VoteMatch Responses (Click here for VoteMatch quiz)
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)	Vetoed total abortion ban; signed abortion restrictions: Opposes topic 1 Signed partial-birth abortion ban into law: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Make partial-birth abortion a criminal offense: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Firmly pro-life, which begins at conception: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Embryos are human life; but support stem cell initiative: Favors topic 1 Opposes prohibiting human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 Opposes federal abortion funding: Opposes topic 1
Strongly Opposes topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (+5 points on Economic scale)	Opposes affirmative action: Strongly Opposes topic 2
Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+2 points on Social scale)	Recognize 300 gay marriages conducted in 2014: Favors topic 3 Add LGBT anti-discrimination to civil rights law: Favors topic 3 Against benefits for domestic partners: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Against gay marriage but supports civil unions: Favors topic 3
No opinion on topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+2 points on Economic scale)	Healthy Kids Dental: coverage for 440,000 kids in need: Favors topic 5 Improve cost, quality and access with wellness & prevention: Favors topic 5 Opposes government-run healthcare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Loosen "one-size-fits-all" approach to Medicaid: Opposes topic 5
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Maintain generous pension benefits for existing retirees: Opposes topic 6
Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+2 points on Economic scale)	Mandatory school choice for every school; remove boundaries: Favors topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Pure Michigan: promote tourism like U.P. and brewery trail: Opposes topic 8 More resources to fight invasive species in Great Lakes: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Work tirelessly, plus $27M, to make Flint's water safe: Opposes topic 8 Voluntary pollution prevention program for farmers: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	No welfare benefits for people with felony warrants: Favors topic 9 Improve legal representation for poor: Opposes topic 9 Take leadership role in cyber defense and development: Favors topic 9 Collect prisoner DNA samples to help solve cold cases: Favors topic 9 Parole decisions by Dept. of Corrections, not Governor: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Absolutely uphold the 2nd Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 10 Opposes restrictions on the right to bear arms: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Simplify the tax code; end job-killing Business Tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Replace MBT with flat corporate income tax: Opposes topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	50,000 skilled worker visas to repopulate Detroit: Strongly Favors topic 12 Openly encourages innovators and entrepreneurs to immigrate: Favors topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Open new doors to global markets: Strongly Favors topic 13 Increase Canada trade with new Detroit River bridge: Favors topic 13
Strongly Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-5 points on Economic scale)	Welcome Syrian refugees to Michigan, after full review: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	24/7/365 service to our veterans for benefits: Favors topic 15 There is a cost to sending our military into harm's way: Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Vetoed voter identification bill: Favors topic 16 No photo ID for absentee voting: Strongly Favors topic 16 Make Michigan a national leader in transparency and ethics: Favors topic 16
No opinion on topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+2 points on Economic scale)	Protect our environment while meeting our energy needs: Opposes topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Enforce prescription law, but Good Samaritans get treatment: Favors topic 19 Supports medical marijuana: Opposes topic 19 Reduce supply, combating production of meth: Favors topic 19 Rated B by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	People now moving to Michigan for good jobs: Favors topic 20 Extend unemployment benefits; plan for future: Strongly Favors topic 20