Walker Stapleton in CampusElect.org 2018 Gubernatorial coverage


On Abortion: Ban abortion with exceptions for rape & incest

Q: Abortion: Mostly ban or mostly legal?

Jared Polis (D): Legal. Strong pro-choice advocate.

Walker Stapleton (R): Mostly ban, with exceptions for rape, incest and life of mother. Won't say if he'll sign abortion restriction bills.

Q: Let employers withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if disagree with it morally?

Polis: No.

Stapleton: Unknown.

Q: Let Planned Parenthood receive public funds for non-abortion health services?

Polis: Yes.

Stapleton: Unknown.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Colorado Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Drugs: Concerned about unintended consequences of legalizing pot

Q: Keep marijuana legalization?

Jared Polis (D): Yes. The only candidate who supported legalization in 2012. Treat it like alcohol. Opposes Justice Department's war against states with legalization.

Walker Stapleton (R): Unknown. But is concerned about unintended consequences of legalization, including mental health issues.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Colorado Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Education: Supports school choice: $10,000 to follow student anywhere

Q: Increase funding for K-12 education?

Jared Polis (D): Yes. Advocates for increased across-the-board funding and preschool for all. Has also supported related levies and bonds and will continue to do so.

Walker Stapleton (R): Yes. But "it is critical to ensure that these dollars actually make it into the classroom."

Q: Support recent teachers' strikes?

Polis: Yes. Stop underpaying teachers, "instead of criminalizing [their] right to.demand fair compensation."

Stapleton: Unknown.

Q: Education: Support providing vouchers or tax breaks to parents to send their children to private schools with public money?

Polis: "I've voted against vouchers every time they've come up in Congress. I don't support diverting funds from public schools to private schools. Period."

Stapleton: Yes. Advocates "school choice" and believes "each student that gets . $10,000 in funding should take that money .& .do whatever they want."

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Colorado Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Energy & Oil: Full-throated defense of oil-and-gas deregulation

Q: Consider climate change a critical threat, so limit the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Support participation in U.S. Climate Alliance, a coalition of states committed to climate change action?

Jared Polis (D): Yes to limiting greenhouse gases. Supports participation in Alliance. Introduced "100 by `50 Act" to transition to 100% clean and renewable energy by 2050.

Walker Stapleton (R): No to limiting greenhouse gases. Says a major reason he is running is to "offer a full-throated defense of the state's oil-and-gas industry against [those] that want it regulated more tightly."

Q: Support government investment in renewable energy?

Polis: Yes. Increase regulatory incentives for energy efficiency & renewables.

Stapleton: No. Favors "free enterprise & open & competitive marketplace."

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Colorado Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Free Trade: Tariffs on China escalate trade war & hurt businesses

Q: Support Trump's imposition of tariffs on Chinese steel and other products?

Jared Polis (D): Unknown.

Walker Stapleton (R): No. Is concerned about escalating trade war hurting Colorado industries.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Colorado Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Gun Control: Repeal existing gun control laws & oppose new efforts

Q: Support more restrictive gun control legislation? Restrict semi-automatic weapons?

Jared Polis (D): Supports gun rights for defense & sport, but would ban bump stocks, end black market gun sales, temporarily suspend dangerous people's access to firearms, & increase gun safety.

Walker Stapleton (R): No. Wants to repeal 2013 gun control laws & will oppose all efforts to limit guns. Supports letting law enforcement seize weapons from people deemed a threat.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Colorado Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Health Care: End Colorado's ObamaCare exchange; undo Medicaid expansion

Q: Support or Repeal ACA, aka ObamaCare? Accept ACA's Medicaid expansion to subsidize low-income participants?

Jared Polis (D): Keep ACA and improve it. Work toward universal single-payer system. Believes Medicaid expansion in Colorado has been an enormous success.

Walker Stapleton (R): Repeal ACA & end Colorado's ObamaCare exchange. Shrinking Medicaid expansion would be among main changes he'd champion.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Colorado Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Immigration: Deport anyone in the country illegally

Q: Support DACA, allowing "Dreamers" who arrived illegally as children, then grew up in the US, to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions? Support path to citizenship for America's 11 million illegal immigrants?

Jared Polis (D): Yes. "Outraged" .by Trump's "callous & short-sighted decision" to end DACA & "cast nearly 1 million aspiring Americans back into the shadows." Supports earned path to citizenship for other illegal immigrants, combined with increased border protections.

Walker Stapleton (R): Has said supports Trump proposals, which gave DACA recipients legal status but not path to citizenship in return for building the wall and tightening legal immigration. Has also supported deporting anyone in the country illegally.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Colorado Governor race Oct 9, 2018

On Tax Reform: I had the courage to support Donald Trump's tax cuts

Q: Support President Trump's proposed tax cuts?

Jared Polis (D): No. "I proudly wrote the bill to repeal @RealDonaldTrump's tax giveaways [to the wealthy]."

Walker Stapleton (R): Yes. "I was the only treasurer in the country with the courage to support Donald Trump's tax cuts."

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Colorado Governor race Oct 9, 2018

The above quotations are from CampusElect.org 2018 Campus Election Engagement Project.
Click here for other excerpts from CampusElect.org 2018 Campus Election Engagement Project.
Click here for other excerpts by Walker Stapleton.
Click here for other excerpts by other Governors.
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Page last updated: Jun 21, 2020