Rik Mehta in 2020 NJ Senatorial race


On Abortion: Protect unborn children from the moment of conception

Rik is pro-life. In the Senate, he will vote to protect unborn children from the moment of conception, while also ensuring that expectant mothers receive all the care and support that they need. Rik opposes taxpayer funds being used to provide abortion, believes we should ban late-term abortions, and that a parent or guardian must be notified when a minor child is seeking an abortion.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate campaign website RikForNJ.com Mar 18, 2020

On Budget & Economy: Supports a balanced budget amendment

Rik supports a balanced budget amendment because the federal government needs to live within its means, just like American families, seniors, and small businesses do each and every day. In the Senate, Rik would vote to make the Trump individual tax cuts permanent and vote to raise or eliminate the current $10,000 SALT cap to alleviate pressure on New Jersey homeowners who--thanks to Trenton Democrats--pay the highest state and local taxes in the nation.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate campaign website RikForNJ.com Mar 18, 2020

On Crime: Lock up violent offenders and throw away the key

The President has taken the first steps to remedy past mistakes by signing into law signature legislation, the First Step Act, and creating incremental changes to our criminal justice system. Rik will continue to expand criminal justice reform in a way that ensures we lock up violent offenders and throw away the key, while preventing the overflow of our jails with non-violent offenders who are capable of rehabilitation and earn second chances.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate campaign website RikForNJ.com Mar 18, 2020

On Drugs: Eliminate aid to socialist governments run on trafficking

Dr. Mehta's Opioid Action Plan will develop guidelines for State Medical Boards that:
  1. provide a fair and balanced approach to prosecuting doctors for overprescribing pain medications while mitigating access for patients suffering from intractable pain and diseases
  2. protect coordination between local and federal law enforcement cracking down on illicit narcotics flowing through our borders and
  3. eliminate foreign aid to socialist governments run on narco trafficking.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate campaign website RikForNJ.com Mar 18, 2020

On Education: Backs school choice for those locked in failing schools

Rik backs school choice for parents and children locked in failing schools, and will free local districts to make curriculum decisions, not federal bureaucrats. A student should never have their future determined by their zip code and the failing schools that serve it. High dropout rates, low test scores, and rampant absenteeism are sadly typical of many failing schools. All too often, those schools are in minority neighborhoods. This is unfair and immoral.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate campaign website RikForNJ.com Mar 18, 2020

On Foreign Policy: China: masters of misinformation, not to be trusted

My policies would bring drug manufacturing back to American while at the same time creating thousands of jobs, lowering the price of drugs and protecting public health. As for China, they are masters of misinformation, from lying about the start of the COVID-19 cases in their country to providing false figures about the containment of this virus within their own borders, China is not to be trusted. I commend President Trump for the way he is handling this unfortunate situation.
Source: Fox News on 2020 New Jersey Senate race Apr 18, 2020

On Free Trade: For trade, but ensure other nations don't take advantage

Rik supports President Trump's United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) because it creates a fair playing field for American workers and will benefit New Jersey farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses. We live in a global economy and free trade is a must, but it also must be fair trade to ensure that other nations don't take advantage of us like they have for years.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate campaign website RikForNJ.com Mar 18, 2020

On Gun Control: Never back down from defending the 2nd Amendment

Rik will never back down from defending the 2nd Amendment. Stopping gun violence does not mean scapegoating or infringing upon the rights of law-abiding citizens who own guns for self-defense of any other purpose. Rik supports expanding conceal carry laws coupled with an effective background check system to keep guns out of the hands of criminals or the mentally ill.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate campaign website RikForNJ.com Mar 18, 2020

On Health Care: Against Medicare for All, end excessive regulation

Disastrous socialist policies like 'Medicare for All' is not the answer. Rik supports the following:
  1. allow competition across state lines
  2. eliminate excessive regulatory mandates
  3. reverse taxing insurance premiums
  4. crack down on irresponsible pharmaceutical companies
  5. get new therapies onto pharmacy shelves
  6. increase transparency into drug pricing decisions
  7. cut down FDA approval time for new medicines
  8. bring drug manufacturing back to the U.S.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate campaign website RikForNJ.com Mar 18, 2020

On Immigration: For the wall; against healthcare for illegal immigrants

Rik supports building the wall and opposes taxpayer-funded education and healthcare for illegal immigrants. While compassionate towards all those seeking a better life in the United States, Rik believes that immigrants coming to this country should do it the way his parents did--legally. Rik is also completely opposed to Governor Phil Murphy's radical Sanctuary State policies, including college tuition aid, legal aid, and drivers licenses for illegals.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate campaign website RikForNJ.com Mar 18, 2020

On Principles & Values: Campaign $300,000+ in debt, entire campaign staff quit

Mehta has just a few thousand dollars in their campaign coffers, but owe a staggering $329,558 to consultants, contractors, campaign workers and himself. To make matters worse, Mehta's entire Senate campaign team just quit on him.
Source: Shore News Network on 2020 New Jersey Senate race Aug 17, 2020

On Principles & Values: We need God, we need prayer, reopen houses of worship

Mehta has called for Governor Murphy to reopen places of worship and allow for the people of New Jersey to join together for a statewide Day of Prayer, Peace and Nonviolence. "With so much tragedy in our midst, we need God, we need prayer; it is imperative that religious leaders in our communities be allowed to resume faith-based services in-person so the people of our state can worship and invoke the power of prayer," said Rik Mehta.
Source: InsiderNJ.com blog on 2020 New Jersey Senate race Jun 3, 2020

On War & Peace: Bring our troops home when it's not our war

Freedom is never free. It's never wrong for the President to bring American troops home and reunite them with their families. Countries that have a closer geographic interest to war-torn regions, such as Syria and the Middle East, must pull their own weight and work to maintain peace. We must bring our troops home when it's not our war. These brave men and women have sacrificed everything to protect our nation, and we owe it to them to take care of them when they exit active duty.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate campaign website RikForNJ.com Mar 18, 2020

The above quotations are from 2020 New Jersey Senatorial race: debates and news coverage.
Click here for other excerpts from 2020 New Jersey Senatorial race: debates and news coverage.
Click here for other excerpts by Rik Mehta.
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Rik Mehta 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
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Page last updated: Feb 14, 2023