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VoteMatch Question & Answer (Click on question for explanation and background)	Based on these stances: (Click on topic for excerpt & citation)
No opinion on topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (0 points on Social scale)	Prohibit abortions after 20 weeks; prohibit public funding: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Pro-life; pro-NRA; anti-EPA: Opposes topic 1 CC:Oppose strict Constitutionalist judges: Favors topic 1 CC:Publicly fund abortions: Strongly Favors topic 1 CC:No parental notification for abortions by minors: Favors topic 1 Voted YES to protect infant survivors of abortion: Opposes topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	More funding & services for victims of domestic violence: Strongly Favors topic 2 Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender: Strongly Favors topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2
Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-3 points on Social scale)	Opposes gay marriage personally, but accepts as settled law: Favors topic 3 Supports banning homosexuals in the military: Strongly Opposes 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)
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Unacceptable to go back to pre-ObamaCare days: Strongly Favors topic 5 ObamaCare makes healthcare more affordable for everyone: Strongly Favors topic 5 Reform & repair ObamaCare, not repeal: Strongly Favors topic 5 Expand Health Lifestyles & Preventive Care programs: Favors topic 5 Supports government-run healthcare: Strongly Favors topic 5 Adopt national health reform legislation before the end of the year: Strongly Favors topic 5 3.2% funding increase for National Institutes of Health: Strongly Favors topic 5 Keep healthcare mandate, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 5 NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Expand Social Security without privatization: Strongly Opposes topic 6 $14M for senior services, most money ever: Opposes topic 6 Repeal the Unemployment Insurance offset for working seniors: Opposes topic 6 Opposes private retirement accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	Vouchers pull resources from schools that need them most: Strongly Opposes topic 7 More accountability & more audits in the education system: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Keep public education infrastructure strong: Strongly Opposes topic 7 $540 million in ongoing school construction: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Increased teacher pay: Opposes topic 7 Participate in federal program Race to the Top: Favors topic 7
Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+2 points on Social scale)	EPA regulatory practices unfairly hurt Appalachian coal: Favors topic 8 States depend on federal government for key infrastructure: Opposes topic 8 Allow importing ivory from controlled sources: Favors topic 8 Regulatory relief for smaller banks stimulates growth: Favors topic 8 Rated Keep restrictive rules for predator control in Alaska: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems: Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Accelerated parole system for non-violent offenders: Strongly Opposes topic 9 More sexual predator laws; more State police pay: Favors topic 9 First step: reduce recidivism & mass incarceration: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Background checks ok; not no ban on semi-automatic weapons: Favors topic 10 Vetoed restrictions on automatic weapon sales: Strongly Favors topic 10 Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10 Allow veterans to register unlicensed guns acquired abroad: Favors topic 10 Restrict right to bear arms, according to CC survey: Opposes topic 10 NO on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets: Strongly Favors topic 10
Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-3 points on Economic scale)	Wealthy corporations got greatest benefit from Trump tax cut: Strongly Favors topic 11 Created a low-income family tax credit: Strongly Favors topic 11 Reduce food tax, property tax, and poverty-level income tax: Favors topic 11 Rated Reducing tax rates balloons federal deficit & cuts programs: Favors topic 11 CC:Reverse federal income tax cuts: Favors topic 11 CC:Elimination the Death Tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11
No opinion on topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (0 points on Social scale)	Give DREAMers a path to citizenship: Favors topic 12 Supports border infrastructure, according to CC survey: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Terminate national emergency at the Southern border: Favors topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Supports tariffs on China; trade hasn't been good for WV: Strongly Opposes topic 13 WV had $4.8B exports to 136 countries last year: Favors topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 Rated Voted FOR reauthorizing Ex-Im Bank: Strongly Favors topic 13 Implement USMCA for improved North American trade: Strongly Favors topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+5 points on Economic scale)	Sponsored opposing the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty: Strongly Favors topic 14 Oppose the United Nations' Arms Trade Treaty: Favors topic 14 Sponsored bill to monitor forced Uyghur labor in Xinjiang: Strongly Favors topic 14
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	Higher National Guard pay & tuition waivers: Favors topic 15 Tuition assistance and service bonuses for Desert Storm vets: Favors topic 15 Rated Funding wars separately is gimmick against sequestration: Opposes topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Public financing pilot for state Supreme Court races: Strongly Favors topic 16 Matching fund for small donors, with debate requirements: Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill for election holiday & easier voting access: Strongly Favors topic 16
Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-3 points on Social scale)	Withdraw from Iranian nuclear treaty: Opposes topic 17 Covenant to support our troops in Iraq: Opposes topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Sponsored shutting down Iranian foreign reserves: Opposes topic 17 CC:Keep alliance with Israel: Opposes topic 17 No military force against Iran without Congress approval: Strongly Favors topic 17
Strongly Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+5 points on Economic scale)	No one is going to stop using fossil fuels for a long time: Opposes topic 18 I fought for coal in past & will fight for coal in future: Strongly Opposes topic 18 2010 ad: Shot a hole in the cap and trade bill: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Named coal West Virginia's official state rock: Opposes topic 18 No regulation of greenhouse gases by EPA: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Stand up for our coal miners and their families: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Fund cellulosic biofuel research in Farm Bill: Strongly Favors topic 18 Promote polygen--clean diesel from coal plants: Opposes topic 18 Stop harmful EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Opposes topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (-5 points on Social scale)	Eradicate marijuana plants statewide: Strongly Favors topic 19 $1M more for crackdown on drugs: Favors topic 19 Declare war on meth & dangerous make-shift labs: Strongly Favors topic 19 Criminalize imports of opioid precursors: Favors topic 19
Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-3 points on Economic scale)	Supports infrastructure investment: Strongly Favors topic 20 Constitutional amendment requiring balanced budget: Opposes topic 20 Don't mess with or increase taxes during a time of turmoil: Opposes topic 20 CAREFULLY plan stimulus: in planning mode; not panic mode: Favors topic 20 Cut corporate income tax & business franchise tax: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Rated 71% by UFCW, indicating a mixed management/labor voting record: Neutral on topic 20 CC:No Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment: Favors topic 20 Voted YES on $900 billion COVID relief package: Favors topic 20

Joe Manchin III is a Centrist
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