Darren Soto on VoteMatch

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 Favors topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (+5 points on Social scale)	Women have a right to control their own bodies: Strongly Favors topic 1 Ban anti-abortion limitations on abortion services: Strongly Favors topic 1 Access safe, legal abortion without restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 1 Supports pro-choice legislation: Strongly Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Voted YES on private lawsuits for school race discrimination: Favors topic 2 Sponsored bill for ratifying Equal Rights Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 2 Combat international and domestic Islamophobia: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	Embrace our proud LGBT community: Strongly Favors topic 3 Supports same-sex marriage: Strongly Favors topic 3
Strongly Opposes topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (+5 points on Social scale)	Against school prayer even if called "inspirational message": Strongly Opposes topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports ObamaCare Medicaid expansion in Florida: Strongly Favors topic 5 Opposes repealing the 2010 affordable care act: Strongly Favors topic 5
Strongly Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-5 points on Economic scale)	Strengthen and expand Social Security; don't cut it: Strongly Opposes topic 6 Opposes diverting some FICA into personal accounts: Strongly Opposes topic 6
No opinion on topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (0 points on Economic scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Called on EPA to maintain & strengthen Clean Water Act: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Named Champion of the Everglades by Audubon Florida: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Rated Deregulating banks encourages discriminatory practices: Opposes topic 8 Rated Keep restrictive rules for predator control in Alaska: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Strongly Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+5 points on Social scale)	First step: reduce recidivism & mass incarceration: Opposes topic 9 Sponsored stricter rules for police accountability: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	Stand up to the gun lobby: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Supports gun-control legislation: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Require background check for every firearm sale and transfer: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Sponsored bill for background checks for private transfers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+2 points on Economic scale)	Opposes tax increases, even to balance the budget: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Supports lowering taxes to promote economic growth: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated Reducing tax rates balloons federal deficit & cuts programs: Favors topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	DREAMers pay in-state tuition & have pathway to citizenship: Strongly Favors topic 12 Provide lawyers and evidence for children being deported: Favors topic 12 Opposes requiring illegals to return to country of origin: Favors topic 12 Increase both high-skill and family-based visa caps: Favors topic 12 Sponsored bill to disallow religion-based immigration ban: Strongly Favors topic 12
No opinion on topic 13: Support & expand free trade (0 points on Economic scale)	Free trade is a nice theory, but oppose NAFTA & TPP: Strongly Opposes topic 13 Implement USMCA for improved North American trade: Strongly Favors topic 13
Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated Maintain World Bank funding as part of multilateralism: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Two-state solution despite Israeli settlements on West Bank: Favors topic 14 Sponsored bill to monitor forced Uyghur labor in Xinjiang: Strongly Favors topic 14
No opinion on topic 15: Expand the military (0 points on Social scale)	(No votes on which to base response)
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Keep early voting and easy third party registration: Strongly Favors topic 16 Establish "My Voice Voucher" small campaign contributions: Strongly Favors topic 16 Public financing of federal campaigns by voter vouchers: Favors topic 16 Statehood for the District of Columbia: Favors topic 16 Automatic voter registration for all citizens: Strongly Favors topic 16 Permanent preservation of Presidential social media accounts: Strongly Favors topic 16 Holiday on election day; revamp for easier voting access: Favors topic 16 Sponsored bill to expand voter registration and voter access: Strongly Favors topic 16
Favors topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (+2 points on Social scale)	Supports American intervention in Mideast beyond air support: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Remove US Forces from Hostilities Against Yemen: Favors topic 17 No military force against Iran without Congress approval: Strongly Favors topic 17 Repeal 2002 Military Force Authorization against Iraq: Favors topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Dramatically reduce our carbon emissions: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports federally developing renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supports regulation of greenhouse gas emission: Strongly Favors topic 18 Voted YES to assist rural electric renewable energy: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Oppose mandatory drug testing of state employees: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Exempt industrial hemp from marijuana laws: Opposes topic 19 Voted YES on combatting epidemic of synthetic drugs: Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	Supports federal spending to promote economic growth: Strongly Favors topic 20 Voted YES on $900 billion COVID relief package: Favors topic 20 $1.9 trillion ARPA bill for COVID relief: Favors topic 20

Darren Soto is a Libertarian-Leaning Progressive
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