The west front of the U.S. Capitol is photographed near dusk Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

James Bales is the Libertarian candidate running for the 2nd District congressional seat. A current resident of Lawrence, Bales grew up in Wichita and earned a degree in secondary English education from Wichita State University.

In response to a Journal-World questionnaire, Bales conceded he does not know enough about health care to say whether he supports or opposes the Affordable Care Act. “All I know is that from what we see in the news, it doesn’t seem to be working. Certainly it needs to be fixed or replaced with a complete solution. What that repair or solution looks like, I do not know.”

Bales said the U.S. should deregulate industries in order to stimulate job growth, but he favors government investment in transportation infrastructure to stimulate the private sector.

He said student loan debt should be dischargeable in bankruptcy and that the federal government should forgive loan debts from those who are unlikely ever to repay it. He also said the federal government should “get out of the loan game.”

Bales said he opposes building a wall along the Mexican border and that, “Work permits, residency, and citizenship should be achievable to any who wishes to come here.”

On national security, Bales said the biggest threat facing the U.S. is “provocation.”

“A foreign policy built around regime change and the expansion and enforcement of Western democracy has created almost every international enemy we face today,” he said. “Congress should quit authorizing military adventurism and covert intervention.”