Steve Pearce in 2018 NM Governor's race
On Abortion:
Ban abortion after 20 weeks; de-fund Planned Parenthood
Q: Abortion: Mostly ban or mostly legal?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Legal. Opposed bill to ban abortion after 20 weeks unless women's life was at risk or pregnancy was from rape or incest.
Steve Pearce (R): Ban. Voted to ban abortion after
20 weeks unless women's life was at risk or pregnancy was from rape or incest.
Q: Contraception: Allow employers to withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if they disagree with it morally?
Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): No.
Access to free contraception essential "regardless of employer's religious beliefs."
Steve Pearce (R): Yes. "This is not an issue of birth control, it's an issue of government control."
Q:
Let Planned Parenthood receive public funds for non-abortion health care?
Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Values their preventive care.
Steve Pearce (R): No. Willing to shut down government to stop any public funding of them.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Civil Rights:
Opposes gay marriage but accepts it as settled law
Q: Support gay marriage?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Supported NM marriage equality before Supreme Court ruling.
Steve Pearce (R): No. Personally opposes, voted against, but now settled law.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Corporations:
Trump tax cuts are a shot in the arm to manufacturers
Q: Support President Trump's tax cuts?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): No. They resemble failed past policies that "reward the wealthiest people & special interests, while adding as much as $1.5 trillion to our national debt."
Steve Pearce (R): Yes. Will "give a shot in the arm to all manufacturers, & small businesses will be able to become a little more stable."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Drugs:
Opposes recreational marijuana
Q: Legalize or decriminalize marijuana?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Supported NM medical marijuana program & voted in Congress to protect. Supports recreational legalization.
Steve Pearce (R): No. Strongly opposes recreational legalization. "It would hinder the economic fortunes of poor people."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Education:
Vouchers break link of low-income & low-quality schools
Q: Increase funding for K-12 education?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Supports passing constitutional amendment to allow distributions from NM Permanent Fund. Also supports universal pre-K & shifting funding from administrators to classroom
teachers.
Steve Pearce (R): Unclear. Reluctant to dip into Permanent Fund, for pre-K or in general. "Far more complex than just throwing more money at the situation." Support better management, mental health support & apprenticeship programs.
Q: Provide publicly funded vouchers to help pay for private schools?
Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): No.
Strongly opposes school vouchers.
Steve Pearce (R): Yes. "Vouchers break link of low-income & low-quality schools."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Education:
Cut Pell Grants; no more tax money for colleges
Q: Increase funding for higher education?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Find sources of money to replace lottery. In Congress opposed budget that would have lowered Pell Grants.
Steve Pearce (R):
No. "Right now we don't have the money." Must first grow the economy. so that we have the money.
Q: Increase federal or state student financial aid?
Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Backed Elizabeth Warren proposal to lower student interest rates by taxing the wealthy. Also backed Pell Grant support & financial aid for people not pursuing 4-year degree.
Steve Pearce (R): Unclear. Voted for a 2015 Federal budget that significantly cut Pell Grants. Also 2006 budget that cut student loan support in favor of deficit reduction.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Energy & Oil:
No one believes the crap about climate change
Q: Consider climate change a serious threat?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. It would be irresponsible to ignore human impact on the changing climate. Modern science should guide our policy.
Steve Pearce (R): No. In 2010 said Intergovernmental
Panel, which measured climate change, "doesn't even believe the crap."
Q: Limit or tax production of greenhouse gases?
Lujan-Grisham: Yes. Says: Limit greenhouse gases, join Paris Climate Accord, lead on renewable energy--50% of energy from
renewables by 2030, 80% by 2040.
Pearce: No. "Burdensome regulations are killing jobs & driving up energy prices." Voted to prohibit EPA from regulating greenhouse gases. Called Paris Accord an unfair deal for Americans.
Q:
Support government subsidies for renewable energy?
Lujan-Grisham: Yes. Committed to facilitating investments in renewable energy sector.
Pearce: No. Wants to "support every form of energy." Voted repeatedly against credits or support for renewables.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Free Trade:
Opposes tariffs because they hurt our businesses
Q: Support Trump's imposition of tariffs on Chinese steel & other products?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): No. Concerned will cause "dangerous & short-sighted" trade war, harming NM agriculture & consumers.
Steve Pearce (R): Some reservations. "I will not support putting our businesses at a disadvantage & raising prices on our consumers."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Government Reform:
Supports Citizens United
Q: Require political ads to disclose largest funders? Support Citizens United decision, allowing unlimited political donations from corporations & unions?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes, on disclosure. Sponsored bills to reverse Citizens United, &
require tax-exempt social welfare organizations that run political ads to reveal donors.
Steve Pearce (R): Supported Citizens United. No position on disclosure bills. Voted to defund House Ethics office after it investigated his staffer.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Government Reform:
Supports voter ID laws
Q: Support stricter voting rules such as voter ID requirements even if they prevent some people from voting?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): No. "Burdensome voter ID laws & purging of voter registration rolls
. disproportionately impact poor, elderly, disabled & Americans of color."
Steve Pearce (R): Yes. Voted for photo ID in federal races.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Gun Control:
I don't think Gun Control legislation works
Q: Support more restrictive Gun Control legislation? Restrict semi-automatic weapons?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Strengthen background checks, ban assault weapons & high-capacity magazines. Ban anyone convicted of domestic
violence from buying guns.
Steve Pearce (R): No. "I don't think Gun Control legislation works." Restrictions would divert resources to "cataloguing & confiscating the guns of law-abiding citizens."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Health Care:
Repeal & replace ObamaCare; no Medicaid without work
Q: Support or Repeal ACA, aka ObamaCare?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Supports ACA, voted against repeal. Protect & strengthen Medicaid.
Steve Pearce (R): "Repeal & replace." Voted for repeal.
Q: Require people to work to receive Medicaid?
Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): No. Opposed work requirements enacted by current governor Susana Martinez.
Steve Pearce (R): Yes. Require "able-bodied" Medicaid recipients to work.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Immigration:
Supports earned path to citizenship over a 10-year period
Q: Support DREAM Act (DACA), allowing "Dreamers" who arrived illegally as children, then grew up in the US, to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Worked to protect their status. Supports earned
path to citizenship, for DACA recipients and illegal immigrants in general.
Steve Pearce (R): Yes. On DACA, proposed 10-year "conditional protected status" with option to renew but no path to citizenship. Supports guest worker program, without amnesty.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Jobs:
Enact right-to-work law (no automatic union dues)
Q: Enact right-to-work law, preventing unions from mandating dues for workers they represent?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D):
No, opposes.
Steve Pearce (R): Yes, supports.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Jobs:
Raising minimum wage hurts small businesses
Q: Raise the minimum wage from current $7.25/hour?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Supports raising to $10 immediately, & to $12 in 4 years, indexed to inflation.
Steve Pearce (R): No. Raising the minimum wage would hurt small business & people at the bottom of the economic ladder.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Technology:
Net Neutrality rules undermine the free market
Q: Net Neutrality: Require internet providers to provide equal access to all users?Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D):
Yes. Co-sponsored Congressional resolution to reinstate net neutrality.
Steve Pearce (R): No. Net neutrality rules "undermine the free marketplace."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
On Education:
Competition through choice helps schools
I strongly believe every school must face tough scrutiny and challenge itself to raise standards and push for the best in each of its students.
Competition through choice would be a catalyst for vast improvements in underperforming public school systems, including those serving large numbers of low-income students.
Source: 2018 New Mexico Gubernatorial website pearce.house.gov
Aug 22, 2017
On Energy & Oil:
Must include fossil fuels as well as green energy
Burdensome regulations are killing jobs and driving up energy prices at a time when we can afford neither. We should increase the supply of domestic gas and oil, while also developing greener sources of energy like
wind, solar and nuclear power. We can protect our environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil only if only we start harnessing all our sources of energy.
Source: 2018 New Mexico Gubernatorial website pearce.house.gov
Aug 22, 2017
On Environment:
Burdensome regulations kill jobs, like logging industry
Heavy taxes and burdensome regulations have killed jobs across America. Regulatory balance is needed--commonsense solutions that do not cost a single job.
I have introduced legislation to restore jobs in New Mexico's logging industry, where reckless regulation crippled a once-flourishing economy. With careful laws like this one, we can restore jobs to New Mexico.
Source: 2018 New Mexico Gubernatorial website pearce.house.gov
Aug 22, 2017
On Health Care:
Repeal & replace ObamaCare
Repealing the current government takeover of medicine is only one step--more work is still needed. I want to see careful, specific legislation that will fix individual problems with health care.
We need to allow you to keep your insurance if you lose or change jobs. We need lawsuit abuse reform, and a ban on discriminating against pre-existing conditions.
Source: 2018 New Mexico Gubernatorial website pearce.house.gov
Aug 22, 2017
On Homeland Security:
Our military must be second to none
The United States' armed forces have been the guardian of freedom throughout the world for decades.
The rise of radical Islam in recent years has brought a new threat to America. We must maintain a strong military that continues to be second to none.
Source: 2018 New Mexico Gubernatorial website pearce.house.gov
Aug 22, 2017
On Immigration:
Need secure border, but human solutions
The violence, drug and weapons smuggling, and human trafficking that plagues our border must be put to a stop. I am working to advocate human solutions that reflect the sensitivity of border security issues.
This is a complex issue, and all related groups must be engaged in the process of developing a strong policy for border security. It is time that the federal government gives New Mexico the resources and solutions we need for a strong, secure border.
Source: 2018 New Mexico Gubernatorial website pearce.house.gov
Aug 22, 2017
On War & Peace:
Supports moving forward in Afghanistan
It is clear tonight that President Trump took the time to confer with his military leaders to establish a pathway forward in Afghanistan, and understands the weight that these military decisions carry. In the coming days and weeks,
I look forward to seeing greater detail from the Administration about how our military plans on completing its mission in Afghanistan. If we are to risk more American lives, the President must be steadfast in his resolve to complete the mission, and win.
Source: 2018 New Mexico Gubernatorial website pearce.house.gov
Aug 22, 2017
On Gun Control:
Allow concealed guns across state lines
The National Rifle Association has said momentum is building for bills that enshrine rights to carry concealed weapons across state lines. Pearce is among more than 200 co-sponsors of the House reciprocity bill.
A spokesman for Pearce's campaign for state governor said concerns about the bill undermining public safety were unfounded, noting that it defers to existing state laws about where concealed weapons can be carried.
Source: US News & World Report on 2018 New Mexico gubernatorial race
Aug 1, 2017
On Drugs:
Questions Colorado's model on pot legalization
New Mexico currently has a medicinal marijuana program. Pearce supports "looking more closely" at medical use of the drug and has been moved by patients finding relief from cannabis. He is watching
Colorado's move into legalization use and says "there are questions" about whether New Mexico should do so. In Colorado, he said he has observed that "some people can handle recreational drugs like (they handle) alcohol."
Source: Las Cruces Sun-News on 2018 New Mexico gubernatorial race
Jul 10, 2017
On Principles & Values:
Biblical values important for government
Pearce became the first U.S. Congressman to address the Belarusian Parliament and he talked about a subject that would have been forbidden in this former Communist country only a few short years ago--
the Holy Bible and its role in the founding of the United States. Pearce is a leading Congressional Sponsor of Capitol Ministries in Washington DC.
Source: Capitol Ministries on 2018 New Mexico gubernatorial race
May 1, 2017
Page last updated: Mar 08, 2019