carolina
Candidate Profile*
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Dennis Riddell
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 64
Incumbent
Yes
Links
EDUCATION
Bob Jones Univesity, Greenville, Masters, 1983
California Maritime Academy, Vallejo, BS Eng, 1978
WORK & MILITARY
US Naval Reserve, Lt, 1978-88
AFFILIATIONS
Piedmont Rescue Mission, Board Member
Alamance County GOP, Past Chairman
Alamance County Young Republicans, Past Chairman
Pleasant Hill Christian Church, Attendee
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
State Representative, 7
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
SCORECARDS
CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS
ENDORSEMENTS*
CONSERVATIVE (5)
Dan Forest; Mark Walker; *National Rifle Association (NRA) PVF; North Carolina Right to Life PAC; North Carolina Values Coalition
OTHER (1)
*North Carolina Troopers Association
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (2)
Sheriff Terry Johnson; Rep. Steve Ross
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (33)
Allen McNeill (2018); American Legislative Exchange Council (2019); Andy Dulin (2018); Brian Brown (2014); Buck Newton (2016)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (12)
Allen McNeill (2016); Chris Whitmire (2017); Edgar V. Starnes (2018); Ernest Koury (2018); Jasie S. Barringer (2018)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Service Employees International Union (2019)
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds or grants from federal, state, or local governments.
Agree
I support the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which requires health care providers to provide life-saving treatment for infants who survive an attempted abortion.
Strongly Agree
If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, North Carolina should repeal its law allowing abortion up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Agree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
When the life of the mother is at risk if the pregnancy were carried full term and in cases of rape or incest.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Governments should not discriminate against individuals, organizations or small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.
Strongly Agree
Governments should define marriage as between one man and one woman; no other definition of marriage should be legalized or supported with taxpayer or public funds.
Agree
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
I promise to protect the freedom of Christians to share the Gospel and to practice Biblical principles.
Yes
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
The same thing it meant to Pres. Jefferson in his correspondence with the Danbury Baptists. There should be a wall between the government and the free expression of religion views. That is one of our founding principles. When gov't seeks to intervene with the freedom of religion it must use the least intrusive means to do so at every step. Gov't should not restrict the involvement of people of faith if they choose to have an impact on the public policy decisions of the day.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Agree
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
I would seek to reduce the role of the federal government in providing healthcare (with the exception of existing veterans programs) and leave all healthcare program administration and provision to the states. For example, block grant Medicaid funds to the states to administer as they see best. I would seek to remove barriers to competition in the health insurance markets across state lines, reduce regulatory restraints that increase costs without increasing the quality of care, expand scope of practice opportunities within health care, telemedicine, and in NC reform certificate of need laws.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
IMMIGRATION
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.
Agree
State, sheriff and local law enforcement agencies should be required to participate in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 287(g) Program to enhance the safety and security of their communities to identify and detain aliens.
Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Those who seek to enter our country legally and follow the existing process required by law should be given the opportunity to do so.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
No Answer
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
I would not add to existing gun ownership restrictions for law abiding citizens.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Disagree
The Electoral College should be abolished.
Strongly Disagree
In priority order, what three areas of legislation do you propose to author or sponsor if elected?
I will continue my work to prevent child sexual abuse and to modernize our existing laws to better protect children. I will continue to sponsor an Article V Convention of States Resolution, as provided for in our US Constitution, in order to impose fiscal restraints on the federal gov't (balanced budget), term limits on federal officers, and reductions in the size and scope of federal power. I will continue to support legislation that protects the family and freedom.
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
I support the use of Sharia law as a basis for legislation and judicial decisions in the United States.
Strongly Disagree
ABOUT YOU
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and immigration, which of the following best describes you overall?
Conservative
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
A 7 year voting record in the North Carolina General Assembly.
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
I have served for the past 7 years in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
I have been married to my wife Polly for 37 years. We have 8 children (all adults) and live on a small horse farm here in Alamance County. God is good.
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
I support adding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
Disagree
I support allowing public high school students to participate in athletic competition based on the gender with which they identify instead of biological sex.
Strongly Disagree
Parents should have the right to know what schools are teaching their children about sex and LGBT issues and should have the right to opt their children out of any instruction to which they object.
Strongly Agree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian.
