Mark McHugh is running in the Republican Primary for Iowa House District 3. The seat is currently held by Rep. Dan Huseman, who is retiring. For more information on McHugh, you can visit his website.
- What is the proper role of government:
The proper role of Government is to provide for a common defense.
2. What issues do you consider non-negotiable:
2nd Amendment support. Pro Life.
3. What concerns do you have about how the COVID-19 situation was handled by the government, if any:
The primary concern I have is how some politicians seized on the opportunity to attack, rather than putting full effort into working together. I also was very concerned with how democrats took the opportunity to attempt to fund pet projects that were not COVID related.
4. At what point do you believe a human life is guaranteed the legal protections of being an American citizen and what would you do to ensure those protections are provided?
Human life ought to be respected upon conception. The US Constitution is fairly clear when the Fourteenth Amendment states “ (a)ll persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
5. Would you support a religious freedom and restoration act in the state of Iowa?
Yes. I support religious freedom. People ought to be able to worship (or not worship) as they see fit based on their bona fide religion.
6. Would you support mandatory E-Verify in Iowa?
Absolutely!
7. Would you support banning traffic cameras, why or why not?
I would support banning traffic cameras due to the fact that they do raise a question of a 6th Amendment concern, wherein defendants are guaranteed the right in all criminal prosecutions to be confronted with the witnesses against them. Being that a camera is an inanimate object, and impossible to cross-examine, it cannot serve as a witness. Because there then becomes no witness to any citations generated solely off traffic cameras, the case then becomes moot.
8. What, if any, measures would you support to curb gun violence?
Gun violence is no different than violence in general. When someone stabs someone, we don’t say it is “knife violence”… it’s “violence”. To address violence, we need to dig to the root of the problems. Doing things such as giving appropriate after school activities, or some sort of life skills college credit for working after school may reduce some poverty that becomes fertile ground for gang recruitment. Another very important step would be addressing the mental health needs of these assailants. One common denominator in all “mass shootings”, is the mental state of the assailant. If better mental health opportunities existed for them, it would stand to reason that the violence could be curbed.
9. What percent of the state’s budget do you believe should go toward education?
I believe that education funding should be refocused to ensure that funds are landing in the classroom, not being tied up in administrative costs. Doing so would allow the current funding percentage, or even a slightly lower percentage to have the effectiveness of a funding increase, without having to spend more hard-earned taxpayer money.
10. Would you support education savings accounts?
Absolutely. I like 529 plans, and I support parents being given the opportunity to save for their children’s education – and not just for collegiate level, but K-12 as well, and the ability to do so to help with the costs of tuition for Private and Parochial Schools. School choice is a Parent’s decision – Not the government’s.
11. What do you think of Iowa’s current tax structure?
I am concerned when I see Iowa’s tax structure as I compare it to neighboring states. In the 3rd district, we lose people all the time to Sioux Falls, because of the fact that jobs exist up there, and there is staffing to fill those jobs due to a lack of state income tax. In 2010, Iowa’s budget was $5.7 Billion. In 2019, it was $7.7 Billion. That is a 35% increase. Yet Iowa’s population only grew by about 130,000 people in those 9 years, or around 4%. This tells me there is spending happening that is not commensurate with our population growth.
12. Are there any state regulations you would like to see removed?
I like the Trump model of removing regulations. Removing regulations opens business growth and economic development. I believe that people are at their best when government gets out of their way.
13. What are your views on climate change and what, if anything, should the government’s role be in addressing climate change?
I think climate change is something that happens naturally. I do not feel the government should be “addressing climate change”, beyond perhaps optional incentives for renewable energy, paid for by non-renewable energy producers
14. Do you support expanding use of medical marijuana? Would you support recreational use of marijuana?
I do not support expanding use of medical marijuana, as studies have not conclusively shown that its benefits outweigh the risks associated. Additionally, I do not support the recreational use of Marijuana.
House District 3:
