2020 Iowa Senatorial race: debates and news coverage


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OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Abortion     Eddie Mauro: Fundamental right to make one's own health care decisions.     Joni Ernst: Don't think Roe will be overturned.     Joni Ernst: Opposes all federal funding of Planned Parenthood.     Kimberly Graham: Defend Roe v. Wade.     Michael Franken: Codify Roe v. Wade; fully fund Planned Parenthood.     Theresa Greenfield: Fight to protect reproductive freedom.     Theresa Greenfield: EMILY's List endorses Greenfield for abortion rights.     Theresa Greenfield: Women should have access to safe affordable health care.     Theresa Greenfield: Always defend woman's right to make own health decisions.     Theresa Greenfield: Opposes shutting down Planned Parenthood.

Budget & Economy     Michael Franken: Invest in infrastructure on scale of building of interstates.

Civil Rights     Eddie Mauro: Pass a 21st century Equal Rights Amendment.     Kimberly Graham: Support federal anti-discrimination law for LGBTQ.     Kimberly Graham: End the sub-minimum wage for individuals with disabilities.     Kimberly Graham: Expand tribal jurisdiction over sexual assault cases.     Michael Franken: Ignored "Don't Ask Don't Tell" as admiral; protected sailors.     Theresa Greenfield: Supports Equality Act prohibiting discrimination.     Theresa Greenfield: Seeing systemic racism is not saying all cops are racists.     Theresa Greenfield: Supports Equality Act.

Corporations     Joni Ernst: Prevent financial consumers from joining class action suits.     Michael Franken: S&L "debacle" cost his parents much of their life savings.     Theresa Greenfield: Tax cut benefitted wealthiest, biggest corporations.

Crime     Joni Ernst: Supported Republican police reform; Democrats walked out.     Kimberly Graham: Ban private prisons; eliminate mandatory minimums.     Theresa Greenfield: Address racism, but family cops are about serving.

Drugs     Eddie Mauro: Legalize marijuana and release those locked up immediately.     Kimberly Graham: Legalize medical marijuana.

Education     Joni Ernst: Proposed "know before you owe"; employers assuming debt.     Joni Ernst: Co-sponsored act for tax credits for private school tuition.     Joni Ernst: Voted against limiting debt relief for defrauded students.     Kimberly Graham: Raise teacher pay; end unequal school funding.     Kimberly Graham: Opposes Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary.     Kimberly Graham: Should be illegal for college loans to triple from interest.     Michael Franken: Free community college; decrease interest on student loans.     Michael Franken: Increase teacher pay; improve rural education; expand pre-K.     Theresa Greenfield: Expand pre-K, invest in higher education, apprenticeships.     Theresa Greenfield: Refinance student debt; find ways to work off the debt.     Theresa Greenfield: Debt free community college and trade schools.

Energy & Oil     Eddie Mauro: Net-zero US CO2 emissions by 2045.     Joni Ernst: Fight for ethanol and biodiesel, not electric vehicles.     Joni Ernst: Voted to repeal 2015 Clean Power Plan.     Kimberly Graham: Supports Green New Deal.     Michael Franken: Addressing climate change is a national security imperative.     Michael Franken: Expand public transportation & electric charging stations.     Theresa Greenfield: Fight for strong clean energy solutions.     Theresa Greenfield: Fight for clean energy jobs; strengthen environmental laws.     Theresa Greenfield: Bio fuels can be part of solution to climate change.     Theresa Greenfield: Climate change is getting worse; urgent action needed.     Theresa Greenfield: Supports expanded renewable fuel market.     Theresa Greenfield: Take urgent action to address man-made climate change.

Environment     Eddie Mauro: Works on Purify Project: water sanitation in Tanzania.     Joni Ernst: Supported rollback of Clean Water Act.     Kimberly Graham: Incentivize farmers with clean water initiatives.     Theresa Greenfield: Encourage regenerative agriculture practices.     Theresa Greenfield: Strengthen laws under attack from corporate interests.

Families & Children     Joni Ernst: COVID: opposed paid sick leave.

Foreign Policy     Eddie Mauro: Rejoin Paris Climate Accord.     Joni Ernst: Voted against blocking arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Free Trade     Joni Ernst: Supports USMCA trade agreement to replace NAFTA.     Michael Franken: Farmers want markets not bailouts; end foolish trade war.     Theresa Greenfield: Supports USMCA, expanding export opportunities.     Theresa Greenfield: Reckless trade policies have kept markets closed to farmers.     Theresa Greenfield: Number one issue for farmers is regaining foreign markets.

Government Reform     Eddie Mauro: Protect the right to vote for everyone.     Eddie Mauro: Overturn Citizens United; stop leadership PACs.     Eddie Mauro: Campaign finance reform to rein in Big Pharma.     Joni Ernst: Go back to drawing board to keep Post Office going.     Joni Ernst: Against bill requiring more disclosure of political funders.     Kimberly Graham: Undo Citizens United; end Electoral College.     Kimberly Graham: End voter ID laws & voter suppression.     Michael Franken: Post office must be fully funded & protected from politics.     Theresa Greenfield: Ban corporate PAC money, overturn Citizens United.     Theresa Greenfield: Don't support packing the Supreme Court.     Theresa Greenfield: Get dark money out of politics; no corporate PAC money.     Theresa Greenfield: Don't privatize Post Office but examine their finances.

Gun Control     Eddie Mauro: Close gun show loophole; require gun owner insurance.     Eddie Mauro: Refuses donations from NRA & gun manufacturers.     Eddie Mauro: Allow CDC & NIH to research data on gun violence.     Joni Ernst: Purpose of Second Amendment is protection against tyranny.     Kimberly Graham: Repeal Dickey Amendment barring CDC from gun research.     Michael Franken: Background check; assault weapon ban; restrict magazine size.     Theresa Greenfield: Like many Iowans who have guns, supports bipartisan laws.     Theresa Greenfield: Would allow CDC to do research on gun violence.     Theresa Greenfield: Supports background checks & gun violence research.

Health Care     Eddie Mauro: Medicare for all (under age 55) who want it.     Eddie Mauro: Everybody needs to have health care in this country.     Joni Ernst: Medicare-for-All would bankrupt rural health care systems.     Joni Ernst: Replace ACA but provide "backstop" for expensive cases.     Joni Ernst: COVID: I wear a mask in public, but mandate is unenforceable.     Kimberly Graham: Advocates universal, single-payer government coverage.     Michael Franken: Improve ObamaCare; add Medicare public option.     Theresa Greenfield: Expand access to affordable health care.     Theresa Greenfield: Strengthen ObamaCare; create public option.     Theresa Greenfield: Medicaid expansion, but not Medicare-for-All.     Theresa Greenfield: Health care is a right; build in a public option.     Theresa Greenfield: COVID: I do support a statewide mask mandate.     Theresa Greenfield: Expand ACA, include public option.

Homeland Security     Theresa Greenfield: Take care of veterans with healthcare & jobs.

Immigration     Eddie Mauro: Fighting for immigrant rights near and dear to me.     Joni Ernst: Legal residency for DREAMers; need bipartisan solution.     Joni Ernst: Path for DACA participants, against overall amnesty.     Kimberly Graham: Citizenship for DACA & families.     Michael Franken: Pathway to citizenship; expand worker visa program.     Theresa Greenfield: Fix immigration system; support DREAMers and border security.     Theresa Greenfield: Pathway for illegal immigrants; legal status for DREAMers.     Theresa Greenfield: Wants plan that tough on workplace enforcement.

Jobs     Eddie Mauro: Workers have right to unionize; update Labor Relations Act.     Joni Ernst: Maybe index minimum wage to GDP, but not same for all states.     Joni Ernst: Co-sponsored National Right to Work Act.     Kimberly Graham: Equal pay for equal work.     Michael Franken: Endorses a federal ban on right to work laws.     Theresa Greenfield: Strengthen unions, they built the middle class.     Theresa Greenfield: Supports a living wage; equal pay for equal work.     Theresa Greenfield: Raise minimum wage to $15 over time.     Theresa Greenfield: COVID: Expand benefits for laid-off workers.     Theresa Greenfield: Investment in ag research will improve crops and soils.

Principles & Values     Michael Franken: Probity of character transcends all.     Theresa Greenfield: Shaped by growing up on family farm.

Social Security     Eddie Mauro: Protect Social Security & Medicare.     Joni Ernst: Consider all options for solvency; must be bipartisan.     Michael Franken: Reform tax cap; raise benefits; no privatization.     Theresa Greenfield: Credits Social Security with support after death of husband.     Theresa Greenfield: Opposes privatization of Social Security & Medicare.     Theresa Greenfield: Social Security personal, helped when husband died on job.     Theresa Greenfield: Don't raise retirement age; make wealthy pay fair share.

Tax Reform     Eddie Mauro: Those benefiting the most have an obligation to pay.     Joni Ernst: 2017 tax cuts gave relief to 1 million Iowans.     Michael Franken: Eliminate loopholes used by wealthy & corporations.     Theresa Greenfield: Wealthy & corporations need to pay their fair share.

Technology     Michael Franken: High speed internet access for rural and depressed areas.     Theresa Greenfield: Invest in infrastructure for broadband and bridges.     Theresa Greenfield: Expand broadband; public/private partnership to get there.

War & Peace     Eddie Mauro: We need to revisit war powers role of president & Congress.     Kimberly Graham: Increase service member pay & veteran's benefits.     Michael Franken: Foreign aid to one country can impact entire region.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Eddie Mauro Democratic 2020 Senate Challenger Iowa Joni Ernst Republican Jr Senator Iowa Kimberly Graham Democratic 2020 Senate Challenger Iowa Michael Franken Democratic Senate Challenger Iowa Theresa Greenfield Democratic Senate Challenger Iowa