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)	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
Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-3 points on Economic scale)	Vetoed closure of Developmental Disabilities Centers: Favors topic 2
Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-3 points on Social scale)	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 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 Pursue civil unions in NJ, but not same-sex marriage: Opposes 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)	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)	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)	Raise the retirement age, and limit COLA, for state workers: Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+5 points on Economic scale)	Dems believe in teacher's unions; we believe in teachers: 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 Replace Abbott District funds with tenure reform & charters: Strongly 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 Children attend parochial school: Favors topic 7
Favors topic 8: Human needs over animal rights (-3 points on Social scale)	Rejected $9B transit project as "tunnel to Macy's basement": Opposes topic 8 Jersey shore for tourism instead of offshore drilling: Favors topic 8 $157 million for Green Acres open-space acquisition: Strongly Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	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 Stand against child pornography and human trafficking: Favors topic 9
Strongly Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-5 points on Economic scale)	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
Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+2 points on Economic scale)	2009: Single tax rate would raise taxes for low earners: Strongly Favors topic 11 We can and we must lower taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NJ has highest state tax burden & it's getting worse: Strongly Opposes topic 11
No opinion on topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 13: Support & expand free trade (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
No opinion on topic 14: Maintain US sovereignty from UN (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-5 points on Social scale)	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
Strongly Favors topic 16: Stricter limits on political campaign funds (-5 points on Economic scale)	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: Stay out of Iran (-3 points on Social scale)	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
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	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
No opinion on topic 19: Never legalize marijuana (0 points on Social scale)	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)	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