The N.C. native describes himself as a conservative who is pro-life and believes in the preservation of the Second Amendment's protection of bearing arms.
Snyder said he subscribes to the Helms-Reagan paradigm, explaining that he would model himself after Helms, who dictates his actions in Congress based on personal philosophy, not party politics.
"I know where I stand on every issue," he said. "There is no use in me doing this if I don't have a plan."
Snyder also said he supports some liberal issues such as environmental conservation and protection.
"I don't think it's oxymoronic to say `forward-moving conservative,'" he said.
Ferrel Guillory, director of UNC's Program on Southern Politics, Media and Public Life, said the successor to Helms' Senate seat will have to gain party support during the N.C. Republican primary in May.
Guillory said Republicans who vote in the primary election are typically more conservative than the electorate as a whole. "It appears to me that Mr. Snyder is trying to position himself as the candidate who would carry on the arch-conservative nature of Jesse Helms," Guillory said. "Yes, that is politically viable, but whether that succeeds or not remains to be seen."
Guillory added that hot emotional issues that were present when Helms ran, like racial inequality and the Cold War, might not be as important or relevant in this campaign.
But Snyder said he is confident that he can win his party's and the people's support.