Candidate Responses

Opposes abortion rights "The right of an innocent, unborn child to life is at the heart of the Maerican ideals of liberty," his campaign web site states. "My professional and legislative record demonstrates my strong commitment to this pro-life principle."

Opposes constitutional amendment. On the House floor during debate, he said, "While I oppose federal efforts to redefine marriage as something other than a union between one man and one woman, I do not believe a constitutional amendment is either a necessary or proper way to defend marriage."

Opposed amending Constitution to ban same-sex marriage; however, opposes any federal marriage definition. Says states should not be forced to recognize another state's same-sex marriage law.

Voted against use of military force in Iraq and supports withdrawing troops from Iraq. However, opposed war spendiing bill that included a plan to withdraw most U.S. troops by March 2008.

"A nation without secure borders is no nation at all. It makes no sense to fight terrorists abroad when our own front door is left unlocked," he said on his campaign web site

Supported strict House immigration overhaul legislation that did not provide a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants.

Opposes sanctions or any military action

Opposes relaxing restrictions on federal financing of embryonic stem cell research.

Supported 2001 and 2003 tax cuts and their extension through 2010. Has said he wants to abolish the IRS and would never raise taxes.

Opposes Bush plan allowing workers to divert some Social Security payroll taxes into private retirement accounts. He proposes cutting payroll taxes and letting workers invest that money themselves

house ad

Political News

  • Cheney: CIA did nothing illegal in interrogations (AP) Thu, 01/08/2009 - 7:54pm

    Vice President Dick Cheney pauses during an interview with the Associated Press at the White House in Washington Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)AP - Vice President Dick Cheney said Thursday that he sees no reason for President George W. Bush to pre-emptively pardon anyone at the CIA involved in harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists. "I don't have any reason to believe that anybody in the agency did anything illegal," he said.


  • Government: Recalled vehicles down in 2008 (AP) Thu, 01/08/2009 - 7:43pm
    AP - Automakers recalled the fewest number of vehicles last year since 1994, helped by more scrutiny of faulty parts and improved quality.
  • Citi backs mortgage bankruptcy reform: senators (Reuters) Thu, 01/08/2009 - 7:37pm

    People taking the Long Island Foreclosure Tour arrive at a foreclosed home for sale in New Hyde Park, New York in this May 17, 2008 file photo. Citigroup could soon agree to principles that would let troubled borrowers save their homes through bankruptcy, sources familiar with the talks said on Thursday, while industry groups are easing their opposition to the plan. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)Reuters - Financial giant Citigroup Inc has agreed to support a rewrite of bankruptcy law being proposed in the U.S. Congress to help troubled mortgage borrowers avoid foreclosure, lawmakers said on Thursday.


  • Analysis: Obama's toughest fiscal crises lie ahead (AP) Thu, 01/08/2009 - 6:37pm
    AP - For Barack Obama, winning a giant economic revival bill in Congress should be the easy part.
  • Petraeus: Afghan, Pakistan problems are really one (AP) Thu, 01/08/2009 - 6:21pm

    A soldier with the US Army's 6-4 Cavalry watches the hills surrounding Combat Outpost Lowell in eastern Afghanistan January 6, 2009. (Bob Strong/Reuters)AP - U.S. policy to win in Afghanistan must recognize the poor nation's limitations and its neighborhood, especially its intertwined relationship with U.S. terrorism-fighting ally Pakistan, the top U.S. military commander in the region said Thursday.