2020 Texas Senatorial race: debates and news coverage


(Click for external website)

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Abortion     MJ Hegar: Politicians shouldn't legislate a woman's intimate decisions.     Sema Hernandez: Support Supreme Court nominees who will uphold Roe v. Wade.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Women, not politicians, should decide reproductive rights.     Royce West: A woman has the right to make decisions about her body.     Royce West: Pro-choice, but voted for parental consent.

Budget & Economy     Royce West: End predatory lending practices.

Civil Rights     MJ Hegar: Celebrated LGBT job protection decision as huge victory.     Sema Hernandez: End discrimination for sexual orientation & gender identity.     Sema Hernandez: End the exploitation of Native Americans.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Defend LGBTQ+ Rights, supports protective laws.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Combat White Supremacy and hate crimes.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Pass Voting Rights Advancement Act, make elections a holiday.     Royce West: Every person should have access to the voting booth.     Royce West: Pass Equality Act; end trans-phobic policies.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Real democracy a threat to people in power.

Corporations     MJ Hegar: Corporations & wealthy need to pay higher taxes.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Increase funding for Small Business Administration.     Sema Hernandez: Break the oligarchy protecting Wall Street instead of people.     Sema Hernandez: Entitled millionaires are free-loading from us.

Crime     MJ Hegar: We have a mass incarceration problem.     MJ Hegar: Police brutality is not just "a few poisoned apples".     Sema Hernandez: End the militarization of law enforcement.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Abolish mandatory minimums & private for-profit prisons.     Royce West: Total reform needed at all levels of the judiciary.     Royce West: Reexamine the use of deadly force by police.     Royce West: Now for reform, in 1995 for 14- year-olds tried as adults.     John Cornyn: Co-wrote bill for data-driven cooperation to fight crime.

Drugs     MJ Hegar: Absolutely for legalizing marijuana, expunging records.     Sema Hernandez: Legalize marijuana; would bring in tax revenue.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Supports the legalization of marijuana.

Education     MJ Hegar: Government should not profit off of student loan interest.     MJ Hegar: Investment in public school is investment in nation's future.     MJ Hegar: Lower interest rates on student debt, ensure affordability.     Sema Hernandez: Opposes government funding of charter schools.     Sema Hernandez: Trade schools & public colleges should be tuition-free.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Make Universal Childcare and Pre-K a guaranteed right.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Cancel student debt; make public universities tuition free.     Royce West: Offer debt relief & free tuition for low income students.     Royce West: Investing in public schools a top priority.     Royce West: Free community college, not sure about student debt.

Energy & Oil     MJ Hegar: Set aggressive goals for expanding clean, renewable energy.     MJ Hegar: Fracking not long-term solution, but against ban.     MJ Hegar: Texas can lead country on wind and solar energy.     Sema Hernandez: Green New Deal ends environmental racism.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Rejoin Paris Climate Accord.     Royce West: Reengage in Paris Climate Accords.     MJ Hegar: Make sure carbon tax don't increase food costs.

Families & Children     MJ Hegar: Paid family leave for both mothers and fathers.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Paid Parental Leave keeps families healthy and happy.     John Cornyn: Supports using campaign funds for candidate child care.     MJ Hegar: Asked FEC to allow campaign funds for candidate child care.

Foreign Policy     MJ Hegar: Withdrawal from world damages position as global superpower.     MJ Hegar: Blaming China for COVID19 comes from "very racist place".

Free Trade     MJ Hegar: Supported USMCA; wish environmental groups more involved.     Sema Hernandez: Move from free trade to fair trade.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Smart trade policy protects workers, not just businesses.

Government Reform     MJ Hegar: Day one: work on campaign finance, ethics reforms.     MJ Hegar: Refuses corporate PAC money, endorsed by End Citizens United.     MJ Hegar: Overturn gerrymandering, fight voter suppression.     Sema Hernandez: Create uniform requirements for voting.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: No corporate PAC money, but other PACs ok.     Royce West: Government contracts raise issues of conflicts of interest.

Gun Control     MJ Hegar: Supports policies that are pragmatic & enforceable.     MJ Hegar: Eager to finally put an end to senseless gun violence.     MJ Hegar: Reverse ban on gun violence research by CDC.     MJ Hegar: For background checks, red flag laws; end open carry.     Sema Hernandez: Use Commerce Clause to regulate gun sales & manufacturing.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Advocates for gun legislation majority of Americans support.     Royce West: We must regulate deadly weapons.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Ban assault style weapons, pass background checks.     MJ Hegar: Ban assault weapons, but no mandatory buyback.     Chris Bell: Universal background checks; buyback assault weapons.     Chris Bell: Ban assault weapons, with mandatory buyback.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: We all want background checks & ban on weapons of war.     Royce West: We can legislate on guns when we turn Texas blue.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Ban assault weapons, with mandatory buyback.

Health Care     MJ Hegar: Skyrocketing healthcare costs are unsustainable.     MJ Hegar: Make high-quality care available to all Americans.     Sema Hernandez: Supports Medicare for All; will re-introduce bill if needed.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Supports Medicare for All.     Royce West: Fought to expand Medicaid.     Royce West: Imperative that mental health services be included.     MJ Hegar: Provide Medicare-for-All as public option.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Every person should be able to go to a doctor.     Royce West: Expand Medicaid in Texas to cover all uninsured.     Royce West: Not Medicare-for-All, but health care for all.

Homeland Security     MJ Hegar: We must mobilize against epidemic of domestic terrorism.     MJ Hegar: Will stand against efforts to privatize the VA.

Immigration     MJ Hegar: Consider abolishing ICE; prefer better leadership & policies.     MJ Hegar: Asylum seekers should not be treated as criminals.     Sema Hernandez: Remain in Mexico Policy unlawful in US and international law.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Legalize status of DREAMers, other hardworking immigrants.     Royce West: Must address humanitarian crisis at the border.     MJ Hegar: Support DACA recipients, they represent the best of us.     Royce West: We've got to find a way to keep DREAMers in the country.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Fight for the rights of immigrant families.     Royce West: Putting kids in cages makes "my blood boil".

Jobs     MJ Hegar: Supports rights of workers to unionize, collectively bargain.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Raise minimum wage to $15 and tie it to inflation.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Get equal pay for women through Paycheck Fairness Act.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Expand right to unionize; fully fund Labor agencies.     Royce West: Fully supports $15 minimum wage.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Higher pay and safer conditions for workers.

Principles & Values     MJ Hegar: Reasons for becoming combat pilot same as running for office.     Sema Hernandez: Member of Democratic Socialists of America.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Every single family wants the best for their children.     MJ Hegar: Stop electing people whose lifelong dream is to be a senator.     Sema Hernandez: The time to break the Patriarchy is now.

Social Security     MJ Hegar: Medicare & Social Security not entitlements, but promises.     Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez: Supports Social Security 2100 Act.

Tax Reform     MJ Hegar: Use tax credits, incentives to support small business.     MJ Hegar: Opposed 2017 tax cuts for corporations, extremely wealthy.

War & Peace     MJ Hegar: Reserve deployment of American troops as a last resort.     Sema Hernandez: Overdue for plan to end the wars & bring troops home.     John Cornyn: Get US away from ethnic cleansing of Kurds by Turks.     Ted Cruz: Turkey's incursion into Syria is totally unacceptable.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Chris Bell Democratic 2020 Senate Challenger Texas Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez Democratic Senate challenger Texas John Cornyn Republican Sr Senator Texas MJ Hegar Democratic 2020 Senate Challenger Texas Royce West Democratic Senate challenger Texas Sema Hernandez Democratic 2020 Senate Challenger Texas Ted Cruz Republican 2016 Primary Challenger