Shannon Emily Stephens

[{"question": "Ballotpedia survey responses", "answer_html": "<p>See also: <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a></p>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Shannon Stephens completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Stephens' responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-214481-2024-01-28\" id=\"heading-bio-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-214481-2024-01-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho are you? Tell us about yourself.\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-bio-214481-2024-01-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><p>I grew up on Long Island with my family, spending much of my childhood in the city with my grandfather, a lifelong New Yorker and a retired member of the FDNY. I went to law school and became a prosecutor in order to continue the life of service to God and country that my family had instilled in me. \nThe destruction and devastation of our country at the hands of the socialist left sickens me as I watch our beloved rights stolen by a corrupt and immoral system. Many have chosen to flee; I have chosen to stay and fight.<br/></p><p>I was tough on crime as a prosecutor, fighting the abhorrent results of incompetent district attorneys and bad policies like bail reform. I was a confident advisor as an accountant, watching Long Island families and small businesses be victimized by our tax codes. I was a trusted friend as a teacher, watching our government steal the right of parents to raise their own children. I have watched our government orchestrate an invasion of our country while stealing our Constitutional rights as citizens. I am done watching, and I am asking for your vote so that We The People can take back America. \n</p></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-214481-2024-01-28\" id=\"heading-key-message-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-214481-2024-01-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tPlease list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-214481-2024-01-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>We need to take back the sovereignty of our country and stop the invasion at our Southern border by building the wall, and implementing a mass deportation plan to deport every illegal that has criminally crossed our border!</li><li>We need to overhaul the Federal Tax Code and become energy independent through fracking and drilling on our own land instead of funding anti-American countries through purchase of gas and oil that keeps our inflation rate at an all-time high!</li><li>We need to remove DEI and the gender agenda from our education systems putting parents back in charge of raising their children once again, and abolish the Federal Department of Education returning the oversight of education in America to the states as the Constitution intended!</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-214481-2024-01-28\" id=\"heading1-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-214481-2024-01-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-214481-2024-01-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI am personally passionate about our border invasion, our economic failures and crises facing America today, the grotesque and inappropriate educational initiatives being pushed through our schools to brainwash our children, the rampant violent crime that has become commonplace in cities across the country, and the absolute decimation of our Constitution and the Rights that are being stolen daily from We the People. I am passionate about my love of this great nation and the need to PUT AMERICA FIRST and save our country from the collapse we are heading toward. I am passionate about taking back America!\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-214481-2024-01-28\" id=\"heading2-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-214481-2024-01-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading2-214481-2024-01-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe most important characteristics and principles an elected official should have are honesty, integrity, strength of conviction, the ability to reason clearly, a driving passion for serving others, and a love of country. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-214481-2024-01-28\" id=\"heading3-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse3-214481-2024-01-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading3-214481-2024-01-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse3-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI am a fierce and zealous advocate with strong moral convictions and I stand up firmly for what I believe. I never make decisions without having researched and reasoned all sides to a situation in order to ensure that the decision I make is the best decision that I can make. I surround myself with a diverse group of talented individuals because I know that my knowledge comes from my experiences and what I personally learn, and there are always more perspectives to learn from. I believe that we are learning as long as we are living, and that each day we learn valuable lessons that can help us succeed in what we do. I believe in the power of We the People and the strength we hold as Americans who love our country, to make the right decisions for it. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-214481-2024-01-28\" id=\"heading4-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse4-214481-2024-01-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading4-214481-2024-01-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse4-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe core responsibilities of a congressman are to serve his or her constituents, to always be honest and transparent in advocacy and decision-making, to advocate and work zealously for outcomes that benefit constituents at home and the country as a whole, to follow the Constitution in all decisions he or she may make, and to work toward a better future for all of America. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-214481-2024-01-28\" id=\"heading5-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse5-214481-2024-01-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading5-214481-2024-01-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse5-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe first historical event that happened in my lifetime that I recall is September 11, 2001. I was 6 years old living on Long Island, with friends and family who were working and living in the city when our Twin Towers fell. I watched as our city was under attack that day on live TV in my first grade classroom. I emptied my piggy bank to donate to collections for victims, and watched the lives of my family, friends, classmates, and teachers become irrevocably changed by the events of that day. September 11, 2001 altered our country, but it also altered my life as a New Yorker living in the shadows of the city skyline that was forever changed on September 11th. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse6-214481-2024-01-28\" id=\"heading6-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse6-214481-2024-01-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse6-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat is your favorite book? Why?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading6-214481-2024-01-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse6-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tMy favorite book is The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. A poignant look at a different culture than my own, it taught me about the intricacies of family, friendship, government oppression and violence, and the way one action or situation can alter the trajectory of many lives against the beautiful and complex background of Afghanistan. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse7-214481-2024-01-28\" id=\"heading7-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse7-214481-2024-01-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse7-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading7-214481-2024-01-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse7-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe greatest challenges America will face over the next decade are securing our sovereignty through security of our borders and deportation; moving toward energy independence to turn our economy around; taking back parental and local control in education; restoring reverence and respect in our Constitution and reversing the infringements of our Constitutionally given Rights; restoring faith in our government and electoral process through election validity; and restoring the reputation of America on the international stage. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse8-214481-2024-01-28\" id=\"heading8-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse8-214481-2024-01-28\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse8-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat are your thoughts on term limits?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading8-214481-2024-01-28\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse8-214481-2024-01-28\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tTerm limits are necessary for elected positions. Our elected officials are PUBLIC SERVANTS in a government Of the People, By the People, For the People. \t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> 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.</i></p></div>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nShannon Stephens completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Stephens' responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. I grew up on Long Island with my family, spending much of my childhood in the city with my grandfather, a lifelong New Yorker and a retired member of the FDNY. I went to law school and became a prosecutor in order to continue the life of service to God and country that my family had instilled in me. \nThe destruction and devastation of our country at the hands of the socialist left sickens me as I watch our beloved rights stolen by a corrupt and immoral system. Many have chosen to flee; I have chosen to stay and fight. I was tough on crime as a prosecutor, fighting the abhorrent results of incompetent district attorneys and bad policies like bail reform. I was a confident advisor as an accountant, watching Long Island families and small businesses be victimized by our tax codes. I was a trusted friend as a teacher, watching our government steal the right of parents to raise their own children. I have watched our government orchestrate an invasion of our country while stealing our Constitutional rights as citizens. I am done watching, and I am asking for your vote so that We The People can take back America. Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? We need to take back the sovereignty of our country and stop the invasion at our Southern border by building the wall, and implementing a mass deportation plan to deport every illegal that has criminally crossed our border! We need to overhaul the Federal Tax Code and become energy independent through fracking and drilling on our own land instead of funding anti-American countries through purchase of gas and oil that keeps our inflation rate at an all-time high! We need to remove DEI and the gender agenda from our education systems putting parents back in charge of raising their children once again, and abolish the Federal Department of Education returning the oversight of education in America to the states as the Constitution intended! What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? I am personally passionate about our border invasion, our economic failures and crises facing America today, the grotesque and inappropriate educational initiatives being pushed through our schools to brainwash our children, the rampant violent crime that has become commonplace in cities across the country, and the absolute decimation of our Constitution and the Rights that are being stolen daily from We the People. I am passionate about my love of this great nation and the need to PUT AMERICA FIRST and save our country from the collapse we are heading toward. I am passionate about taking back America! What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official? The most important characteristics and principles an elected official should have are honesty, integrity, strength of conviction, the ability to reason clearly, a driving passion for serving others, and a love of country. What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder? I am a fierce and zealous advocate with strong moral convictions and I stand up firmly for what I believe. I never make decisions without having researched and reasoned all sides to a situation in order to ensure that the decision I make is the best decision that I can make. I surround myself with a diverse group of talented individuals because I know that my knowledge comes from my experiences and what I personally learn, and there are always more perspectives to learn from. I believe that we are learning as long as we are living, and that each day we learn valuable lessons that can help us succeed in what we do. I believe in the power of We the People and the strength we hold as Americans who love our country, to make the right decisions for it. What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office? The core responsibilities of a congressman are to serve his or her constituents, to always be honest and transparent in advocacy and decision-making, to advocate and work zealously for outcomes that benefit constituents at home and the country as a whole, to follow the Constitution in all decisions he or she may make, and to work toward a better future for all of America. What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time? The first historical event that happened in my lifetime that I recall is September 11, 2001. I was 6 years old living on Long Island, with friends and family who were working and living in the city when our Twin Towers fell. I watched as our city was under attack that day on live TV in my first grade classroom. I emptied my piggy bank to donate to collections for victims, and watched the lives of my family, friends, classmates, and teachers become irrevocably changed by the events of that day. September 11, 2001 altered our country, but it also altered my life as a New Yorker living in the shadows of the city skyline that was forever changed on September 11th. What is your favorite book? Why? My favorite book is The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. A poignant look at a different culture than my own, it taught me about the intricacies of family, friendship, government oppression and violence, and the way one action or situation can alter the trajectory of many lives against the beautiful and complex background of Afghanistan. What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade? The greatest challenges America will face over the next decade are securing our sovereignty through security of our borders and deportation; moving toward energy independence to turn our economy around; taking back parental and local control in education; restoring reverence and respect in our Constitution and reversing the infringements of our Constitutionally given Rights; restoring faith in our government and electoral process through election validity; and restoring the reputation of America on the international stage. What are your thoughts on term limits? Term limits are necessary for elected positions. Our elected officials are PUBLIC SERVANTS in a government Of the People, By the People, For the People.\nNote: 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."}]