VoteMatch Responses (Click here for VoteMatch quiz)
VoteMatch Question & Answer (Click on question for explanation and background)	Based on these stances: (Click on topic for excerpt & citation)
Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (-3 points on Social scale)	The only litmus test for Supreme Court is to follow the law: Favors topic 1 As governor, I stood for the sanctity of life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Abortion before 8 weeks not OK, but shouldn’t be prohibited: Favors topic 1 Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided; good day when repealed: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Right to abortion in the first 8 to 12 weeks of pregnancy: Strongly Favors topic 1 Informed consent and 24-hour waiting period: Opposes topic 1
Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	I don't want to be part of an anti-Muslim GOP: Favors topic 2 No quotas, but create opportunities for minorities: Opposes topic 2 More support for traditional African-American universities: Favors topic 2 Support principles embodied in the Equal Rights Amendment: Favors topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-5 points on Social scale)	2007: yes to traditional marriage; no to civil unions: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Keep "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" for gays in the military: Opposes topic 3 Oppose gay marriage AND so-called civil unions: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Rated “F” by National Review on pro-gay issues: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-5 points on Social scale)	Moment of silence does not infringe on students’ rights: Strongly Favors topic 4
Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+2 points on Economic scale)	ObamaCare is primary reason our economy is not recovering: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Health Savings Accounts; association plans; and tort reform: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Lower Medicare premiums for seniors & keep program solvent: Favors topic 5 $25M more for medical care for most vulnerable citizens: Favors topic 5
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Cap entitlements & create a culture of independence: Strongly Favors topic 6 Praises Bush leadership on Social Security reform: Favors topic 6 Maintain federal Social Services Block Grant funding: Favors topic 6 Maintain long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare: Opposes topic 6
Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+2 points on Economic scale)	Hired 4,000 new teachers for public schools: Opposes topic 7 No Child Left Behind Act isn't working: Opposes topic 7 Claims Warner said home-schooling threatens America: Strongly Favors topic 7 Calls for a voucher plan in Virginia schools: Strongly Favors topic 7
Favors topic 8: EPA regulations are too restrictive (-3 points on Social scale)	Government regulation dramatically deters investment: Favors topic 8 Extend "Virginia Naturally": empower people with knowledge: Opposes topic 8 More state autonomy on brownfields & Superfund cleanups: Favors topic 8
Strongly Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-5 points on Social scale)	Declined to intervene in execution of Bobby Lee Ramdass: Favors topic 9 Executed foreign national despite international protests: Strongly Favors topic 9 Three strikes eligibility no grounds for stay of execution: Favors topic 9 Death penalty sets standard to not tolerate ghastly murders: Strongly Favors topic 9 Supports flexible federal block grants for crime programs: Neutral on topic 9
Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+2 points on Economic scale)	On NRA board to protect 2nd amendment: Strongly Favors topic 10 Virginia Exile: get guns out of the hands of criminals: Opposes topic 10 Strike down unconstitutional bans on possessing a firearm: Strongly Favors topic 10 Supporter of 2nd Amendment rights; Americans can be trusted: Strongly Favors topic 10 More gun convictions means less violent crime: Opposes topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Bush did the right thing with cutting taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Control spending, or higher taxes are certain: Opposes topic 11 Always followed a program of reducing taxes where possible: Strongly Opposes topic 11 End the Car Tax: Opposes topic 11 No national sales tax or VAT: Neutral on topic 11
Opposes topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (-3 points on Social scale)	Allowing illegal immigration makes contempt for rule of law: Strongly Opposes topic 12 No amnesty for illegals; control the border: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Share costs of legal immigration between states & federal: Neutral on topic 12 Federal government should deal with criminal repatriation: Neutral on topic 12 Import farm workers from Mexico: Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Enforce trade law against subsidized Canadian lumber imports: Favors topic 13
No opinion on topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (0 points on Economic scale)	I think Gitmo ought to remain open: Favors topic 14 UN supported US before war; let’s move beyond pre-war debate: Opposes topic 14
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-5 points on Social scale)	Psychology services should be included in veteran benefits: Favors topic 15 Close the pay gap for long-term military retention: Strongly Favors topic 15 There will never be a 100% guarantee of security: Strongly Favors topic 15 Get homeland security money into hands of local governments: Strongly Favors topic 15
No opinion on topic 16: Make voter registration easier (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-5 points on Social scale)	Create a Middle East NATO to fight both Iran and ISIL: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Any kind of timetable in Iraq is not responsible: Strongly Opposes topic 17 No timeline for withdrawal from Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 No troop increase without mission; but no timetable: Opposes topic 17 Bush’s steadfastness in Iraq is leadership in crisis: Strongly Opposes topic 17 UN supported US before war; let’s move beyond pre-war debate: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Iraq does not deplete localities of responders: Opposes topic 17 Include states in anti-terrorism planning: Neutral on topic 17
Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+2 points on Economic scale)	US should seek alternative fuels but still drill for oil: Opposes topic 18 US greatest energy resource is coal: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Extend “Virginia Naturally”: empower people with knowledge: Favors topic 18 Voluntary partnerships reduce greenhouse gases economically: Neutral on topic 18 Kyoto Treaty must include reductions by all countries: Opposes topic 18 More funding to develop domestic energy supplies: Opposes topic 18 Share offshore oil development revenue with states: Opposes topic 18
Favors topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (-3 points on Social scale)	Legalization offers legitimacy of the state: Strongly Favors topic 19 I'm not a legalization guy: Strongly Favors topic 19 Provided more substance abuse treatment for drug offenders: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Illegal drugs are not an acceptable part of our society: Strongly Favors topic 19 More federal funding for all aspects of Drug War: Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-3 points on Economic scale)	More banking oversight, even if it means bigger government: Strongly Favors topic 20 In times of economic stress, don’t raise taxes: Opposes topic 20