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)	I'm endorsed by pro-life groups; my rivals not 100% pro-life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 No exceptions for rape or incest victims: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Supported by anti-abortion group Louisiana Right to Life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Promote a positive culture of life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 100% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Apply 14th amendment protections to pre-born fetuses: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion: Opposes topic 1 Supports prohibiting human embryonic stem cell research: Opposes topic 1 Prohibit federal funding for abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Sponsored banning family assistance that includes abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Declare preborn as persons under 14th amendment: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortions: Opposes topic 1 YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Opposes topic 1 YES on Unknown roll call for 2001-89: Opposes topic 1 YES on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Opposes topic 1 YES on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP: Opposes topic 1 NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives: Opposes topic 1 YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions: Opposes topic 1 NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Opposes topic 1 YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions: Opposes topic 1 YES on restricting UN funding for population control policies: Opposes topic 1
Opposes topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (+2 points on Economic scale)	Discontinue affirmative action programs: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Rated 18% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance: Strongly Opposes topic 2 YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act: Favors topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Amend Constitution to define traditional marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 State definition of marriage supersedes federal gay marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on banning gay adoptions in DC: Opposes topic 3 YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-5 points on Social scale)	Supports anti-flag desecration amendment: Favors topic 4 Rated 100% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Favors topic 4 $110M per year to teach abstinence in public schools: Favors topic 4 Sponsored bill to Constitutionally prohibit flag desecration: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 4 YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Favors topic 4 YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration: Favors topic 4
Strongly Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+5 points on Economic scale)	Fight to repeal the fatally flawed ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Introduced legislation to repeal ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 I fought ObamaCare & I'm still fighting it: Strongly Opposes topic 5 ObamaCare injects government into private decisions: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Rated 11% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Repeal any federal health care takeover: Strongly Opposes topic 5 YES on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Opposes topic 5 YES on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: Opposes topic 5 YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 YES on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Opposes topic 5 YES on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Opposes topic 5 YES on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 YES on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium: Opposes topic 5 YES on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Opposes topic 5 NO on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics: Opposes topic 5 NO on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug: Strongly Opposes topic 5 NO on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D: Opposes topic 5 YES on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000: Favors topic 5 NO on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Opposes topic 5 NO on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Opposes topic 5 NO on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Opposes topic 5 NO on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Opposes topic 5 YES on regulating tobacco as a drug: Favors topic 5
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated 10% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record: Strongly Favors topic 6 Rated 11% by ARA, indicating a mixed record on senior issues: Neutral on topic 6 YES on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Favors topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6 YES on establishing reserve funds & pre-funding for Social Security: Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+5 points on Economic scale)	Get Louisiana out of Common Core: Favors topic 7 No federal incentives to get states to adopt Common Core: Favors topic 7 Supports vouchers for private & religious schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 Supports charter schools & increased flexibility: Favors topic 7 Rated 9% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes: Strongly Favors topic 7 Support the goals and ideals of Charter Schools: Favors topic 7 Supports education vouchers for public or private school: Strongly Favors topic 7 NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies: Favors topic 7
Neutral on topic 8: Society bears cost of pollution (0 points on Social scale)	Coastal restoration with private funding: Opposes topic 8 Create and fund coastal restoration master plan: Opposes topic 8 Rated 0% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes: Strongly Favors topic 8 Make tax deduction permanent for conservation easements: Opposes topic 8 Regulate all dog breeders down to kennels of 50 dogs: Opposes topic 8 No EPA permits required for forest road runoff: Strongly Favors topic 8 Matching grants for wetlands conservation projects: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Sponsored no permits for legal pesticide runoff into lakes & streams: Strongly Favors topic 8 Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting: Strongly Opposes topic 8 NO on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems: Favors topic 8 YES on prohibiting eminent domain for use as parks or grazing land: Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	More community crime tips; more DNA testing; more options: Strongly Favors topic 9 Keep state police presence in New Orleans' French Quarter: Favors topic 9 Impose truth in sentencing: Strongly Favors topic 9 Broaden use of death penalty: Strongly Favors topic 9 Rated 20% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Favors topic 9 Opposes more severe penalties for Hate Crimes: Opposes topic 9 Rated 64% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues: Neutral on topic 9 YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Favors topic 9 NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Favors topic 9 YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10 National cross-state standard for concealed carry: Strongly Favors topic 10 Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10 Allow firearms in National Parks: Strongly Favors topic 10 Apply concealed carry permit to all other states where legal: Strongly Favors topic 10 Dangerousness, not mental incompetence, limits gun rights: Strongly Favors topic 10 NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10 YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Favors topic 10 NO on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting foreign & UN aid that restricts US gun ownership: Favors topic 10 YES on allowing firearms in checked baggage on Amtrak trains: Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Phaseout the death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 62% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes: Neutral on topic 11 Rated 0% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Taxpayer Protection Pledge: no new taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Opposes both marriage penalty & federal tax increases: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Keep reduction of capital gains tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Opposes topic 11 YES on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Opposes topic 11 YES on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Opposes topic 11 YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on raising the Death Tax exemption to $5M from $1M: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on allowing AMT reduction without budget offset: Opposes topic 11 YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut: Opposes topic 11 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on permanently repealing the `death tax`: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (-5 points on Social scale)	Led Senate's Border Security and Enforcement First caucus: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Block federal funds going to sanctuary cities: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated 100% by USBC, indicating a sealed-border stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Zero tolerance for border crossing via increased prosecution: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Government services in English only: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated A by the ALI, indicating a strongly anti-amnesty stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules: Favors topic 12 YES on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities": Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on establishing a Guest Worker program: Opposes topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program: Neutral topic 12 YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government: Strongly Opposes topic 12 NO on comprehensive immigration reform: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated 44% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 Rated 50% by the USAE, indicating a mixed record on trade: Neutral on topic 13 YES on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Favors topic 13 YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Opposes topic 13 NO on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade: Strongly Opposes topic 13 YES on free trade agreement with Oman: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: 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 YES on withholding $244M in UN Back Payments until US seat restored: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on requiring FISA court warrant to monitor US-to-foreign calls: Favors topic 14 NO on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees: Strongly Favors topic 14 NO on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	Help defense budget, but follow the sequester: Opposes topic 15 Rated 11% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15 NO on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding: Favors topic 15
Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+2 points on Social scale)	Led and won the fight for state term limits: Strongly Favors topic 16 Restrict campaign donations from foreigners or 3rd parties: Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill banning paid voter registration: Strongly Opposes topic 16 Military spouses don't lose voting residency while abroad: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money and issue ads: Opposes topic 16 YES on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Favors topic 16 NO on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Opposes topic 16 YES on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity: Favors topic 16 NO on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress: Strongly Favors topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-5 points on Social scale)	Iran advances their nuclear program while playing the US: Opposes topic 17 Iran nuclear deal is non-binding and can be revoked: Opposes topic 17 Military force against ISIS if Arab ground troops involved: Opposes topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months: Opposes topic 17
Strongly Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Get us beyond high-carbon fuels: Strongly Favors topic 18 3D energy: Domestic jobs; Domestic energy; Deficit reduction: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Rated 0% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence: Opposes topic 18 Open the Outer Continental Shelf for oil & gas leasing: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Let states lease energy rights on federal lands: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Opposes topic 18 NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%): Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Opposes topic 18 NO on factoring global warming into federal project planning: Opposes topic 18 NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China: Opposes topic 18 NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade: Opposes topic 18 YES on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax: Opposes topic 18 NO on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Opposes topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (-5 points on Social scale)	Strengthen penalties against meth and heroin dealers: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Favors topic 19
Opposes topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (+2 points on Economic scale)	Permanent extension of all Bush tax cuts: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Supports the Cut-Cap-and-Balance Pledge: Opposes topic 20 Rated 14% by UFCW, indicating a pro-management voting record: Opposes topic 20 Audit the Federal Reserve & its actions on mortgage loans: Opposes topic 20 NO on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million: Strongly Opposes topic 20 NO on additional $825 billion for economic recovery package: Strongly Opposes topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20