Gavin Clarkson in Ballotpedia.org political website


On Immigration: I support not just the wall, but a high-tech wall

Q: Do you believe the borders are secure enough? If not, what do you propose should be done to increase their security? Do you support Trump's proposal to build a $25 billion wall?

A: I support not just the wall, but a high-tech wall, which will promote economic development in southern New Mexico. The wall needs high-tech monitoring equipment like motion detectors, infrared, and ground penetrating radar, all of which will need to be monitored at command stations linked by high-speed optic fiber lines.

Q: What's your position on skills-based immigration vs. family-based?

A: I would end chain-migration and the visa lottery. Merit-based work permits give folks everything they might want economically, except for the one thing that Democrats really seem to care about, which is naturalizing new voters.

Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 New Mexico Senate race Nov 1, 2018

On Abortion: Oppose taxpayer funded abortions, & Planned Parenthood

Q: Do you favor or oppose limits on late-term abortion, and do you believe tax dollars should or should not be used to fund abortions?

A: I oppose partial birth abortion, taxpayer funded abortions, and would vote to cut off any and all funding for Planned Parenthood. I will advocate for legislation that protects the unborn at all ages and stages of life, including fetal pain legislation and significant restrictions on abortions after 20 weeks.

Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 New Mexico Senate race Nov 1, 2018

On Drugs: Supports local drug courts & opioid treatment

Q: What should be done at the federal level to address the crisis of opioid addiction?

A: Local drug courts combining punitive powers with medical treatment and rehabilitative programs seem to offer the best hope of dealing with a crisis that federal policy has exacerbated through crony subsidies, making pain a "vital sign," mandating abuse-deterrent formulas, outlawing generics, prohibiting maintenance therapy, and over-regulating Medication Assisted Treatment options.

Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 New Mexico Senate race Nov 1, 2018

On Education: Concealed carry in the classroom for select teachers

Q: What gun law changes would you support?

A: I'd support concealed carry in the classroom for select teachers and administrators.

Q: What other measures would you support to make schools safer?

A: After 9/11, we didn't go on a nationwide hunt to ban box cutters. Instead we made it harder to get them onto planes. Likewise with schools, we need to harden soft targets. Local school systems should be able to allow concealed carry in the classroom for teachers with proper training.

Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 New Mexico Senate race Nov 1, 2018

On Education: Constitution doesn't mention education, so keep feds out

Q: Should the federal government play a role in setting education policy for the nation's public schools?

A: Article I, Section 8 explicitly delegates specific powers to Congress. Altogether, the Constitution lists 30 to 35 (depending how they are counted), education is mentioned nowhere in the entire document. My position, and I think the position of our nation's Founding Fathers, is local control of local schools.

Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 New Mexico Senate race Nov 1, 2018

On Free Trade: Free trade is only free if it's truly fair

Q: What do you propose the U.S. do with regards to Mexico?

A: Cut a better deal on NAFTA. Free trade is only free if it's truly fair. The energy industry must be free to export from New Mexico into Mexico.

Q: Do you support or oppose President Trump's imposition of higher tariffs on China?

A: Strategic deterrence is the use of threats to convince another party to either refrain from initiating some course of action or to cease a course of action. President Trump's tough stance on NAFTA and his actions against China clearly demonstrate that credible threat, and China is already making concessions.

Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 New Mexico Senate race Nov 1, 2018

On Gun Control: No ban on assault weapons; defend 2nd amendment

Q: Do you favor a federal ban on the sale of assault-style weapons?

A: No. "Assault-style" is a nebulous term. Leftists seem to think it's any gun that looks scary. Americans have every right to own weapons to defend themselves, their families, and their property.

Q: Would you favor a repeal of the 2nd amendment?

A: No. The 2nd Amendment doesn't grant us the right to defend our persons, properties, and families. God did that by making us in His image. 2nd Amendment simply protects what Justice Scalia called a "pre-political right," which is deeply ingrained in natural law. Self-defense is an inalienable right of human nature.

Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 New Mexico Senate race Nov 1, 2018

On Health Care: No single-payer; repeal ObamaCare

Q: Do you favor or oppose a national single day payer health system?

A: Oppose. Government interventions in healthcare have failed to arrest rapidly rising healthcare costs and have actually accelerated them. Healthcare was already a government-dominated sector of the economy long before ObamaCare came along. Without free-market price signals, there is no way to use resources well or productively.

Q: What would you do to rein in health care costs?

A: I support the repeal of ObamaCare, medical liability reform, allowing insurance companies to sell policies across state lines, health savings accounts, personal liberty and choice in the selection of insurance plans, and allowing young healthy individuals to purchase high-deductible catastrophic coverage.

Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 New Mexico Senate race Nov 1, 2018

On Immigration: Oppose amnesty and path to citizenship, with exceptions

Q: Please give your position on DACA.

A: I do not support a path to citizenship, except for those who choose to honorably serve in the military. President Trump offered residency for all 1.8 million who qualify, not just the roughly 800,000 who applied, but Democrats are refusing to surrender the issue as a political wedge.

Q: Do you favor amnesty, a path to citizenship or worker permits for most or all of the people now living illegally in the U.S.? Who do you think should be deported?

A: Deportation should be for those here illegally who have committed additional crimes. I oppose amnesty. I believe in the rule of law and fairness for legal immigrants who followed the rules. I am willing to consider a path to residency for those who will not burden our social welfare systems.

Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 New Mexico Senate race Nov 1, 2018

On War & Peace: Get out of Afghanistan; stay out of Syria

Q: What do you propose the U.S. do with regards to Syria?

A: President Trump seems to have the right instincts here. We need to enforce international norms and keep beating back ISIS, but we need to stay out of this civil war, which has become a regional quagmire for Iran and Russia. Let them sink their blood and treasure into it.

Q: In Afghanistan?

A: Get out. Restoring constitutional checks and balances means Congress must reassert its exclusive powers over the extended deployment of our armed services. Congress should debate our continued presence in Afghanistan, which was supposed to have ended under the last administration.

Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 New Mexico Senate race Nov 1, 2018

On War & Peace: Need evidence & Congressional approval to trike North Korea

Q: If talks fail, would you support a pre-emptive strike on North Korea to degrade its nuclear capabilities and missile delivery systems?

A: Only if there is incontrovertible evidence that an attack on the United States is imminent. The President should be able to make that call if it is a matter of urgent necessity, but otherwise the Constitutions clearly entrusts the war power to Congress.

Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 New Mexico Senate race Nov 1, 2018

The above quotations are from Ballotpedia.org political website.
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Page last updated: Sep 02, 2024