Joe Evans

Joe Evans was born in San Angelo, Texas. He served in the U.S. Army from 1995 to 2014. He earned a bachelor's degree from Boise State University in 2014. His career experience includes working as an analyst.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Idaho First. Constitution Always.

I’m Joe Evans — an Idaho-grown American, U.S. Army veteran, and lifelong advocate for individual liberty — and I’m running for the United States Senate because Idaho deserves representation that answers to the people, not Washington insiders.

I was raised in Idaho, shaped by hard work, personal responsibility, and service. I’m the grandson of two World War II veterans and Southwest Idaho farmers who understood that freedom is never free and that strong communities are built by neighbors helping neighbors — not by distant bureaucracies.

Those values didn’t come from politics. They came from family, service, and lived experience.

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Why I’m Running

Washington, D.C. has forgotten who it works for.

Career politicians talk about the Constitution while voting against it. They talk about fiscal responsibility while running trillion-dollar deficits. They talk about freedom while empowering unelected agencies to regulate every aspect of American life.

I’m running for U.S. Senate to restore constitutional government, rein in federal overreach, protect individual liberty, and make sure Idaho’s voice is heard — not overridden.

Government exists to protect rights, not manage lives.

Service, Work, and Real-World Experience

I served in the United States Army because I believe this country — and the freedoms it represents — are worth defending.

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?

Idaho Deserves Accountable, Grounded Leadership:

Idaho First; Constitution AlwaysPeople First, Never the Machine

A return of humanity to the leadership of our Nation.Change requires participation, not complaints.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Government accountability, Individual Freedoms, and Public Lands

Joe Evans did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I decided to run for US Congress because there are things that I feel strongly about, our involvement in the Middle East, our occupation of Afghanistan, the rising federal deficit and debt, federal barriers to industry entry…The list is pretty extensive, actually.

I decided to run as an Libertarian because neither the Democrats nor Republicans are offering a holistic solution to Americas problems that will work. Both are offering false security with policies that work contrary to the effects they promise. Accepting either of their platforms is a dangerous path forward.

What America needs is not a promise of security, centrally managed. We need Open Source Liberty, that enables everyone to contribute to the solution and grow American prosperity by building strengths, rather than concealing our weaknesses.

I want you to join me in supporting a vision for America that is neither Republican or Democrat, but American.

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 an #EVOLution in American politics. The status quo is no longer working for the American citizen#YouAreThePower. We need to #kNOWchange in our American institutions to break the cycles of bigotry and cronyism.We need to look to America to solve our problems. Fix things, build things, with our own hands again.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Ending Military adventurism and #BringOurTroopsHome from the War on Terror.

Marijuana legalization.

Reducing Federal spending and overhead.

Eliminating redundant Federal Executive Agencies.

Giving Education back to the communities

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Mainly legends. Most of our heroes, dead and alive, have foibles that are dangerous to become associated with once you start looking at them too closely.

Some like Lysander Spooner, Henry David Thoreau, and Oscar Wilde wrote their own rules... I like the idea of the road less traveled.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

No Treason. No. VI. The Constitution of No Authority (1870) by Lysander Spooner

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Trust the people.

Our current legislation is overly complicated... The people are best equipped to solve their problems.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Passion.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Reduce the footprint of government in the lives of the people.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Reducing the burden of government on the people.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis, 1979, I was 11.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I spent 10 years working for my parents small business... I folded paper to make envelopes for storing fine prints.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Life...

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The ability to control the purse of the nation. Oversight of U.S. Money Supply and spending policy.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Some... But not TOO much.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Economic recovery.

We have outsourced and offshored so much industry and tech, we lack the infrastructure to pick up the manufacturing needed for so many of the things we've become accustomed to having.

It is going to be a while before we can build the things we like to have.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Banking, FDA, Education.

If you are a current representative, why did you join your current committees?

N/A

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes

What are your thoughts on term limits?

They should exist so that no one becomes too comfortable as a "steward" of American resources.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Thomas Massie

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

People who have been using marijuana medicinally who are having trouble solving their medical needs after returning to Idaho.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Depends.

Some issues, compromise is good.

Other issues, compromise destroys the desired goals of all parties.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

Reducing taxes, and reducing federal overhead.

Campaign website

Evans' campaign website stated the following:

#BringOurTroopsHome

The Best Support For The Troops Is To Bring Them Home. War Kills, Love Heals.

It is time to Bring Our Troops Home and Repeal the AUMFs. Our participation in conflicts around the globe needs to come to an end.

We have been at “war” in Afghanistan for over 18 years now. We have children that weren’t even born at its start that are fighting over ground of their fathers and grandfathers fought over. Three generations of Soldiers have fought in Afghanistan and it is time to bring the, our participation in that conflict, and many others, to an end.

The Authorization of the Use of Military Force (AUMF) is a congressional half-measure when they know that the nation lacks the political and financial will to ensure that we fight with the intent to win. We are not united in the cause for war in America, and it is time that we stop using US Service Members to support the financial gains of the American Elite that have left the rest of us behind in their pursuit of personal wealth. American Service Members are not exchangeable for wealth.

Separation of Powers

Congress Has Given Up Its Responsibilities. Time To Take Them Up Again.

Over the years, Congress has slowly abdicated its responsibility for legislation and governance in exchange for the role of “oversight” of the several “Executive Agencies” it has created over the years.

The result has been organizations with regulations and guidelines that Congress no longer controls and is often managed through Executive Order rather than proper legislation. Furthermore, they now operate as industry gatekeepers, preventing innovation and market entry for new technologies and ideas.

There are several agencies that need dissolved, reorganized, or folded into other organizations already performing a given responsibility.

Immigration

Let Those Who Want To Work Come To America And Prosper.

We need open borders. We have work that needs to be done, there are people who will do It. The people are not coming to take jobs from American workers, but for the jobs that are left over.

There are people who come to the United States for many reasons, as refugees, for better work, for a safer environment, for security that they don’t enjoy themselves.

Drug Reform

No Mens Rea, Let Innocent Men And Women Be.

The war on drugs has failed, drugs have won.

There are drugs on the schedules that can be grown at home, significantly reducing the cost of medical care and allowing homeopathic remedies for many chronic conditions that are currently costing Americans millions annually.

We also have the laws that we continue to treat addiction as a criminal issues when it is well documented to be a health related issue. There is also the issue that addiction more often starts with prescription use rather than recreational use.

Prison Reform

Modern Slave States Have No Place In America.

Many of the laws that fill our prisons, are for crimes against the state rather than crimes against people. Many of these “crimes against the state” don’t even hurt the state, leaving us with prisons full of non-violent offenders that would provide more to the community as part of the community and the economy than as wards of the state.

> Decriminalize Marijuana

> Work on pardons and commutations for Prisoners of the War on Drugs

> Decriminalize personal use

> Increase sentences for violent and sex based crimes (violent criminals should not see release dates with less time served than non-violent entrepreneurs

Bill of Rights

To Limit Government, Not You. Be Your Best Free Self

1A – Government subsidized commercial platforms should be subject to the same restrictions on control of speech as the government.

2A – Shall not be infringed. The problem is not guns, it is the violence. Correct the views on violent behavior and all violence goes down.

3A – Civil forfeiture and imminent domain seizures by the police or for federal reserves are becoming more common. While the amendment specifically states “Soldiers”, the militarized police of today would meet the original interpretation.

4A – With the rise of electronic surveillance and genetic databases, the 4th amendment and right to privacy from both government and corporation is becoming more important. Data Privacy should be our first and foremost concern regarding the potential for exploitation in America.

5A – Personal communication devices, which contain your personal data, should not be able to be used against you. Your protections against self-incrimination, the right to be silent, should extend to your electronics in much the same way as it does to doctor or attorney client privilege.

6A – The right to a speedy trial and counsel. We have a system that is weighted heavily against the poor in our country, to the point where many will plea to a crime they never committed because they don’t have the proper representation. This behavior of the courts is criminal in its own right and counsel, whether for the defense or the prosecution, should be held responsible for gross miscarriages of justice. There is also the use of deteriorating due process in America, Red Flag laws are a violation of our inherent right to security of our person and property.

7A & 8A – Civil Asset forfeiture and Imminent Domain Seizure have been used to rob Americans without due process for decades now. A violation of the rights of the people and gross government and police overreach. Police currently seize more annually through legalized highway robbery than has been lost through all property crimes in America.

9A – You have more rights than those mentioned above.

10A – The Federal Government has assumed more authority than it should have.[2]

—Joe Evans' campaign website (2022)[3]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am an Afghan/Iraq Veteran with 3 trips to Afghanistan and 1 to Iraq. Divorced father of 5 with 2 already serving in Uniform. My day job is Data Engineering.

I am active in issues of gun rights, human trafficking, housing, education, race relations, and income inequality.

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?

#BringOurTroopsHome Our foriegn policy is a wreck that does a disservice to our men and women in uniform and steals the food from the mouths of children, foriegn and domestic.You are responsible for yourself and your community. Act like it.No one should be controlling your community from Washington D.C.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Everything.

Our system is broke and it no longer serves "We the People".

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Nope, think for yourself.

We got too many books and too many stolen words these days.

Communicate with your neighbors until you understand the words each other use.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty and integrity

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Patience and perseverance

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Represent their community.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Giving people control of their own lives again.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Space Shuttle Challenger is the most memorable. I was 17 at the time.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Goodnight Moon. It was a staple for reading to my children before becoming a geographically challenged father due to deployment requirements.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Why go with fictional. HenryDavid Thoreau, Fight the injustice, then retire and leave people to their lives.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Coming to terms with how my military service was misused by America's politicians in order to further their ends rather than the interests of the American people.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Control of the U.S. Budget. It is the originator of how the U.S. Government spends tax revenue for the benefit of U.S. Citizens and our interests.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

No, I do not.

Politics by its very nature in America corrupts people, forces them to compromise their ideals in order to move the marker.

Nor was political office in the United States created for the bureaucrat, it was created for the citizen to represent his community.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Giving U. S. Citizens back their right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

The increasing regulations and pro-corporate positions of the US Congress prevent entrepreneurialism on any major scale these days. There are simply too many barriers to entry.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Foreign Affairs, Education, Finance.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Need them. No one should want the job for longer than 4 years, and anyone that does has suspect reasons.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

No.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

No. I am my own person.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

So many, so little time.

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