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)	Put defunding of Planned Parenthood on the president's desk: Strongly Favors topic 1 Successfully defunded Planned Parenthood in New Jersey: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Ban abortions after 20 weeks, with exceptions: Opposes topic 1 1996: partial birth procedure is reprehensible: Opposes topic 1 1994: Donated to Planned Parenthood; opposed public donation: Favors topic 1 I'm pro-life with exceptions; take it or leave it: Opposes topic 1 Life is precious and should be protected: Strongly Opposes topic 1 "Default pro-choice" until hearing 13-week fetal heartbeat: Opposes topic 1 Pro-life; the life of every human being is precious: Strongly Opposes topic 1
Opposes topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (+2 points on Economic scale)	Black Lives Matter encourages cop killing: Strongly Opposes topic 2 Vetoed closure of Developmental Disabilities Centers: Favors topic 2
Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+2 points on Social scale)	Churches can use sexual orientation; businesses can't: Favors topic 3 Disagree with Supreme Court, but gay marriage is law of land: Favors topic 3 Gay marriage is settled in NJ, but keep debating nationally: Opposes topic 3 If my kids were gay, I'd give them a hug; but no marriage: Neutral on topic 3 No legislating gay marriage; but referendum ok: Favors topic 3 Homosexuality is not a sin; people are born that way: Favors topic 3 Marriage is an institution between one man & one woman: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Pursue civil unions in NJ, but not same-sex marriage: Favors topic 3 Homosexuals are born that way; they're not sinners: Strongly Favors topic 3 Marriage exclusively between one man and one woman: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+2 points on Social scale)	No federal department to promote Judeo-Christian values: Opposes topic 4 1996: Working poor hurt by limits on childcare subsidies: Opposes topic 4 Catholicism informs who I am; but not my political decisions: Opposes topic 4
Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-3 points on Economic scale)	No single-payer system; no healthcare nationalization: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Hold down Medicaid costs while providing focused choice: Favors topic 5 Expand Medicare, but no N.J. ObamaCare exchange: Favors topic 5 Allow insurers to sell "mandate-free" policies: Opposes topic 5 $159M for community health centers for the most vulnerable: Favors topic 5 3.2% funding increase for National Institutes of Health: Strongly Favors topic 5 Loosen "one-size-fits-all" approach to Medicaid: Opposes topic 5
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Cut benefits for people earning over $80,000: Favors topic 6 Save Social Security for those who need it: Opposes topic 6 Cut Social Security for wealthy, but don't increase taxes: Opposes topic 6 State pensions cut by $120B; but $90B still to go: Favors topic 6 Raise the retirement age, and limit COLA, for state workers: Favors topic 6 Close deficit in state retirement fund over next 7 years: Strongly Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+5 points on Economic scale)	Further de-regulate charter schools: Favors topic 7 Children attend parochial school: Favors topic 7 Signed NJ onto Common Core but now regrets it: Favors topic 7 Supports both charter schools and vouchers: Strongly Favors topic 7 Choice of schools to meet child's needs: Strongly Favors topic 7 Allow students in failing schools to attend better schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 1999: Lobbied for Edison Schools, for-profit school operator: Favors topic 7 Expand 73 charter schools to replace 200 failing schools: Favors topic 7 Public education system is failing; increase accountability: Favors topic 7 Teachers unions are not for education of our children: Favors topic 7 Tenure reform for failing teachers; merit pay for good ones: Favors topic 7 Dems believe in teacher's unions; we believe in teachers: Favors topic 7 Replace Abbott District funds with tenure reform & charters: Strongly Favors topic 7
Favors topic 8: EPA regulations are too restrictive (-3 points on Social scale)	Keystone pipeline would have minimal environmental impact: Favors topic 8 Vetoes regulation of animal confinement for gestating sows: Favors topic 8 Rejected $9B transit project as "tunnel to Macy's basement": Favors topic 8 $157 million for Green Acres open-space acquisition: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	De-criminalizing drug use has reduced prisoner population: Opposes topic 9 Police officers are afraid to enforce the law: Strongly Favors topic 9 Community policing will avoid African-American police deaths: Neutral on topic 9 Bail reform: Keep dangerous criminals in jail until trial: Strongly Favors topic 9 1994: Pushed for faster construction of county jail: Favors topic 9 1995 juvenile justice plan: individualized to child's needs: Opposes topic 9 Bail reform package: jail violent offenders before trial: Strongly Favors topic 9 Disallow charging sexual assault victims for forensic exams: Favors topic 9 As US Attorney, won 130 corruption cases and lost none: Favors topic 9 Stand against child pornography and human trafficking: Favors topic 9
Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+2 points on Economic scale)	Vetoed a statewide I.D. system for gun owners: Strongly Favors topic 10 Executive Orders on guns isn't democracy; it's dictatorship: Strongly Favors topic 10 Gun restrictions based on terror watchlists is a state issue: Favors topic 10 Gun laws ineffective; focus on mental health: Favors topic 10 Vetoed outright ban on Barrett .50 caliber rifle: Favors topic 10 We already have too many firearms in our community: Strongly Opposes topic 10 2009: No right-to-carry cross-state reciprocity: Opposes topic 10 Favors gun control measures from law-enforcement perspective: Opposes topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Abolish the estate tax to incentivize people to stay in NJ: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Get rid of deductions except charitable & mortgage deduction: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Get rid of all deductions; get government off our backs: Strongly Opposes topic 11 I vetoed more tax increases than any governor in history: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Simplify tax code to three brackets, with highest at 28%: Opposes topic 11 $2.3 billion small business tax relief package: Strongly Opposes topic 11 I will veto any income tax increases that come before me: Strongly Opposes topic 11 2012: Across-the-board tax cut; 2013: exclude over $400K: Opposes topic 11 2009: Single tax rate would raise taxes for low earners: Strongly Favors topic 11 OpEd: Vetoed "Millionaire's Tax" on wealthiest New Jerseyans: Strongly Opposes topic 11 We can and we must lower taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+2 points on Social scale)	Secure border with wall & electronics; but no mass deporting: Opposes topic 12 Use modern technology to track illegal immigrants: Opposes topic 12 E-verify instead of building a physical wall: Favors topic 12 Path to citizenship in context of fixing broken system: Favors topic 12 I've never been opposed to tuition equality for illegals: Favors topic 12
No opinion on topic 13: Support & expand free trade (0 points on Economic scale)	Supports free trade, but distrusts Obama's TPP agreement: Opposes topic 13 Trade mission to Mexico doubles as foreign policy tour: Favors topic 13
Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+2 points on Economic scale)	No Syrian refugees in US, not even infant orphans: Strongly Favors topic 14 I'll fly Air Force One over China's artificial islands: Strongly Favors topic 14 Push Russia out of Middle East; establish US dominance: Strongly Favors topic 14 Stop worrying about being loved; instead be respected: Favors topic 14 America should be clear to world about what we stand for: Favors topic 14 Remain vigilant but stay connected to rest of the world: Strongly Opposes topic 14
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-5 points on Social scale)	Rebuild our military so tinpot dictators can't dictate to us: Strongly Favors topic 15 Modernize to have 350 ships and 2,600 aircraft: Strongly Favors topic 15 New isolationism, & reducing anti-terrorism, is dangerous: Favors topic 15 Second American Century: strong military & sure values: Strongly Favors topic 15 Strengthen support network for military families: Favors topic 15 Fund Veteran to Veteran Peer Support Program: Strongly Favors topic 15 We ARE the leader in Libya; we MUST be the world's police: Favors topic 15
Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+2 points on Social scale)	Automatic voter registration is government-knows-best: Strongly Opposes topic 16 Vetoes expanded early-voting system; no side-by-side systems: Opposes topic 16 Stricter limits on PAC campaign donations: Strongly Favors topic 16 Prosecuted politicians & their cronies, including jail time: Favors topic 16 Allow just one public salary for state legislators: Favors topic 16 More control over state commissions: Favors topic 16
Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-3 points on Social scale)	No relations with Cuba until they stop harboring fugitives: Opposes topic 17 We need anytime/anywhere inspections for Iran nukes: Opposes topic 17 Syria: If we draw a red line, we must finish the job: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Iranian nukes are profoundly against our national security: Opposes topic 17 I'm not a nation-building guy; we've achieved Afghan goals: Favors topic 17 Don't pull troops out of Afghanistan until military says so: Strongly Opposes topic 17
Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-3 points on Economic scale)	New Jersey used private market to create solar industry: Favors topic 18 Get nuclear power plants back on the table: Opposes topic 18 Ethanol in gasoline is the law; and that's just the minimum: Favors topic 18 Consider windmills off NJ coast: Strongly Favors topic 18 Pulled out of ten-state Regional Greenhouse Gas program: Opposes topic 18 Jersey shore for tourism instead of offshore drilling: Favors topic 18 $100 supplement for seniors' home cooling assistance: Favors topic 18 The future for New Jersey is in green energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 Incentivize energy manufacturing & wind turbines: Strongly Favors topic 18 Make NJ a magnet for renewable energy manufacturer: Strongly Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Addiction is an illness and should be treated as such: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Search for innovative ways to address drug epidemic: Opposes topic 19 Allow private sector to offer drug treatment programs: Opposes topic 19 Treatment, not jail, for drug addicts; it's a disease: Opposes topic 19 I support medical not recreational marijuana: Opposes topic 19 Mandatory drug treatment, not jail, for first time dealers: Opposes topic 19 Drug addiction is a disease & it can be treated: Opposes topic 19 Drug courts: mandate treatment, not imprisonment: Opposes topic 19 1995: Applied 25% of county salary to drug addict residence: Opposes topic 19 Drug treatment rather than non-violent offenders in prison: Opposes topic 19 Outlaw designer drugs labeled as "bath salts": Strongly Favors topic 19
Strongly Opposes topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (+5 points on Economic scale)	Cut taxes and reduce spending, while creating new jobs: Opposes topic 20 Don't raise minimum wage; create better-paying jobs instead: Strongly Opposes topic 20 2011: 2% cap on most cities' municipal spending: Opposes topic 20 Cut business taxes by $600 million annually: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Reduce all income tax brackets by 10% and restore EITC: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Erased $11B in budget deficit via spending cuts: Opposes topic 20 NJ has highest state tax burden & it's getting worse: Strongly Opposes topic 20