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VoteMatch Question & Answer (Click on question for explanation and background)	Based on these stances: (Click on topic for excerpt & citation)
Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (-3 points on Social scale)	No conservative litmus test for judicial appointments: Favors topic 1 Abortion ok when LIFE of mother at risk, not just her HEALTH: Opposes topic 1 Defund Planned Parenthood, but not with federal shutdown: Opposes topic 1 I defunded Planned Parenthood in Florida; do same federally: Opposes topic 1 Prevent use of public funds for stem cell research: Opposes topic 1 Created divisive "Choose Life" license plates: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Parental consent; clinic regulation; pro-life counseling: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Parental consent over government intrusions into families: Opposes topic 1 Restrict abortions to incest, rape, & health: Opposes topic 1 No need to teach about abortion if we have moral absolutes: Opposes topic 1
Opposes topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (+2 points on Economic scale)	Minority achievement gap intolerable morally & economically: Strongly Favors topic 2 OpEd: "One Florida" scrapped affirmative action: Opposes topic 2 Replaced affirmative action with "One Florida" initiative: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Dismantled Florida's affirmative action program: Strongly Opposes topic 2 One Florida: equal minority contracts and admissions: Strongly Favors topic 2 Provide licensure exams in Spanish, for free: Favors topic 2 Supports Affirmative Action; against quotas: Opposes topic 2 Gay rights & feminism are "modern victim movements": Strongly Opposes topic 2 Support principles embodied in the Equal Rights Amendment: Favors topic 2
Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-3 points on Social scale)	Let businesses express religious freedom against gays: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Respect civil unions & same-sex lifetime commitments: Favors topic 3 1994: LGBT protections are tantamount to elevating sodomy: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Don't-ask-don't-tell ok if it doesn't affect policy: Favors topic 3 Insisted on more racial and gender diversity in trial judges: Strongly Favors topic 3 Don't create gays as another category of victims: Opposes topic 3 No hate-crimes status for gays; no gay marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-5 points on Social scale)	Social service benefits via private & faith-based companies: Strongly Favors topic 4 Proposed refusing federal money for welfare: Favors topic 4 Created Governor's Faith-Based Advisory Board: Strongly Favors topic 4 Don't restrict creationism discussion, but don't require it: Favors topic 4 1994: Get tough on recipients of public assistance: Opposes topic 4 More government money to religious groups: Strongly Favors topic 4 No Place Like Home initiative: find families for DCF kids: Favors topic 4 Welcome community and faith based organizations as partners: Strongly Favors topic 4 Replace AFDC with limited temporary assistance: Favors topic 4 School prayer OK if prayers are voluntary and student-led: Strongly Favors topic 4 Limit welfare benefits; supports welfare-to-work: Favors topic 4 Help welfare recipients into workforce: Favors topic 4 Focus on virtue & character, not values: Favors topic 4 Pass moral judgment & teach virtue to our children: Strongly Favors topic 4 Taking welfare should be more shameful than working: Favors topic 4 Focus on abstinence; end social promotion: Favors topic 4 Duty to protect religious minorities & Christian refugees: Strongly Favors topic 4
Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+2 points on Economic scale)	Keep HSAs to encourage savings, as Medicare reform: Opposes topic 5 ObamaCare is flawed to its core: Strongly Opposes topic 5 OpEd: Medicaid reforms won't cover chronic conditions: Strongly Opposes topic 5 ObamaCare is focused on access; should be focused on quality: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Compromised on limiting medical malpractice awards: Favors topic 5 Protect state tobacco settlement funds from federal seizure: Neutral on topic 5
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Allow diverting over 10% to private savings accounts: Favors topic 6 Next president should try again for privatization: Strongly Favors topic 6 Maintain federal Social Services Block Grant funding: Favors topic 6 Maintain long-term solvency of Social Security and Medicare: Opposes topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+5 points on Economic scale)	Parental choice in preschool, both public and private: Strongly Favors topic 7 Class-size reduction does not improve student achievement: Favors topic 7 Redesign education around tech, including Virtual Schools: Favors topic 7 Education savings accounts: Fund students instead of schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Let's give every parent in America a choice about schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 School choice is about unions versus kids: Strongly Favors topic 7 I created the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd voucher program in America: Strongly Favors topic 7 1994: cut Department of Education from 2,000 to 50 staff: Strongly Favors topic 7 Ed reform: reading scores improved; parents got more choices: Opposes topic 7 800,000 FL parents selected schools, not district zoning: Strongly Favors topic 7 Pushed 1st statewide voucher program & school testing: Strongly Favors topic 7 Catholic Conference sought more voucher accountability: Favors topic 7 Co-founded a charter school in poor Miami neighborhood: Favors topic 7 Make school plan more punitive and more vouchers: Strongly Favors topic 7 Instituted school voucher plan: Strongly Favors topic 7 More funding for schools; merit pay for teachers: Opposes topic 7 Supports charter schools & vouchers: Strongly Favors topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+2 points on Social scale)	Repeal EPA restrictions on clean water and clean power: Strongly Favors topic 8 1990s: Compensate landowners; 2010s: state-run conservation: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Florida Forever: $1B for environmental land purchases: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Everglades are "crown jewel" of Florida environmental legacy: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Increased transportation budget by 96% over 8 years: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Drilling in Gulf of Mexico hurts Florida tourism industry: Opposes topic 8 More state autonomy on brownfields & Superfund cleanups: Favors topic 8
Strongly Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-5 points on Social scale)	Conflicted about death penalty; needs reform: Opposes topic 9 Death penalty a tough call, but victims' families benefit: Strongly Favors topic 9 1994: build more prisons; serve longer sentences: Strongly Favors topic 9 1990s: punishment over therapy; 2010s: that hardens people: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Passed Habitual Offender Accountability Act: Strongly Favors topic 9 We are not safe; not in our homes, not anywhere: Strongly Favors topic 9 1994 TV ad: My opponent won't push electric chair: Strongly Favors topic 9 Called special legislative session for death penalty law: Strongly Favors topic 9 Building private prisons would save 15%-20% of state costs: Favors topic 9 Make sure criminals serve at least 85% of their jail time: Strongly Favors topic 9 I'm a hang-'em-by-the-neck conservative: Strongly Favors topic 9 Adopted Three-Strike Violent Felony Offender Act: Strongly Favors topic 9 10-20-Life: Increase mandatory minimum sentences: Strongly Favors topic 9 Fewer death-row appeals; faster executions: Strongly Favors topic 9 Longer prison terms for gun-toting criminals: Favors topic 9 Build more prisons; private contracts OK: Strongly Favors topic 9 Alternative sentencing & rehabiliation acceptable: Opposes topic 9 Supports death penalty: Favors topic 9 Stricter penalties for drug, sex, & gun offenses: Favors topic 9 Supports flexible federal block grants for crime programs: Neutral on topic 9
Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+2 points on Economic scale)	Issue isn't law-abiding owners, but violence & mental health: Favors topic 10 99.999% of people should be able to keep their guns: Favors topic 10 Reduce gun violence and protect 2nd Amendment: Favors topic 10 Signed first-in-the-nation Stand-Your-Ground law: Strongly Favors topic 10 Use a Gun and You’re Done: Opposes topic 10 Concealed carry OK; supports instant background check: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Reduce corporate tax rate to stimulate growth: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Cutting taxes decreases the deficit dynamically: Strongly Opposes topic 11 1994: Require voter approval of any new taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Cutting "intangibles tax" helps "seniors and savers": Strongly Opposes topic 11 Supports estate tax repeal, but not at states’ expense: Opposes topic 11 Don’t broaden county & city taxing authority: Opposes topic 11 Voter approval of tax increases; cut taxes by $1B: Strongly Opposes topic 11 No national sales tax or VAT: Neutral on topic 11
Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+2 points on Social scale)	End heartless policy of family separation at southern border: Favors topic 12 Eliminate sanctuary cities, plus more enforcement: Opposes topic 12 Immigrants are an engine of economic vitality: Favors topic 12 Limit family reunification: no siblings nor parents: Opposes topic 12 Illegals can't "wait in line"; there is no line to wait in: Strongly Favors topic 12 1980s: Voter registration for 88,000 naturalized Hispanics: Favors topic 12 Show compassion to illegals with a path to legal status: Strongly Favors topic 12 We need practical plan; not possible to deport 11M illegals: Favors topic 12 Prove border is secure, while doing comprehensive reform: Favors topic 12 Earned legal status, not amnesty: Favors topic 12 Illegal immigration is act of love: different kind of crime: Strongly Favors topic 12 Secure border as component of reform, not as prerequisite: Favors topic 12 Pray for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, not AZ law: Favors topic 12 Share costs of legal immigration between states & federal: Neutral on topic 12 Federal government should deal with criminal repatriation: Neutral on topic 12 Import farm workers from Mexico: Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Advocated Miami as HQ for Free Trade Area of the Americas: Favors topic 13 Enforce trade law against subsidized Canadian lumber imports: Favors topic 13 Bound under state commitment to CAFTA: Favors topic 13
Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-3 points on Economic scale)	Syrian refugees already in US can stay: Favors topic 14 US should shape events and build alliances of free people: Strongly Opposes topic 14 We are leader among equals in community of nations: Strongly Favors topic 14 Neo-isolationism and American passivity both have dangers: Opposes topic 14 Supports economic cooperation between US and China: Opposes topic 14 Strengthen Cuban embargo; talking undermines US credibility: Favors topic 14 We need Kurds & other Muslim allies, to help take out ISIS: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Role in the world: military strength and moral clarity: Opposes topic 14
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-5 points on Social scale)	Reverse the sequester and rebuild the military: Strongly Favors topic 15 Our force level is so low that we can't even project force: Strongly Favors topic 15 Let military experts determine troop count: Favors topic 15 Stop the craziness of the sequester & rebuild the military: Strongly Favors topic 15 Weakness invites war: our military should equal any threat: Strongly Favors topic 15 Save Florida's 21 military bases from closure or downsizing: Favors topic 15 Make Florida the most military-friendly state in the nation: Favors topic 15 Threat from 9/11 is unprecedented for our generation: Favors topic 15 No-fly zone in Syria; arm Kurds; establish Sunni coalition: Favors topic 15 Increase defense spending to meet global responsibilities: Strongly Favors topic 15
Strongly Opposes topic 16: Make voter registration easier (-5 points on Social scale)	OpEd: Foundation for Florida's Future hides campaign donors: Strongly Opposes topic 16 Longer time and more fees to see public records: Opposes topic 16 No campaign spending limits; no public financing: Strongly Opposes topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-5 points on Social scale)	Russia's Putin is not an ally of the US & everyone knows it: Opposes topic 17 While Trump did reality TV, GW Bush built security apparatus: Strongly Opposes topic 17 OpEd: Not distancing himself from brother's Afghan policy: Opposes topic 17 God grants liberty only to ready to defend it: Opposes topic 17 Policy of containment against ISIS just doesn't work: Opposes topic 17 Send troops to Syria to then remain to maintain stability: Strongly Opposes topic 17 America needs to lead in fight against Assad and ISIS: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Declare a war in Syria, take out ISIS and Assad: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Best way to defeat terrorist ideology is to destroy ISIS: Opposes topic 17 NATO should consider declaring war on ISIS: Strongly Opposes topic 17 War is the only option in Syria, to take out Caliphate: Strongly Opposes topic 17 We should have a no fly zone in Syria: Opposes topic 17 When we pulled back in Iraq, ISIS filled the void: Strongly Favors topic 17 To honor those who died in Iraq, take out ISIS & stop Iran: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Add a new U.S. base in Iraq's Anbar province: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Peace deal with Iran threatens America & menaces Israel: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Non-state terrorists are greatest threat we now face: Opposes topic 17 OpEd: Supports 2003 Iraq invasion even with current evidence: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Encourage regime change in Iran; keep military option open: Opposes topic 17 1998: Declined to call for invading Iraq to depose Saddam: Favors topic 17 Easy to criticize Iraq war after the fact: Opposes topic 17 Opposed Vietnam War; considered Conscientious Objection: Opposes topic 17 Include states in anti-terrorism planning: Neutral on topic 17 Extend international order friendly to our security: Opposes topic 17
Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+2 points on Economic scale)	Create a North American energy strategy: Opposes topic 18 Embrace the energy revolution and build the XL pipeline: Strongly Opposes topic 18 On global warming: I'm a skeptic; I'm not a scientist: Strongly Opposes topic 18 I'm a skeptic about global warming: Opposes topic 18 Let industries “self-audit”; compensate for “takings”: Opposes topic 18 Voluntary partnerships reduce greenhouse gases economically: Neutral on topic 18 Kyoto Treaty must include reductions by all countries: Opposes topic 18 More funding to develop domestic energy supplies: Opposes topic 18 Share offshore oil development revenue with states: Opposes topic 18 Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025: Strongly Favors topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (-5 points on Social scale)	Smoked pot & drank alcohol in late 1960s high school: Opposes topic 19 No medical marijuana; it's just a guise toward legalization: Strongly Favors topic 19 Deploy military on both sides of the US-Mexican border: Strongly Favors topic 19 Supper with kids keeps them away from drugs & booze: Favors topic 19 Create a prescription drug tracking system to prevent abuse: Favors topic 19 Opposed treatment instead of jail for nonviolent drug users: Strongly Favors topic 19 Mandatory prison sentences for drug offenses: Strongly Favors topic 19 Reduce drug use by 50% by prevention & enforcement: Favors topic 19 More federal funding for all aspects of Drug War: Favors topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (+2 points on Economic scale)	Remove Intangibles Tax on stocks, bonds & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 20 $310M in stimulus money to start Scripps biotech facility: Strongly Favors topic 20 Cutting taxes on job creators benefits everyone: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Supports constitutional balanced budget amendment: Opposes topic 20

Jeb Bush is a Hard-Core Conservative
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