John James in Past and present Senate candidates from Michigan
On Abortion:
De-fund Planned Parenthood; bad abortion even for rape
Q: Abortion: Mostly ban or mostly legal?John James (R): Ban, with an exception for the life of the mother--but not for rape or incest.
Debbie Stabenow (D): Legal. Says has to be a woman's choice.
Q: Let employers withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if disagree with it morally?
John James (R): No public statement found.
Debbie Stabenow (D): No. Co-sponsored bill to protect healthcare benefits, including contraceptive coverage.
Q: Let Planned Parenthood receive public funds for non-abortion healthcare?
John James (R): "Supports efforts to defund abortion providers like Planned Parenthood."
Debbie Stabenow (D): Defunding Planned Parenthood would keep countless women who rely on Medicaid from getting healthcare. They're often the only safety net alternative.
Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
On Civil Rights:
Employers shouldn't be able to fire someone for being gay
Q: Gay Marriage: Support gay marriage?John James (R): Unknown. But says employers shouldn't be able to fire someone for being gay.
Debbie Stabenow (D): Yes. Many votes against discrimination, even before the Supreme Court ruling.
Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
On Corporations:
Trump tax cuts encourage companies to do business in America
Q: Taxes: Support President Trump's tax cuts?John James (R): Yes. Says they encourage companies "to do business right here in America."
Debbie Stabenow (D): No. Don't cut taxes for the wealthy at the expense of middle-class families.
Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
On Drugs:
Opposes marijuana legalization for recreational use
Q: Marijuana: Support medical & recreational decriminalization? Legalization is on the ballot as Measure 1.John James (R):
Unknown view of medical marijuana use. Opposes legalization for recreational use.
Debbie Stabenow (D): Yes. "Time to decriminalize medical and recreational marijuana."
Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
On Education:
Supports public money for private schools
Q: Education: Give parents vouchers to send children to private schools with public money?John James (R): Yes. Let parents "use their tax dollars to send their children to the best schools."
Debbie Stabenow (D): No. Has long opposed school vouchers. Says create world-class public education.
Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
On Free Trade:
Let master negotiator Trump re-work trade deals
Q: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? Support Trump's imposition of tariffs on Chinese steel & other products?John James (R): Torn between adequately funding the military & working toward a balanced budget with less
debt. On tariffs, calls Trump "a master negotiator."
Debbie Stabenow (D): Supports major infrastructure spending. On tariffs, supports stopping Chinese dumping of certain products but calls for "a more thoughtful, targeted approach."
Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
On Gun Control:
Second Amendment says semi-automatic weapons ok
Q: Gun Control: Support more restrictive gun control legislation? Restrict semi-automatic weapons?John James (R): No. Second amendment rights "SHALL NOT be infringed [upon]. Enough said!"
Debbie Stabenow (D): Yes. Supports common-sense gun reform: expanded background checks, banning high-capacity magazines & bump stocks.
Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
On Health Care:
Remove the monstrosity of ObamaCare
Q: Healthcare: Support or Repeal Affordable Care Act (ACA), known as ObamaCare? Let Planned Parenthood receive public funds for non-abortion healthcare?John James (R): Repeal. Will work to "remove this monstrosity [ACA]."
Also "supports efforts to defund abortion providers like Planned Parenthood."
Debbie Stabenow (D): Supports ACA but with improvements.
Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
On Immigration:
We must end illegal immigration & secure the border
Q: Immigration: Support DACA, letting "Dreamers" who arrived illegally as children, then grew up in the US, achieve legal status if meet certain conditions?John James (R): No public statement found. But opposes path to citizenship for America's
11 million illegal immigrants. "We must end illegal immigration" & secure the border.
Debbie Stabenow (D): Yes. Voted for original 2007 DACA bill that failed to pass. Has supported more money for border funding, mixed votes on path to citizenship.
Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
On Jobs:
Opposes raising federal minimum wage to $15/hr
Q: Minimum Wage: Raise federal minimum wage from $7.25/hr?John James (R): Critical of increasing to $15/hr,
but unclear if he'd support a smaller increase.
Debbie Stabenow (D): Has supported raising, but no statement on current proposal to raise to $15/hr.
Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
On War & Peace:
Iran nuclear treaty was a fatally flawed deal
Q: Iran: Withdraw from treaty to limit Iran's nuclear capability & lift some sanctions?John James (R): Yes. It was a fatally flawed deal.
Debbie Stabenow (D): No. "Now, our allies don't know if they can trust our word."
Source: CampusElect.org Issue Guide on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
On Civil Rights:
Opposed laws protecting LGBTQ from employment discrimination
John James is eagerly accepting support from anti-LGBTQ extremist Mike Pence, and has previously refused to support laws protecting LGBTQ Michiganders from discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations.
HRC's State Director says, "In a state with 1.1. Million Equality Voters, where a strong majority of citizens support marriage equality and fundamental civil rights, James has nonetheless perplexingly chosen to align with
Mike Pence--an extremist who has made virulent anti-LGBTQ activism the cornerstone of his political career. As they campaign to push their discriminatory, anti-equality agenda,
HRC is on the ground mobilizing our hundreds of thousands of members and supporters in Michigan to reject the politics of hate and ensure that pro-equality champion Debbie Stabenow remains in office."
Source: HRC.org on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Aug 28, 2018
On Social Security:
Returning lifelong investment to seniors is moral obligation
Protecting Social Security for our seniors today and saving it for our grandchildren tomorrow are moral obligations. Hard working and honest Michiganders of all generations are owed a return on their lifelong investment into the System.
Our debt is a national security threat. We must rein in spending! I would support a balanced budget amendment and will work to cut waste and consolidate or eliminate entire departments in the federal bureaucracy.
Source: Ballotpedia.org on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Aug 25, 2018
On Jobs:
Incumbent does not do enough to create or protect jobs
[After his primary victory], James told Stabenow to get ready "for the fight of your political life.""Michigan needs a combat veteran and job creator in the U.S. Senate. I don't have a black message. I don't have a white message," said
James, who is African American and who criticized Stabenow for not doing enough to create or protect jobs. "I have a Michigan message.... Washington has enough career politicians."
Source: Detroit Free Press on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Aug 7, 2018
On War & Peace:
Army veteran who flew Apache helicopters in Iraq
In the days before the election, President Donald Trump not only endorsed James, who is an Army veteran who attended West Point and flew Apache helicopters in Iraq, but did a recorded robocall for voters on James' behalf (he also did that on behalf of
Republican gubernatorial candidate and state Attorney General Bill Schuette, who also won). James helps to run his family's warehousing and logistics business in Detroit, a position he took up after returning from the Army.
Source: Detroit Free Press on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Aug 7, 2018
On Abortion:
100% pro-life; always have been; always will be
I am 100% Pro-Life.
Always have been. Always will be.
Source: 2018 Michigan Senate campaign website JohnJamesForSenate.com
Mar 2, 2018
On Budget & Economy:
Focus on cutting waste and getting to a balanced budget
Our debt is a national security threat. We must rein in spending
! I would support a balanced budget amendment and will work to cut waste and consolidate or eliminate entire departments in the federal bureaucracy.
Source: 2018 Michigan Senate campaign website JohnJamesForSenate.com
Mar 2, 2018
On Education:
Every high school student should be career- or college-ready
Every child in Michigan should be career or college ready when he or she leaves high school.
Parents and local communities should be empowered to determine the best way to achieve this goal, not Washington.
Source: 2018 Michigan Senate campaign website JohnJamesForSenate.com
Mar 2, 2018
On Environment:
Protect the national treasure of the Great Lakes
Our Great Lakes are a national treasure which also supports a robust fish and tourism industry here in Michigan.
I will champion policies and programs that not only protect environmental quality throughout the Great Lakes but will protect them from invasive species such as Asian carp.
Source: 2018 Michigan Senate campaign website JohnJamesForSenate.com
Mar 2, 2018
On Free Trade:
Free but fair trade, to keep jobs in Michigan
Michigan is a global leader in the agriculture and automotive industries. I support free, but fair trade.
We must ensure that our trade deals and federal regulations make sense, do not put Michigan-made goods at a disadvantage and keep jobs in Michigan.
Michigan's food and agricultural industry includes over 52,000 farms, employing over 900,000 Michiganders.
To remain a global leader in agriculture we must ensure that federal regulations make sense and do not put Michigan farmers on an unequal playing field with our competitors.
Source: 2018 Michigan Senate campaign website JohnJamesForSenate.com
Mar 2, 2018
On Gun Control:
2nd Amendment is enough said
"A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, SHALL NOT be infringed."
Enough said!
Source: 2018 Michigan Senate campaign website JohnJamesForSenate.com
Mar 2, 2018
On Homeland Security:
Help prepare our veterans for re-entry into society
We must to do a better job preparing our service members for life outside of the military,
because re-integrating into civilian life should not be the toughest battle that we (vets) face.
Source: 2018 Michigan Senate campaign website JohnJamesForSenate.com
Mar 2, 2018
On Immigration:
Proponent of Kate's Law; defund sanctuary cities
I understand how to secure a border because I've done it before. Sovereign nations must have secure borders and entry points. I support Kate's Law and I will support defunding 'sanctuary cities,' or as I call them, 'outlaw cities'.
[OnTheIssues note: Kate's Law requires that deported aliens who subsequently attempt to cross the border into the US are subject to fines and imprisonment].
Source: 2018 Michigan Senate campaign website JohnJamesForSenate.com
Mar 2, 2018
On Immigration:
No nonsense view of illegal immigration--has to stop now
We are a nation of immigrants but we are also a nation of laws. We welcome legal immigrants,
but illegal immigration is a direct affront to our laws and to those who abide by them. We must end illegal immigration.
Source: 2018 Michigan Senate campaign website JohnJamesForSenate.com
Mar 2, 2018
On Principles & Values:
Fight for the Constitution's principles, as written
Supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States means abiding by it as written.
I will fight to preserve separation of powers, fight for limited government and will approve justices who will interpret the constitution as written.
Source: 2018 Michigan Senate campaign website JohnJamesForSenate.com
Mar 2, 2018
On Technology:
Repair of infrastructure is stepping stone to the future
Pot holes and blighted buildings have no place in Michigan's future.
I will work to ensure an infrastructure package that is more than simply repairing our legacy but building our future.
Source: 2018 Michigan Senate campaign website JohnJamesForSenate.com
Mar 2, 2018
On Welfare & Poverty:
Eliminate poverty instead of just making it more comfortable
Dependency should not be the destiny of any American.
Michigan deserves a Senator who will work to eliminate poverty, not just make it more comfortable.
Source: 2018 Michigan Senate campaign website JohnJamesForSenate.com
Mar 2, 2018
On Foreign Policy:
More military influence on the foreign policy team
James said he supports Donald Trump, praising the president for nominating Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and for stocking his foreign policy team with
military generals. "There's not enough combat veterans in government "who understand the consequences of failed policies," he said.
Source: The Detroit News on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Jul 18, 2017
Page last updated: Feb 23, 2019