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)
Strongly Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (-5 points on Social scale)	No exceptions for rape or incest; de-fund Planned Parenthood: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Ban taxpayer funding of abortion & partial birth abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Mother lost an infant child, Ted's would-be brother: Opposes topic 1 Companies can deny insuring birth control: Opposes topic 1 Protect innocent human life with partial-birth ban: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Opposes public abortion funding: Opposes topic 1 Opposes churches providing birth control: Opposes topic 1
Opposes topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (+2 points on Economic scale)	Allow Muslims in leadership roles in state Republican Party: Favors topic 2 Don't empower more lawsuits by demanding equal pay: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Adopt economic affirmative action instead of race-based: Favors topic 2 Insidious affirmative action: we can't make it on merit?: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Supports ending racial preferences for college admissions: Opposes topic 2 UN Treaty on Disabilities threatens US sovereignty: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Stand-your-ground laws are not veiled racism: Opposes topic 2 Disallow Ku Klux Klan from participating in Adopt-A-Highway: Favors topic 2 NO on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Opposes topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-5 points on Social scale)	Amendment to define marriage as between man & a woman: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Religious liberty: Don't lock up Christians like Kim Davis: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Apply 10th Amendment: states decide on gay marriage: Opposes topic 3 Pray against a court decision legalizing same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Zealotry on same-sex marriage leaves out religious liberty: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Most states can ignore Supreme Court legalizing gay marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Opposes the unrelenting assault on traditional marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Overturn Supreme Court with anti-gay marriage Amendment: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Opposes gay pride parades and opposes gay marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 One-man-one-woman marriage is building block of society: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Supports defining traditional marriage: Opposes topic 3 Supports banning military gay marriage: Opposes topic 3 Sponsored state definition of marriage supersedes federal gay marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Respect faith-based opposition to same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-5 points on Social scale)	First Amendment's purpose is not hostility toward religion: Strongly Favors topic 4 Defend Judeo-Christian values against liberal fascism: Strongly Favors topic 4 Stop IRS from asking: 'tell me the content of your prayers': Strongly Favors topic 4 Government checks create dependency: Favors topic 4 Defend Ten Commandments and "under God" in the Pledge: Strongly Favors topic 4
Strongly Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+5 points on Economic scale)	ObamaCare caused millions to lose their jobs: Strongly Opposes topic 5 I trust you & your doctors to control your health care: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Reform FDA to approve foreign drugs faster: Favors topic 5 Don't exempt Congress from ObamaCare, or any law: Strongly Opposes topic 5 I regret voting for John Roberts because of ObamaCare vote: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Enumerated powers of Congress don't include ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Personal, portable, & affordable, after repealing ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Washington wants ObamaCare, the people want liberty: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Support nuns' battle for religious liberty against ObamaCare: Opposes topic 5 To repeal ObamaCare, show Dems they'd lose by supporting it: Opposes topic 5 5 million had health insurance canceled because of ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Vow to repeal ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Save Medicare by raising eligibility age: Favors topic 5 Throw my body in front of a train to stop ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Defeat ObamaCare; rein in the federal government: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Defund, repeal, & replace federal care with free market: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Repeal any federal health care takeover: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Supports repealing ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Supports market-based health insurance: Opposes topic 5
Strongly Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+5 points on Economic scale)	No changes for seniors; personal accounts for young: Strongly Favors topic 6 Implement commonsense reforms for younger workers: Favors topic 6 Raise retirement age; cap increases to inflation rate: Favors topic 6 Transition younger workers into personal savings system: Favors topic 6 Rated 0% by ARA, indicating a pro-privatization stance: Strongly Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+5 points on Economic scale)	Private school vouchers is civil rights issue of our time: Strongly Favors topic 7 Race-to-the-Top is blackmail against the states: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Abolish the U.S. Department of Education: Favors topic 7 The rich already have school choice; give it to the poor: Strongly Favors topic 7 Right to education: public, private, charter, or homeschool: Strongly Favors topic 7 School choice is a deep passion of mine: Strongly Favors topic 7 Facilitate school choice for poor Americans: Favors topic 7 Education decisions best made at local level: Favors topic 7 Denounce the Common Core State Standards: Favors topic 7 Block funding for Common Core; it's too heavy-handed: Favors topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (-5 points on Social scale)	EPA ran amok under Obama: Strongly Favors topic 8 Take on EPA and agencies that strangle small businesses: Strongly Favors topic 8 Federal government shouldn't own $14 trillion worth of land: Strongly Favors topic 8 OpEd: Tweeted joke picture of endangered tiger skin rug: Strongly Favors topic 8 OpEd: Tweeted joke picture of endangered tiger skin rug: Strongly Favors topic 8 NO on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems: Favors topic 8
Strongly Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-5 points on Social scale)	In death penalty cases, describe brutal nature of crime: Favors topic 9 End last-minute death penalty appeals: one week deadline: Strongly Favors topic 9 Capital punishment for the very worst child rapists: Strongly Favors topic 9 Won release for convicted murderer on DNA-based appeal: Opposes topic 9 There's a special circle of Hell for rapists & pedophiles: Strongly Favors topic 9 Military sex abuse victims can't trust commander as arbiter: Favors topic 9 We need serious tools to protect against cybercrime: Strongly Favors topic 9 Freeing killer when prosecutors erred sets a bad precedent: Strongly Favors topic 9 World Court should have no say in Texas executions: Strongly Favors topic 9 Fully monitor sexual predators & bring them to justice: Favors topic 9 Supports the death penalty: Strongly Favors topic 9 Death penalty for killing police officers: Favors topic 9 Rated 55% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues: Neutral on topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Led fight not to ban assault weapons: Strongly Favors topic 10 Obama is coming for our guns: Strongly Favors topic 10 2nd Amendment is ultimate check against government tyranny: Strongly Favors topic 10 Served as lawyer for the National Rifle Association: Favors topic 10 Prosecute felons who try to illegally purchase guns: Opposes topic 10 Target violent criminals with serious mental illnesses: Favors topic 10 Opposes unreasonable and burdensome gun restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 10 Opposes restricting the Second Amendment: Favors topic 10 Reciprocity across state lines for concealed carry: Strongly Favors topic 10 NO on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Tax returns on a postcard: Strongly Opposes topic 11 There are more words in the tax code than in the Bible: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Business flat tax of 16%; big business same as small: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Eliminate payroll tax, death tax, business tax, and IRS: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Abolish the IRS: Strongly Favors topic 11 Permanent Washington elite protects the tax code: Opposes topic 11 Adopt a single-rate tax system: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Repeal tax hikes in capital gains and death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Opposes increasing tax rates: Opposes topic 11 Supports eliminating the inheritance tax: Opposes topic 11 Replace income tax and IRS with FairTax: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (-5 points on Social scale)	Use all tools available to stop asylum for migrant caravan: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Enforce the law but also keep families together: Favors topic 12 No path to citizenship to DREAMers or anyone else: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Children deported with parents can come back, if citizens: Opposes topic 12 I led the fight to defeat the Reid-Schumer amnesty bill: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Build a wall instead of massive amnesty plan: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Enforce the law against millions of illegals currently here: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Illegals are an economic calamity for low-wage Americans: Strongly Opposes topic 12 End Obama's illegal amnesty via Congress' checks & balances: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Defund amnesty; and refuse any nominees until rescinded: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Democrats want amnesty to get a lot more Democratic voters: Opposes topic 12 No path to citizenship for 1.65 million illegals in Texas: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Give police more power to ask about immigration status: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Boots on the ground, plus a wall: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Triple the size of the Border Patrol: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Strengthen border security and increase enforcement: Strongly Opposes topic 12 ICE performs vital functions that protect American families: Strongly Opposes topic 12
No opinion on topic 13: Support & expand free trade (0 points on Economic scale)	Supports tariffs; opposes bailouts to those hurt by them: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Import taxes are paid by consumers, not by China: Favors topic 13 Defended Chinese company on intellectual property theft: Strongly Favors topic 13 Voted YES to kill reauthorization of Ex-Im Bank: Opposes topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+5 points on Economic scale)	Countries aspire to be like America, the exceptional nation: Strongly Favors topic 14 Bar refugees from terrorist-ridden regions: Strongly Favors topic 14 Break diplomatic relations with Cuba: Strongly Favors topic 14 Don't let world courts bind American sovereignty: Strongly Favors topic 14 American Exceptionalism: we liberate; others subjugate: Strongly Favors topic 14 Cuba is oppressive but never misses chance to propagandize: Favors topic 14 America is indispensable; our allies need our leadership: Strongly Favors topic 14 US has a responsibility to defend our values abroad: Favors topic 14 America should be voice of freedom, but not interventionist: Favors topic 14 Deny visa for Iranian ambassador to visit the United Nations: Strongly Favors topic 14 Appeasement historically leads to more violence: Strongly Favors topic 14 Suspend Russia from G8 & withdraw from arms control treaties: Strongly Favors topic 14 Sponsored opposing the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty: Strongly Favors topic 14 Oppose the United Nations' Arms Trade Treaty: Favors topic 14 Disallow Palestine from joining ICC to threaten Israel: Favors topic 14 Move US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem; recognize as cap: Favors topic 14 No transfers of Gitmo prisoners to US or abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 Two-state solution despite Israeli settlements on West Bank: Favors topic 14
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-5 points on Social scale)	Provide our veterans the care they have been promised: Favors topic 15 Increase armed forces to 1.4 million troops: Strongly Favors topic 15 Vital role for deploying military force abroad: Strongly Favors topic 15 Fierce advocate of recruiting and growing the military: Strongly Favors topic 15
No opinion on topic 16: Make voter registration easier (0 points on Social scale)
Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-3 points on Social scale)	Nuke treaty didn't sufficiently rein in Iran's nuke program: Opposes topic 17 SWIFT: commit to maintain ongoing sanctions against Iran: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Provide support to Ukrainian fighters against Russia: Favors topic 17 U.S.-Israel alliance is a strategic bedrock: Opposes topic 17 Overwhelming air power against ISIS, & arm the Kurds: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Greatest threat facing America is nuclear Iran: Opposes topic 17 Toughen sanctions on Iran, to safeguard America: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Arm the Kurds to fight ISIS, with US air support: Opposes topic 17 Bomb ISIS back to the Stone Age: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Arm & aid the Peshmerga Kurds against ISIS: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Don't arm Syrian rebels without a clear plan to combat ISIS: Favors topic 17 Vigorous sanctions against Putin; help eastern Ukraine: Opposes topic 17 Install Eastern European ABMs; stand up to Russia in Ukraine: Opposes topic 17 Abrogate treaties with Russia over Ukraine invasion: Opposes topic 17 Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan went on too long: Favors topic 17 Sponsored shutting down Iranian foreign reserves: Opposes topic 17 Iran must accept long-term intrusive nuke inspection: Opposes topic 17
Strongly Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Paris Accord destroys $3 trillion in American GDP by 2040: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Fight against Gulf moratorium on offshore exploration: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Cap-and-trade has no impact on global temperatures: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Explore proven energy reserves & keep energy prices low: Opposes topic 18 Let states lease energy rights on federal lands: Strongly Opposes topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Opposed to marijuana legalization, but let states choose: Opposes topic 19 Let's see what happens in Colorado with legalization: Opposes topic 19 Lower minimums and mandatory sentencing for drugs: Opposes topic 19 2014: federal enforcement; 2015: let states experiment: Opposes topic 19 I disagree with states legalizing pot, but it's their right: Opposes topic 19 Let states be laboratories of democracy on marijuana: Opposes topic 19 I foolishly smoked pot when young, but never since: Favors topic 19 Rated C by NORML, indicating a mixed record on drug reform: Neutral on topic 19
Strongly Opposes topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (+5 points on Economic scale)	Choose individual liberty over more & more spending: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Government is corrupt; so don't give them more power: Strongly Opposes topic 20 I would not bail out Bank of America: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Pass a flat tax and abolish the IRS, and jobs will follow: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Balanced budget amendment to stop bankrupting our country: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Debt ceiling limits "blank check" of federal spending: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Limit federal spending growth to per-capita inflation rate: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Supports the Cut-Cap-and-Balance Pledge: Opposes topic 20 Audit the Federal Reserve & its actions on mortgage loans: Opposes topic 20