PVA/Election-Candidate Information/2002/Federal

A Colorado
non-profit organization
advocating for animals
in the political arena

PVA 2002 Candidate Information
~ U.S. Congressional District 3 ~

This page contains candidate information about the candidates for U.S. Representative for Colorado Congressional District 3.

Highlights from this race:

The "Pro-Animal Pick" for this race is Gary Swing (Natural Law Party) because of his questionnaire response score of 100%. To volunteer to help his campaign, please send him email at gwswing@yahoo.com.
Scott McInnis (Republican Party) is the incumbent for this office. The current Congress (107th Congress) is still in progress, but his animal-related voting record to date is 20%. During the 106th Congress, his score was 20% with no pro-animal pieces of legislation sponsored or co-sponsored. Because he has had an anti-animal voting record, he gets a "Paws Down" from PVA.
All candidates in this race are listed below, along with their responses or a notation that they did not respond.

Notes:

Responses are given exactly as they were written. Spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors were not corrected.
PVA imposed a 25-word limit on comments because of space limitations; however, if a candidate exceeded this limit we did not cut the text off in mid-sentence. In any case where a candidate's comment is not shown in full, we have included a note to contact us for the full comment.
PVA's selections for "Pro-Animal Picks" and "Paws Down" candidates in congressional races are based solely on the candidates' stances on animal-related issues.
Each candidate's party affiliation is indicated in parentheses immediately following his or her name below. Party abbreviations are as follows. "ACP" - American Constitution Party; "COPI" - Concerns of People, Inc. Party; "CRP" - Colorado Reform Party; "D" - Democratic Party; "G" - Green Party; "L" - Libertarian Party; "N" - Natural Law Party; "R" - Republican Party; "U" - Unaffiliated.

Candidate questionnaire scores

1a. Did you grow up with animals? Yes/No
1b. If so, what kind?

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	Yes - dogs, cats, parakeet, turtle, hampster, etc.
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	Yes - cats and dogs
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

2a. Does your family have animals? Yes/No
2b. If so, what kind?

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	Yes - dog, fish
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	Yes - cat
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

3a. Do you believe that aggravated cruelty/violence to animals should be a felony? (Choose one answer.)
(Y) yes; (N) no; (U) undecided; (C) yes, in certain cases (e.g., extreme cases only, or after the first offense)
3b. If so, would you be likely to support federal legislation to this end? Yes/No/Undecided

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	(C)/No
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	(Y)/Yes
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

4. Do you think the Endangered Species Act should be (a) strengthened, (b) weakened, or (c) kept as it is?

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	(b)
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	(a)
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

5. Would you be likely to support federal legislation to prohibit recreational trapping on national wildlife "refuges" (NWRs)? (It is currently permitted on over 70 NWRs.) Yes/No/Undecided

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	No
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	Yes
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

6. Would you be likely to support federal legislation to require that animals raised for slaughter be protected from inhumane forms of slaughter, housing, and transportation? Yes/No/Undecided

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	No
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	Yes
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

7. Would you be willing to consider factual documentation from PVA on a given issue? Yes/No/Undecided

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	Yes
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	Yes
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

8. Given that many companies develop, test, and sell cosmetics and household products without testing their products on animals, what is your position on the use of animals in the testing of cosmetics and household products? Oppose/Support/Undecided

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	Oppose
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	Oppose
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

9. Would you be likely to support federal legislation prohibiting the use of elephants in traveling acts, such as circuses? Yes/No/Undecided

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	No
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	Yes
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

10. Would you be likely to support federal legislation to require that educational institutions at all levels provide (and advertise to students) an alternative to animal dissection? Yes/No/Undecided

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	No
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	Yes
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

11. To the best of your knowledge, do you have the endorsement of any humane organizations? Yes/No

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	No
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	No
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

Please add any other comments ...

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	Most issues involving animals are not rightfully a matter for federal legislation. The federal government has gone way beyond what is permitted under the constitution.
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	I have been a vegetarian for 16 years and a pacifist all my life. My campaign website is at www.geocities.com/gwswing
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

Candidate questionnaire scores

CD3	Dennis Berckefeldt (D)	Did not respond
CD3	J. Brent Shroyer (L)	Overall Questionnaire Response Score = 0%
CD3	Gary Swing (N)	Overall Questionnaire Response Score = 100%
CD3	Scott McInnis (R)	Did not respond
CD3	Jason Alessio (U)	Write-In candidate - no questionnaire sent

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