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Republican congressional candidate David Winkler outlines positions at Jenkintown High School assembly
Summary
At a student-run assembly at Jenkintown High School, Republican U.S. House candidate David Winkler described his stances on border security, guns, the economy, education and technology, answering students' questions in a moderated Q&A.
David Winkler, the Republican candidate for Pennsylvania's 4th Congressional District, visited Jenkintown High School for a student-run assembly and a question-and-answer session with students.
Winkler opened with a brief biography, noting service in both the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army and later work as a police officer and Army recruiter. He told students he had served in Fallujah and Helmand Province and has lived in Elkins Park.
He laid out positions on several major issues. On immigration, Winkler said he would back a bipartisan border-security bill if it reached the House, framed immigration as a bipartisan failure and urged expanding immigration courts to address a large case backlog. "Either way, I wanna secure a border. So, yes, I would end up voting for that bill," he said during the assembly.
On guns, Winkler described himself as a "constitutionalist" who supports the Second Amendment. He said existing background checks are extensive and expressed wariness of policies that would "infringe" on lawful ownership, disputing characterization of some firearms as "military-style."
Asked about the federal minimum wage, Winkler warned a $15 federal mandate could hurt small businesses and accelerate automation; he urged bringing higher-paying manufacturing jobs to the region as an alternative. He framed his economic approach around reducing federal spending, lowering taxes and encouraging domestic production.
On social issues, Winkler said the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision properly returned authority to states under the Tenth Amendment and advocated funding both Planned Parenthood and pro‑life centers to give people options. He also said he would have supported the Respect for Marriage Act, and he expressed general support for civil-rights protections enforced through existing mechanisms such as the EEOC.
Winkler opposed a nationwide ban on TikTok, calling the platform valuable to young people and to businesses that use short-form video for marketing. "I oppose the ban on TikTok," he said, adding that privacy and data concerns exist across platforms.
On foreign policy, Winkler said he supports NATO provided allies meet defense commitments and that the U.S. should hold partners accountable for civilian harm in conflicts such as Israel and Gaza. He said he supports Israel's right to self-defense but emphasized investigating and preventing civilian casualties.
The student moderators closed the session by thanking Winkler for speaking. The visit was brief and centered on direct questions from students; there were no formal actions or votes taken at the assembly.
Sources: questions and answers recorded at the student-run assembly at Jenkintown High School.
