Jerry Evans: Candidate profile

Bio

Party: Republican

City: Warrenville

Office sought: United States Congress, 14th District

Age: 36

Family: Lisa Evans (wife) and Micheal Evans (son)

Occupation: Owner & Entrepreneur - Jerry Evans School of Music

Education: BA - Wheaton College

Civic involvement: Antioch Church, Wheaton

Previous elected offices held: None.

Incumbent? No.

Website: www.jerryforcongress.com

Facebook: @JerryEvans2020

Twitter: @JerryEvans2020

Questions and Answers

1. What have the past three years of Donald Trump's unconventional leadership taught us about politics in the United States? What is the best thing his presidency has done? What is the most significant criticism you have of it?

President Trump's unconventional leadership has taught us that the status quo is not always the correct way to get things done. We have a thriving economy and unemployment is at a record low. These accomplishments are a direct result of President Trump's "Drain the Swamp" attitude that got him elected in 2016 and I applaud his accomplishments. While I support the President's legislative agenda, I don't always endorse the language in which the President communicates. Too often ridicule and vitriol fuel the language used in Washington and this must change.

2. What needs to be done to get Congress to work constructively, whether that be senators and representatives of both parties working with each other or Congress itself working with the president?

The current Congress has routinely played partisan politics that divide our country further. The district needs a representative who will stand up for what is right and work on a bipartisan measure to get things done in Congress. I believe that too often members of Congress forget that they are elected to serve and my goal is to always have a mindset of "service first."

3. What do you see as the most important issues to address regarding immigration reform? If you oppose funding for a wall, what steps do you support to try to control illegal immigration?

First, I'd like to make it clear that I believe in President Trump's agenda to secure the southern border. In Congress, one of the ways I'd help is by allocating the funds needed to finish building the wall. With that said, I firmly believe in the benefits of a properly functioning immigration system, and the system we have today is broken. My wife is a second generation Taiwanese-American whose family immigrated from Tainan, Taiwan. I believe in creating a simplified, modern path, to allow legal immigration into our nation, while ensuring that we have a secure border.

4. Please define your position on health care reform, especially as it relates to the Affordable Care Act.

Medicare for all is government-centered health care that would remove millions of Americans from their coverage. We don't need government-centered health care, we need patient-centered health. By contrast, fixing our health care system starts with reducing red tape by opening the market to allow insurance and pharmaceutical companies to compete across state lines and our borders. In the next Congress, I would work to reform the system by opening competition while ensuring further protection for Americans with preexisting conditions. My plan would allow American patients to dictate the coverage and care they need.

5. What is your position on federal funding for contraception, the Violence Against Women Act and reproductive rights?

I deeply care about protecting the health of women and creating additional health care opportunities. In specific, I'd like to make sure all women have the proper accessibility to mammograms and ultrasounds. I also support legislation that protects women against violence. As someone who is firmly pro-life, I will not support government funding for contraception, specifically contraception methods such as the morning-after or abortion pill. We must stand up and protect women's health and I will always be a strong advocate on this important issue.

6. What do you consider America's role in world affairs? What are we doing correctly to fill that role? What else should we be doing?

Defending America must be the number one priority for U.S. relations in world affairs. American safety starts by recognizing that terrorist organizations like ISIS, Haram and the Taliban exist, which is further than many leftist politicians are willing to acknowledge. The U.S. is blessed to have one of the most powerful military forces in the world and with this power comes the responsibility to protect America and our allies. The U.S. has the ability, when able, to act swiftly to remove high-level terrorist threats, which is why I agree with President Trump's action to take out Qasem Soleimani.

7. Do you believe climate change is caused by human activity? What steps should government be taking to address the issue?

I support a healthy and clean environment which can be accomplished by smart usage and consumption of resources. We cannot deny that many great cities are dealing with rising sea levels, which must be addressed. I believe common sense problem solving is the key to addressing the environmental issues we are facing. Too often climate change is a partisan issue, so my goal is to find a bipartisan solution that doesn't shackle our free economy with cumbersome regulations.