Cory Gardner in 2014 CO Senate debate

On Health Care: Ebola: immediate ban on all travel from West African

The candidates were asked how they would evaluate the federal response to the Ebola crisis. "We ought to listen to the health-care professionals," Sen. Udall said. "If they believe we ought to close our borders, we ought to restrict flights to and from West Africa. Let's listen to them. But senators and congressmen shouldn't be making those decisions. We should be supporting the resources that are necessary to meet the Ebola challenge."

Gardner called for an immediate traffic ban on all travel from West African countries where the Ebola virus is spreading. "If the president's not willing to put into a place a travel ban, then we should have 100% screening of the people who are coming from those affected areas," Gardner said.

The two tangled over cuts to the Center for Disease Control, with Udall saying the congressman cut funds that would have helped the agency and Gardner saying he opposed tax dollars going to programs such as Jazzercise.

Source: Denver Post on 2014 Colorado Senate debate Oct 15, 2014

On Immigration: I support the DREAM Act & some form of legalized work status

Gardner said supports the DREAM Act, federal legislation that would grant permanent residency to qualified children of immigrants here illegally for the purpose of attending college or joining the military, as part of immigration reform.

He also was asked whether he believed in "a pathway to citizenship." "I believe some form of work status is going to be the ultimate solution that we come to," said Gardner, who has long held he doesn't support providing amnesty to those here illegally. "I believe earned status is going to be eligible to be part of the solution."

Source: Denver Post on 2014 Colorado Senate debate Oct 6, 2014

On Abortion: No Personhood Amendment; birth control over-the-counter

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee will air a new ad Monday in Colorado attacking GOP Rep. Cory Gardner on birth control. The 30-second spot criticizes Gardner for sponsoring a bill in congress called the "Life at Conception Act," while saying he believes birth control pills should be available over the counter.

"Gardner is sponsoring a bill to make most common forms of birth control illegal," a male narrator says in the ad. "Gardner's bill also makes all abortions illegal, even in cases of rape and incest."

"Cory Gardner," the narrator says, "you just can't trust this guy."

The spot marks the latest part of a multimillion-dollar ad buy in the state, a DSCC spokesman said. The DSCC has spent more than $2 million on television in Colorado so far this cycle.

Gardner said earlier this year that he had changed his position and no longer supported a person-hood amendment like the one mentioned in the ad. But that has not stopped Democrats for hammering him on the issue.

Source: Rollcall PacWatch on 2014 Colorado Senate debate Sep 22, 2014

On Abortion: Make "the pill" available without a prescription

Several Republican candidates for Senate have embraced an unorthodox issue as the midterm election approaches--support for over-the-counter birth control pills. At least three GOP hopefuls have spoken during the summer in favor of allowing certain types of contraception to be sold without a prescription. Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO), who is challenging incumbent Sen. Mark Udall (D), on Tuesday released a television ad in which he tells a room full of nodding women, "I believe the pill ought to be available over the counter, around the clock, without a prescription. Cheaper and easier for you."

The ad followed similar remarks by Ed Gillespie, a Republican running for Senate in Virginia, and Mike McFadden, who is challenging Sen. Al Franken (D-MN). "It probably defangs this increasingly concerted effort by the political left to caricature male Republican politicians as anti-woman, anti-birth control, anti-rainbows and sunshine," said a Republican pollster who specializes in women voters.

Source: Washington Post on 2014 Colorado Senate race Sep 2, 2014

On Abortion: OpEd: extreme push for nationwide Personhood law

Have you seen our newest ad? Colorado women lay out the truth about Congressman Gardner's 8-year crusade to deny a woman's right to make her own choices. Even though Coloradans twice rejected the radically anti-choice Personhood ballot initiatives, Congressman Gardner continues to push for a nationwide Personhood law in Congress, which would outlaw abortion even in the case of rape and incest and ban common forms of birth control. He even sponsored a bill to make abortion a Class 3 felony. Seriously? It's 2014!

The more Coloradans--both women and men--learn about Congressman Gardner, the more they realize he's just too extreme for our state. As the Director of Women for Udall, I have seen firsthand that women are shocked to learn about the stark differences between Mark's vision for Colorado and Congressman Gardner's backwards agenda.

Source: MarkUdall.com email: AdWatch on 2014 Colorado Senate race Aug 5, 2014

On Abortion: Sell contraceptives over-the-counter to avoid Hobby Lobby

[Virginia GOP Senate candidate Ed] Gillespie advocated for over-the-counter sale of contraception: Speaking about the Hobby Lobby case involving employer-sponsored contraception, Gillespie said he thinks the issue can be skirted if women are just allowed to buy birth-control medication on their own without a prescription--a position that Colorado GOP Senate candidate Cory Gardner also staked out recently. Source: Politico.com weblog on 2014 Colorado Senate debate Jul 26, 2014

On Principles & Values: Giving up Energy Committee seat to run for Senate

Gardner is a rising star within the House GOP. Only in his second term, he is close to Republican leaders and was awarded a plum assignment on the Energy and Commerce Committee. That was a lot to give up for a Senate bid.

Early last year, political handicappers viewed Udall, son of the late Rep. Mo Udall, as in good shape politically. But signs of Udall's political vulnerability grew. Like other Democrats, he drew blame for the troubled rollout of the health-care law. Criticism grew when his office questioned the number of notices the state said people received saying their policies were being canceled because they didn't comply with the standards of the new law. In late January Gardner began to reconsider.

The two leading GOP contenders in the race--Buck and Stephens--withdrew as the news broke about Gardner's decision to run. Still, Gardner expects a tough race. "We don't know if the [political] environment is better," he said. But "it certainly feels like it has turned the corner."

Source: Wall Street Journal on 2014 Colorado Senate race Mar 2, 2014

On Health Care: ObamaCare has led to 335,000 cancellations in Colorado

In recent months, Gardner, like most Colorado conservatives, has assailed Udall for his support of the Affordable Care Act.

Udall's office was recently involved in a dispute over health insurance policy cancellations in Colorado and Gardner called on the state's division of insurance to provide his office with updated cancellation figures.

The updated numbers found that as of mid-January about 335,000 Coloradans had received cancellation notices, though about 92 percent were offered renewal options.

"It's stunning that ObamaCare has led to this many canceled plans, and now it's coming to the forefront," Gardner said, at the time.

Source: Denver Post on 2014 Colorado Senate race Feb 26, 2014

The above quotations are from 2014 Colorado Senate debates. Click here for other excerpts from 2014 Colorado Senate debates. Click here for other excerpts by Cory Gardner. Click here for a profile of Cory Gardner.
*Cory Gardner on other issues:*
Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families Foreign Policy Free Trade	Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Jobs Principles Social Security Tax Reform Technology War/Peace Welfare
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org! Click for details -- or send donations to: 1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140 E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org (We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Dec 06, 2018