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Larry Kirk
Larry Kirk (Libertarian Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Missouri's 2nd Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Kirk completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Larry Kirk earned a bachelor's degree in applied behavioral science from Charter Oak State College in 2002 and a masters degree in justice administration from the University of the Cumberlands in 2017. His career experience includes working as a law enforcement officer and a small business owner. Kirk is affiliated with the Law Enforcement Action Partnership and New Approach Missouri.[1]
Elections
2018
General election
Incumbent Ann Wagner defeated Cort VanOstran, Larry Kirk, and David Justus Arnold in the general election for U.S. House Missouri District 2 on November 6, 2018.
General election
General election for U.S. House Missouri District 2
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Ann Wagner (R) | 51.2 | 192,477 |
 | Cort VanOstran (D) | 47.2 | 177,611 | |
 | Larry Kirk (L)  | 1.1 | 4,229 | |
 | David Justus Arnold (G) | 0.5 | 1,740 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 9 | ||
| Total votes: 376,066 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary
Cort VanOstran defeated Mark Osmack, Bill Haas, John Messmer, and Robert Hazel in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 2 on August 7, 2018.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 2
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cort VanOstran | 41.7 | 45,248 |
 | Mark Osmack | 25.2 | 27,389 | |
 | Bill Haas | 19.5 | 21,151 | |
 | John Messmer | 9.7 | 10,503 | |
| Robert Hazel | 4.0 | 4,321 | ||
| Total votes: 108,612 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Kelli Dunaway (D)
- Mike Evans (D)
Republican primary
Incumbent Ann Wagner defeated Noga Sachs in the Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 2 on August 7, 2018.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 2
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ann Wagner | 89.9 | 72,173 |
 | Noga Sachs | 10.1 | 8,115 | |
| Total votes: 80,288 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Green Party primary
David Justus Arnold advanced from the Green primary for U.S. House Missouri District 2 on August 7, 2018.
Green primary election
Green primary for U.S. House Missouri District 2
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | David Justus Arnold | 100.0 | 177 |
| Total votes: 177 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Libertarian primary
Larry Kirk advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 2 on August 7, 2018.
Libertarian primary election
Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 2
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Larry Kirk | 100.0 | 905 |
| Total votes: 905 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Larry Kirk completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kirk's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
1. Cut Federal Spending. 2. Drug law and criminal justice reform. 3. Reduce military intervention.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Drug laws and criminal justice reform.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
Frédéric Bastiat, Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek, Milton Friedman, Murray N. Rothbard, Ron Paul and Thomas Sowell. All of the people listed have been founders of the libertarian theory that I have come to accept and love. All have moved many people into following libertarian principles.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
I would say books by all of the authors listed have been huge motivators for me.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Someone that is honest. Someone that can step back and see the big picture. Yet the main characteristic is someone that is willing to defend our liberties and not hand them over to an over-grown federal government.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I hear people out. I understand the role of government. This not meant to be a career and it is more about just a job. When running as a third party candidate, you see how the "two-party" system is corrupt and broken.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
Uphold Liberty! Elected officials are not supposed to find new ways to limit freedom or tax. They are not supposed to grow government at the cost of liberty.
What legacy would you like to leave?
That I was able to help people to defend their rights and stand up for individual freedom.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
The Miracle on Ice - I was only 9 years-old and during that time it was a huge deal to a kid like me that loved sports.
What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?
On the federal level - it is the office that has the representation of the smallest portion. I think it allows for the most contact with your fellow citizens.
Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?
No. Being a career politican is growing more and more troublesome in most peoples' eyes.
What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?
It is no longer the middle of the 20th Century - the world has grown, we face challenges in the markets from more and more nations. The US has to understand it no longer can control other countries through military force and foreign aid.
Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?
Yes. I also believe there should be term limits.
What are your thoughts on term limits?
YES! We need them in the House and Senate.
Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
Ron Paul.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Larry A. Kirk participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on April 19, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Larry A. Kirk's responses follow below.[2]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | 1) First - fight to always keep peoples' rights secured. 2) Controlling and cutting out of control Federal spending. |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | Drug policy and foreign policy. Our "War on Drugs" is a complete failure. It is a failed policy that has done more harm than good. We need to step back from a policy of vast military intervention. Our nation attacks other countries in direct violation of the Constitution. America must step back from being involved in military actions all over the world. After over 20 years of police work - I see the failed results of our nation's drug policy. I have many family members and friends that have served in the military - we need to stop sending them overseas to take part in military campaigns that are not our country's responsibilty.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[4]
|
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Larry A. Kirk answered the following:
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
| “ | These five would cover a large portion of the core of my beliefs - The Libertarian Mind by David Boaz, The Law by Frédéric Bastiat, The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich A. Hayek, The Revolution: A Manifesto by Ron Paul and Common Sense, The Rights of Man and Other Essential Writings by Thomas Paine.[4] | ” |
| “ | First, a person must understand the Constitution. They must understand the rights of the individual and what the Founding Fathers intended by establishing the Bill of Rights. We have an out-of-control Federal government that has grown far outside of the powers that were given to those officials.[4] | ” |
| “ | Protect the rights of the people. Limit government to the powers that have been granted to it.[4] | ” |
| “ | No. I think a person must be educated on the way our Republic operates. Career politicians have become disconnected from the people they serve. They no longer see the daily struggles of the people they serve.[4] | ” |
| “ | I support term limits. I do not believe that career politicians are good for the country.[4] | ” |
| “ | If I was to select people that have served in the US Congress - I would say Dr. Ron Paul and Congressman Justin Amash (MI).[4] | ” |
Ballotpedia biographical submission form
The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:
| “ | What is your political philosophy?
I think it is time we scale back government on all levels, but especially what has become an overwhelming Federal government. We need to remember that we have Rights that are to be protected from the government - rights are not granted by elected officials. As a career peace officer I have seen the problems with that have come with an increased use of the laws to control responsible people. We have reached a dangerous time where more people are willing to use the force of law to get people to conform, even if it does violate a person's natural rights. We need more liberty and less government.[4] |
” |
| —Larry Kirk[1] | ||
See also
- United States House of Representatives
- Missouri's 2nd Congressional District election, 2018
- Missouri's 2nd Congressional District
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information submitted on Ballotpedia’s biographical information submission form on April 18, 2018
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Larry A. Kirk's responses," April 19, 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
