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)
Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's right (+2 points on Social scale)	Protect responsible Choice: Favors topic 1 NO on restricting UN funding for population control policies: Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Require hiring more women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	More state contracts for minority & women-owned businesses: Strongly Favors topic 2 Promote minority-owned business: Strongly Favors topic 2 End racial profiling; more minority police: Favors topic 2 Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits (+5 points on Social scale)	Eliminated Family Rule, so unrelated couples can buy homes: Strongly Favors topic 3 No employment discrimination based on sexual orientation: Favors topic 3 Extend hate crimes to include sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Teacher-led prayer in public schools (+2 points on Social scale)	Supports Standards of Learning, but not tests: Neutral on topic 4 Require character education in public schools: Favors topic 4 No school prayer amendment: Strongly Opposes topic 4
Favors topic 8: Death Penalty (-3 points on Social scale)	Supports a fair death penalty: Favors topic 8
Strongly Favors topic 9: Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws (-5 points on Social scale)	2004: much-needed funding for law enforcement: Favors topic 9 More enforcement and more prevention: Favors topic 9 Supports Virginia’s victim’s bill of rights: Favors topic 9 Abolish parole: Strongly Favors topic 9
Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+2 points on Economic scale)	Strong defender of the Second Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 10 Protect sportsmen’s rights & the Second Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 10 NO on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains: Opposes topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 5: More federal funding for health coverage (-5 points on Economic scale)	As governor, 138,000 more children covered by insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 Get every eligible child health care: Strongly Favors topic 5 Answer seniors’ questions with “Senior Navigator”: Favors topic 5 Supports Virginia Health Care Foundation for under-served: Favors topic 5 YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Favors topic 5 YES on regulating tobacco as a drug: Favors topic 5
No opinion on topic 6: Privatize Social Security (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 7: Parents choose schools via vouchers (0 points on Economic scale)	Home-schooling is ok; my sister home-schools her kids: Favors topic 7 2004: 14 of 32 failing schools graduated from NCLB program: Favors topic 7 Supports public schools: Opposes topic 7 Promote public school competition & choice: Opposes topic 7
Favors topic 18: Replace coal & oil with alternatives (-3 points on Economic scale)	Offshore drilling is acceptable but not the “silver bullet”: Favors topic 18 Drastically reduced emissions from VA coal power plants: Strongly Favors topic 18 Preserve open space & control suburban sprawl: Strongly Favors topic 18 Economic prosperity depends on wise use of natural resources: Favors topic 18 YES on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade: Opposes topic 18 NO on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax: Favors topic 18 NO on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Opposes topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it (-5 points on Social scale)	Place decongestants behind counter to slow meth production: Favors topic 19 Restricted meth ingredients and reduced meth labs: Favors topic 19 Increase penalties for illegal drugs: Strongly Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Allow churches to provide welfare services (+2 points on Economic scale)	Project Genesis: faith-based African-American home program: Favors topic 20 2002 PASS initiative included private & faith-based groups: Favors topic 20 Expand enterprise zones: Favors topic 20 Require work to receive welfare benefits: Favors topic 20
Favors topic 11: Make taxes more progressive (-3 points on Economic scale)	Roll back top-tier tax breaks: Strongly Favors topic 11 2003 tax package raised some taxes & removed low-income tax: Strongly Favors topic 11 Fiscal conservatism: taxpayer money is sacred: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Opposes topic 12: Illegal immigrants earn citizenship (-3 points on Social scale)	Federal failure on immigration means states must take action: Opposes topic 12 Limit social payments to immigrants; support English: Opposes topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Supports NAFTA, GATT, and WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13
Opposes topic 15: Expand the armed forces (+2 points on Social scale)	Remove the “ghost fleet” of 100 aging ships in James River: Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	No PAC contributions; yes full disclosure: Strongly Favors topic 16
Opposes topic 14: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties (-3 points on Social scale)	Relax wiretapping restrictions for the FBI: Opposes topic 14
Favors topic 17: US out of Iraq (+2 points on Social scale)	No timetable to end war in Iraq: Opposes topic 17 Withdraw from Iraq but no arbitrary timeline: Favors topic 17 Sensible timeline to bring troops home from Iraq: Strongly Favors topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17