Ed Gillespie in Politico.com
On Free Trade:
Opposes the Export-Import Bank
Gillespie cited opposition to the Export-Import Bank as evidence of his independence.Warner noted that the Republican-leaning National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce both support renewing the
Export-Import Bank. "It supports American businesses in a global economy, giving them a financial backstop," he said.
Gillespie noted that he understands the arguments for the bank. "I have a lot of friends who support the Export-Import bank, believe me," he said. "I think it's an area where we can get some savings.
I know it's hard to stand up to the Chamber of Commerce [and] the National Association of Manufacturers," Gillespie added, but that's the job of a senator."
Source: Politico.com weblog on 2014 Virginia Senate debate
Jul 26, 2014
On Abortion:
I never supported a Personhood amendment
Gillespie does not have a long paper trail on abortion issues, and he pushed back when Warner said he would overturn Roe vs. Wade or push a Personhood amendment, which would say life begins at conception. "Please provide the documentation for my support
of any of those things," Gillespie said.Warner countered: "If you are in the Senate, would you vote to overturn Roe vs. Wade? Did you not also support a personhood amendment?"
"No," Gillespie replied. "When did I support a Personhood amendment?
There's not going to be a vote to overturn Roe v. Wade," Gillespie said. "That's a Supreme Court decision. I'm running for the United States Senate."
The Warner campaign's evidence that Gillespie supports Personhood is thin.
They point to the platform passed by the Republican National Committee in 2004, when Gillespie was party chairman. "Gillespie chose the platform director and said the platform reflects the 'beliefs of our party,'" Warner's campaign emailed after.
Source: Politico.com weblog on 2014 Virginia Senate debate
Jul 26, 2014
On Abortion:
Sell contraceptives over-the-counter to avoid Hobby Lobby
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 Virginia Senate debate
Jul 26, 2014
On Civil Rights:
Increase share of African-American vote in midterm elections
Gillespie, speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, said: "We have to acknowledge the historic nature of [the election of] President Obama," especially for the African-American community, he said. But, Gillespie noted, going forward,
Obama's "not going to be at the top of the ticket. That gives us the opportunity to make some headway."He reminded the audience that for a time in the early 2000s, the GOP "increased its share of the black vote" slightly, though "it's kind of pathetic
to be bragging" about going from 9% to 11% support. In the past two elections, however, the GOP has floundered with minority voters. "I think we can increase our share of the African-American vote in the midterm elections.
I believe we definitely can, and certainly in the next presidential election," the Senate candidate said. "And we've got to."
Source: Politico.com coverage of CPAC and 2014 Virginia Senate race
Mar 6, 2014
On Civil Rights:
Maintain state same-sex marriage ban, but leave it to states
Gillespie reiterated his personal opposition to same-sex marriage, but he said it is a state issue: "I respect and love people for who they are," the Republican said. "I believe marriage is between one man and one woman. But I also believe that
as a senator, it's not my role to legislate on that." Pressed, he said he would vote no if a statewide referendum came up to repeal the state's ban on same-sex marriage.Warner switched his position to endorse gay marriage in March 2013.
Source: Politico.com weblog on 2014 Virginia Senate debate
Jul 26, 2014
On Immigration:
Send migrant kids back to parents in Central America
Both men agreed that migrant children should be sent back to Central America: Gillespie declined to take a position on the bill introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), which would prohibit any further expansion of Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals, a program that shields some young undocumented immigrants from deportation. "I have not seen the bill," said Gillespie. "I haven't seen Sen. Cruz's bill, but I think President Obama overreached, and we're seeing the consequences today.
The compassionate response is to make clear, 'Don't keep doing this, don't keep sending these children here, because they are not going to be afforded American citizenship,'" he added. "The most compassionate thing we can do is for them to return to
their parents."Warner emphasized the need to speed up the processing of these children, but he said "many of these children will be sent home. That process will result in some of those kids going back, but there ought to be a process," he said.
Source: Politico.com weblog on 2014 Virginia Senate debate
Jul 26, 2014
On Principles & Values:
Don't let the Left fill the vacuum of minority voters
Former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, who is running for Senate in Virginia, appealed to his party to reach out to minorities and other groups instead of letting the left "fill that vacuum." Gillespie, speaking at the Conservative
Political Action Conference, is running against popular Democratic Sen. Mark Warner in a state that has grown more diverse--and increasingly friendly to Democrats.The Republican argued that it was important for his party to "be there" in communities
that have trended away from the GOP, noting that candidates don't need to speak Spanish to go on the Univision or Telemundo television networks. He also mentioned his own efforts to offer campaign videos in other languages. "We certainly should not
cede those audiences to the left," Gillespie said of groups that don't typically vote for Republicans, including many minorities. The left will "fill that vacuum, and we cannot allow that vacuum to occur."
Source: Politico.com coverage of CPAC and 2014 Virginia Senate race
Mar 6, 2014
On War & Peace:
Keep troops in Afghanistan; military on table with Iran
There was general agreement on foreign policy: Both Warner and Gillespie agreed that the U.S. should never take military action off the table against Iran, and that Israel is America's closest ally in the Middle East.
On keeping troops in Afghanistan, [the debate moderator] asked whether Gillespie is closer to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) or Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).
He did not directly answer, but he sounded a lot closer to the McCain view in arguing that troops should be there "as long as they're serving our national security interests."
Warner said he thinks Colin Powell was right when he said "you break it, you own it."
"Pottery Barn," Gillespie interjected.
Source: Politico.com weblog on 2014 Virginia Senate debate
Jul 26, 2014
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