Steven Koonse
Steven Koonse (Libertarian Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Missouri's 4th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Koonse completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Steven Koonse was born in Boonville, Missouri. He served in the U.S. Army and reached the rank of Army Master Sergeant. Koonse earned a bachelor’s degree from Central Missouri State University in 1974. His career experience includes working as a financial examiner for the Missouri Department of Insurance. Koonse won a Bronze Star for work as an intelligence analyst during the Vietnam War.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: Missouri's 4th Congressional District election, 2020
Missouri's 4th Congressional District election, 2020 (August 4 Republican primary)
Missouri's 4th Congressional District election, 2020 (August 4 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Missouri District 4
Incumbent Vicky Hartzler defeated Lindsey Simmons and Steven Koonse in the general election for U.S. House Missouri District 4 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Vicky Hartzler (R) | 67.6 | 245,247 |
 | Lindsey Simmons (D)  | 29.7 | 107,635 | |
 | Steven Koonse (L) | 2.7 | 9,954 | |
| Total votes: 362,836 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4
Lindsey Simmons advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lindsey Simmons | 100.0 | 38,339 |
| Total votes: 38,339 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Erich Arvidson (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4
Incumbent Vicky Hartzler defeated Neal Gist in the Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Vicky Hartzler | 76.6 | 80,652 |
 | Neal Gist | 23.4 | 24,646 | |
| Total votes: 105,298 | |||
| = 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 election
Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4
Steven Koonse defeated Robert E. Smith in the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Steven Koonse | 53.0 | 357 |
 | Robert E. Smith | 47.0 | 316 | |
| Total votes: 673 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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2018
General election
Incumbent Vicky Hartzler defeated Renee Hoagenson and Mark Bliss in the general election for U.S. House Missouri District 4 on November 6, 2018.
General election
General election for U.S. House Missouri District 4
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Vicky Hartzler (R) | 64.8 | 190,138 |
 | Renee Hoagenson (D) | 32.7 | 95,968 | |
 | Mark Bliss (L) | 2.5 | 7,210 | |
| Total votes: 293,316 | |||
| = 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
Renee Hoagenson defeated Hallie Thompson in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4 on August 7, 2018.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Renee Hoagenson | 51.9 | 24,139 |
 | Hallie Thompson | 48.1 | 22,398 | |
| Total votes: 46,537 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary
Incumbent Vicky Hartzler defeated John Webb in the Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4 on August 7, 2018.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Vicky Hartzler | 73.5 | 74,226 |
 | John Webb | 26.5 | 26,787 | |
| Total votes: 101,013 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Libertarian primary
Mark Bliss defeated Steven Koonse in the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4 on August 7, 2018.
Libertarian primary election
Libertarian primary for U.S. House Missouri District 4
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mark Bliss | 56.1 | 398 |
| Steven Koonse | 43.9 | 312 | |
| Total votes: 710 | |||
| = 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
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Steven Koonse completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Koonse's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- I will work to end our military involvement in the present endless wars and assess the necessity of our involvement in all countries in the world with the goal to stand down. This power is implicit wherein the Constitution grants Congress the power to Declare War.
- I will work to eliminate trade barriers with all countries in order to ensure the goods produced in the 4th District are freely traded. This power of Congress is explicitly stated in Article 1 Section 8 Clause 3 of the Constitution that States Congress shall have the power to regulate Commerce with Foreign Nations.
- I will work to ensure that the money Congress appropriates will be thought out and have clear purposes. The Affordable Care Act Plan is an example of disgraceful legislation wherein Congresspersons couldn't wait to read what they passed.
I would like to follow Dr. Caucus example of integrity and maintaing acuracy.
Analytically: Experience demonstrates that I can discern the truth within a given situation give
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.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Steven Koonse participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on July 25, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Steven Koonse's responses follow below.[2]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | I. I will return the decision to wage war from the Executive Branch to the Legislative Branch. Under the U.S Constitution, Article I, Section 8, Clause 11, only Congress has the power to declare War. II. I will legislate to impose a War profits tax on Companies providing the merchandise used in waging wars both declared and undeclared. This will reduce these Merchants incentives to provoke the Executive Branch to wage war. III. I will legislate to return to the Legislative Branch from the Executive Branch, the ability to initiate trade wars. Under the Constitution, Article I, section 8, Clause 3, Congress has the power to regulate Commerce with foreign nations.[3][4] |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | I'm Passionate about Congress being the sole authority to decide whether to wage war or not. I'm Passionate about balancing the budget.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[4]
|
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Steven Koonse answered the following:
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?
| “ | I look up to General Ulysses S. Grant. This General was focused on getting the job done without getting sidetracked.[4] | ” |
| “ | Thomas Piketty's "Capital in the Twenty First Century" represents my Economic Philosophy. The bible my moral philosophy.[4] | ” |
| “ | The most important principle for an elected official is to avoid considerations of self-interest when legislating, administering, and judging.[4] | ” |
| “ | I. Wisdom. I've seen a lot in 70 years. My legislation would be oriented toward not repeating bad history. II. Intelligence. As an example, I was an enlisted soldier who served in the Army Security Agency (military arm of NSA) for 2 1/2 years in Viet Nam. I broke the codes and Signal operating Instructions (SOIS) of intercepted communications. My efforts were recognized with awards of a Bronze Star and two Army Commendation Medals.[4] |
” |
| “ | A Legislators Core responsibilities include representing the Constituency in a fair and impartial manner without regard to self-interest.[4] | ” |
| “ | My legacy would be to return the Legislative Branch to the coequal branch status of the United States Government as enumerated in the Constitution.[4] | ” |
| “ | Assassination of John F. Kennedy was impactful. I was 16 and in High School. My hopes for a bright future were dimmed.[4] | ” |
| “ | Outside of being raised on a farm, my first job was with the United States Army. I spent 4 years active, and 18 years in the Army reserves. I retired as a Master Sergeant.[4] | ” |
| “ | As to dating, what is most awkward is being turned down when asking for a date.[4] | ” |
| “ | Thanksgiving, my favorite Holiday, is a time for the family to get together.[4] | ” |
| “ | Herman Hesse's "Glass Bead Game" (Magister Ludi)." It enabled me to understand the recurrent epiphanies I was undergoing when I was breaking the Codes and SOIS of intercepted communications when serving in Viet Nam.[4] | ” |
| “ | Magister Ludi[4] | ” |
| “ | My wife is whom I most favor in my home. Then it is the computer and its access to the internet which opens into the world.[4] | ” |
| “ | Patsy Cline's "I fall to pieces."[4] | ” |
| “ | I have struggled to determine my Life's purposes.[4] | ” |
| “ | It's a deliberative body which strives to achieve a consensus on the will of the people it represents.[4] | ” |
| “ | It's somewhat beneficial to have previous experience in government to know the boundaries, and whether to overcome them or stay within them.[4] | ” |
| “ | One challenge is for the government to avoid being mined for tax money by special interests. Another challenge is to find the ability to pay down the Government's debt. Another challenge is to put a stop to foreign military entanglements.[4] | ” |
| “ | The Intelligence and Military committees.[4] | ” |
| “ | No[4] | ” |
| “ | I would not abrogate a citizens desire to elect whomever he/she thinks best to represent his/her interests.[4] | ” |
| “ | By county. A county might have to be split to obtain proportionality.[4] | ” |
| “ | No[4] | ” |
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 1, 2020
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Steven Koonse's responses," July 25, 2018
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
