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)
Strongly Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (-5 points on Social scale)	More funding for adult stem-cell research, but not embryonic: Opposes topic 1 Supports Bush’s veto of embryonic stem cell research: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Support stem cell research that does not destroy embryos: Opposes topic 1 Pro-life Republicanism is mainstream of America: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Pro-life, but we have to live with 33 years of reality: Opposes topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Support affirmative action and its improvements: Strongly Favors topic 2 Affirmative action programs still necessary to close divides: Strongly Favors topic 2 Expand minority-owned business opportunities: Strongly Favors topic 2 We’re still discovering affirmative action in corporations: Strongly Favors topic 2 Led commitment to $70M in grants to minority-owned business: Strongly Favors topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-5 points on Social scale)	Marriage is a covenant between a man, a woman and God only: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Affirms marriage is between one man and one woman: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-5 points on Social scale)	Facilitated faith-based institutions to tap into resources: Strongly Favors topic 4 Government should have limited control over welfare & family: Favors topic 4
Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+2 points on Economic scale)	Let businesses avoid burdensome and ineffective system: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Extend sign up period for the Medicare Rx Drug plan: Favors topic 5 I don’t need government dictating socialized medicine: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Spend more on care and less on bureaucracy: Opposes topic 5
Strongly Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+5 points on Economic scale)	Flexibility for some ownership over retirement choices: Strongly Favors topic 6
Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+2 points on Economic scale)	Don’t trap poor kids in failing schools: Favors topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Revitalize the Chesapeake; focus on open space preservation: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	More focus on victims of violent crime: Favors topic 9 Mandatory sentencing guidelines for child sex offenders: Strongly Favors topic 9 Combat the proliferation of gangs: Favors topic 9 Personally opposed to the death penalty: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	No ban on guns; focus on enforcement instead: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Make tax relief permanent and repeal the death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Create legacy wealth for future generations: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (-5 points on Social scale)	Opposes amnesty for undocumented workers: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Secure our borders immediately; meaningful reform later: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Strongly Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+5 points on Economic scale)	Led trade mission to Ghana and South Africa: Strongly Favors topic 13
No opinion on topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-5 points on Social scale)	Enough of negotiating with terrorists who want us dead: Strongly Favors topic 15 Terrorism’s tentacles penetrate within US and abroad: Favors topic 15 More spending on biodefense: Strongly Favors topic 15
Opposes topic 16: Make voter registration easier (-3 points on Social scale)	I have to take money in small increments, in current system: Opposes topic 16 Declines to sign Voters First Pledge for campaign reform: Opposes topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-5 points on Social scale)	We need a clear strategy, and to pressure Iraq gov’t: Opposes topic 17 Iraq war worth it, to establish beachhead of democracy: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Would still vote for the Iraq war even there were no weapons: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Yes, I would have authorized the use of force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 No timetable for Iraq; don’t second-guess the president: Strongly Opposes topic 17 No cut and run strategy in Iraq: Opposes topic 17 Precipitous withdrawal from Iraq is dangerous: Strongly Opposes topic 17
Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Moratorium on gas taxes until price stabilizes: Opposes topic 18 Create and sustain real energy independence: Favors topic 18 Solar and renewables are the energy sources for the future: Favors topic 18 More biomass, more hybrids, more fuel efficiency: Strongly Favors topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (-5 points on Social scale)	More enforcement against Drug Trafficking: Strongly Favors topic 19
Strongly Opposes topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (+5 points on Economic scale)	Stimulus package means pork and political payback: Strongly Opposes topic 20