Endorsements

Candidate
Questionnaire

Responses may be published in full or in part as part of the endorsement process.

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Section 1 — Operating Philosophy

1. Short Answer (up to 250 words): What is one policy position you hold that is unpopular within your own party or coalition? Why do you hold it?

When data conflicts with party consensus, you:

Follow data, even if unpopularBalance both case-by-casePrioritize community sentimentOther:

Holding unpopular positions within your party is:

Essential to good governanceAcceptable but rareA sign of inconsistencyOther:

Section 2 — Evidence and Decision-Making

2. Short Answer (up to 250 words): Give an example of a policy issue where commonly cited data is misleading or incomplete.

Primary data sources you rely on (select all that apply):

Fiscal notesAgency reportsAcademic researchStakeholder testimonyConstituent feedbackIndustry dataOther:

When data is incomplete or uncertain, it is:

Accepted with precautionary actionEvaluated against measurable evidenceUsed as a guiding principle regardless of data limitsOther:

Section 3 — Civil Rights and Limits of Authority

3. Short Answer (up to 250 words): What limits should exist on government power, even when pursuing beneficial outcomes?

Government restriction of individual rights is justified when:

There is clear, immediate harmThere is credible long-term riskThere is strong public supportRarely or neverOther:

Disparate impact on protected groups is:

A critical issue requiring active correctionA concern depending on severityUnavoidable and secondary to intentNot a primary considerationOther:

Section 4 — Economic and Business Impact

4. Short Answer (up to 250 words): How do you evaluate whether a public benefit justifies regulatory burden on businesses?

When regulation creates significant burden on small businesses, you:

Modify policy to reduce burdenProvide offsets or exemptionsAccept it as a tradeoffPrioritize uniform applicationOther:

Economic inequality in Colorado is:

A policy priorityAddressed selectivelyLeft to private marketsAvoided due to riskOther:

Section 5 — Legislative Practice

5. Short Answer (up to 250 words): What does effective bipartisan work look like in practice?

You work across party lines:

Frequently to advance policyWhen core principles are not compromisedRarelyOnly when politically necessaryOther:

Before voting on a complex bill, you primarily:

Review full text and supporting dataRely on summaries and staff analysisConsult trusted colleaguesFollow caucus guidanceOther:

Section 6 — Accountability and Transparency

6. Short Answer (up to 250 words): What metrics should voters use to evaluate your performance beyond bills passed?

When communicating policy to constituents, you prefer:

Full detail, even if complexClear summaries for accessibilityStrategic communicationLimited disclosure to avoid confusionOther:

When constituents disagree with a position you hold, you:

Maintain position if justifiedReevaluate with additional inputAdjust position where possibleDefer to majority opinionOther:

Section 7 — Policy Evaluation

7. Short Answer (up to 250 words): A bill restricts a lawful activity under a public safety justification. The risk addressed is statistically rare, and the restriction applies broadly. Do you support the bill? What criteria determine your decision, and what limits would you apply?

Broad restrictions on lawful activity are appropriate when:

Risk is immediate and severeRisk is credible, even if rarePublic concern is highRarely justifiedOther:

When evaluating a bill's economic impact, you:

Prioritize public benefitBalance impact across stakeholdersMinimize burden on small businessesFollow market outcomesOther:

Section 8 — Alignment

8. Short Answer (up to 250 words): Renhorne prioritizes data that can be examined, long-term stewardship, and resistance to unnecessary polarization. Where do you align most strongly, and where do you differ?

Section 9 — Engagement

If endorsed, you would be willing to engage with Renhorne through (select all that apply):

Quarterly policy briefingsData-sharing cooperationOngoing consultationPublic engagement eventsOther:

Section 10 — Policy Outcomes and System Effects

9. Short Answer (up to 250 words): Describe a policy that achieved its stated goal but created new or unintended problems. What would you have done differently?

When a policy produces significant unintended consequences, you:

Prioritize correcting the issue, even if it requires revisiting the original policyMake targeted adjustments while preserving the core policyMaintain the policy if the original goal is still being metDefer to agency implementation to address issuesOther:

When an existing law creates unanticipated burdens, you prefer to:

Reevaluate and amend the lawIncrease oversight and reporting requirementsMaintain the law and address issues through guidanceConsider the outcomes acceptable given the original objectiveOther:

You measure a policy's long-term effectiveness primarily through:

Measurable outcomes over timeAlignment with original intentPublic perception and feedbackAdministrative feasibilityOther:

When evidence shows a law is causing harm to a subset of the population, you:

Treat it as a priority for review and correctionInvestigate further before taking actionAccept it if the policy is neutral as writtenDefer to broader system factors outside the policyOther:

Section 11 — Context and Application

10. Short Answer (up to 250 words): A policy tool is effective in one context but produces poor outcomes in another. Describe an example of this. What factors determine whether a policy approach should be applied, adapted, or avoided in different contexts?

When a policy shows strong results in one jurisdiction, you prefer to:

Adapt the policy to local conditions before applying itPilot the policy before broader implementationApply it consistently for standardizationAvoid applying it outside its original contextOther:

The most important factors in evaluating contextual fit are:

Differences in population and community conditionsDifferences in enforcement and administrative capacityDifferences in economic environmentConsistency of policy design across contextsOther:

When outcomes vary significantly across contexts, you:

Limit application to contexts where outcomes are strongModify the policy based on observed differencesProceed cautiously with additional safeguardsRely on broader trends rather than outliersOther:

I understand that submission of this questionnaire does not guarantee an endorsement. The Renhorne Policy Institute reserves the right to endorse, decline to endorse, or withdraw any endorsement at its discretion. Responses may be published.

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