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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)	Codify Roe v. Wade, repeal Hyde Amendment: Favors topic 1 I believe in reproductive freedom and reproductive justice: Strongly Favors topic 1 I believe in a woman's right to choose: Strongly Favors topic 1 Opposed Texas blocking abortions after 20 weeks: Strongly Favors topic 1 Allow abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy: Strongly Favors topic 1
Strongly Favors topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (-5 points on Economic scale)	Leaders should unite us, not feed bigotry and division: Favors topic 2 Passed ground-breaking rule furthering fair housing: Strongly Favors topic 2 Racial and social justice as important as economic justice: Favors topic 2 Pass ERA to ensure equal rights & equal pay for women: Strongly Favors topic 2 Supports reparations commission, we need healing process: Favors topic 2 Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery: Strongly Favors topic 2 Chicano; Jewish; gay: common thread is marginalization: Strongly Favors topic 2 Too-tight credit market hurts minority home ownership: Favors topic 2
Strongly Favors topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (+5 points on Social scale)	As mayor, banned discrimination against sexual orientation: Strongly Favors topic 3 Protections for GLBTQ; benefits to same-sex partners: Favors topic 3 Signed onto the "Mayors for the Freedom to Marry" effort: Strongly Favors topic 3 Extend city benefits to same-sex domestic partners: Favors topic 3
Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-3 points on Social scale)	Grew up with Catholic tradition and progressive activism: Favors topic 4
Strongly Favors topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (-5 points on Economic scale)	Strengthen Medicare and then expand to anyone who wants it: Strongly Favors topic 5 Denying health care for undocumented is un-American: Strongly Favors topic 5 US should be the healthiest nation: Strongly Favors topic 5 Medicare for all, but allow private insurance: Strongly Favors topic 5 Would tax the richest to fund Medicare for All: Strongly Favors topic 5 Medicare for all, paid for by tax on wealthy: Strongly Favors topic 5 Americans should not be on their own for health care: Strongly Favors topic 5
Opposes topic 6: Privatize Social Security (-3 points on Economic scale)	Trust Fund needs immigrants to shore up Baby Boomers: Opposes topic 6
Strongly Opposes topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (-5 points on Economic scale)	Inner cities need help; invest in education: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Universal free meals in schools: Opposes topic 7 Give teachers tax credits of $2,000 to $10,000: Opposes topic 7 Nationwide expansion of universal pre-K: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Invest in public schools, pre-K through higher ed: Strongly Opposes topic 7 Extended Pre-K education for needy kids: Opposes topic 7 Our most chronic problem is inequity in education: Favors topic 7 Money for education is investment, not charity: Strongly Opposes topic 7
Strongly Opposes topic 8: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach (+5 points on Social scale)	Reinstate private right to sue polluters: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Don't wait for natural disaster to move to sustainability: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Will appoint EPA administrator to crack down on polluters: Strongly Opposes topic 8 Injustice that 70% of HUD housing is near Superfund site: Opposes topic 8 I dealt with lead in water in Flint as HUD Secretary: Strongly Opposes topic 8 We still need to find a long-term solution for nuclear waste: Opposes topic 8 Opposed golf course development to protect city's aquifer: Strongly Opposes topic 8 At HUD: $1 billion National Disaster Resilience Competition: Opposes topic 8 More funding for lead-safe regulations in low-income housing: Strongly Opposes topic 8
Opposes topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (+2 points on Social scale)	Send high-level executives to jail for opioids & corruption: Strongly Favors topic 9 We must do something about "toxic brew of white nationalism": Favors topic 9 End qualified immunity to hold police officers accountable: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Remove from the streets police officers who kill civilians: Opposes topic 9 Eliminate private prisons: Strongly Opposes topic 9 Abolish capital punishment: Strongly Opposes topic 9 We must face police violence against minorities: Strongly Opposes topic 9
Opposes topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (-3 points on Economic scale)	No mandatory buybacks--it means more cops banging on doors: Opposes topic 10 The answer to mass shooting is not more guns: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Whole slew of gun measures most Americans support: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Yes on gun licensing, but also red flag laws: Opposes topic 10 Voluntary buyback, despite their mixed success: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Dems can get common sense gun reform in 2021: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Sensible gun laws, and address mental health issues: Strongly Opposes topic 10 Supports background checks at gun shows & assault weapon ban: Strongly Favors topic 10 Ban assault weapons: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Favors topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (-5 points on Economic scale)	Tax capital gains annually, not when assets sold: Strongly Favors topic 11 Tax inherited windfalls as ordinary income: Strongly Favors topic 11 Senior/disabled property tax freeze favored wealthy: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Raise the top marginal tax rate; negotiate the numbers: Strongly Favors topic 11 Top earners & corporations must pay fair share: Strongly Favors topic 11 Top earners, corporations should pay "fair share": Strongly Favors topic 11 Stop taking from middle class & favoring the rich: Favors topic 11
Strongly Favors topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (+5 points on Social scale)	Must decriminalize border crossing to stop family separation: Strongly Favors topic 12 Always for secure border and apprehending criminals: Favors topic 12 Independent immigration courts will speed up asylum process: Strongly Favors topic 12 Can't take in everyone seeking asylum but can do more: Strongly Favors topic 12 Supports L.A. & Chicago in non-cooperation with ICE: Strongly Favors topic 12 No to "open borders"; increase number of refugees admitted: Strongly Favors topic 12 We need a Marshall Plan for the Northern Triangle: Favors topic 12 Get rid of metering asylum applicants at the border: Strongly Favors topic 12 Get rid of section 1325: stop criminalizing desperation: Strongly Favors topic 12 Decriminalizing illegal crossings is way we used to do this: Strongly Favors topic 12 Decriminalizing border crossings won't apply to smuggling: Strongly Favors topic 12 Don't separate kids and families; don't jail asylum seekers: Strongly Favors topic 12 Current "merit" system says only certain people have merit: Strongly Favors topic 12 Reverse Muslim ban; Marshall Plan for Central America: Strongly Favors topic 12 Asylum seekers have the right to be heard: Strongly Favors topic 12 Treat immigration as civil, not criminal, issue: Strongly Favors topic 12 We can have compassion AND border security: Favors topic 12 Against funding border wall: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Compassion for refugees, pathway for those here: Strongly Favors topic 12 Secure the border by using technology, not a wall: Opposes topic 12 Support comprehensive immigration reform: Favors topic 12
Opposes topic 13: Support & expand free trade (-3 points on Economic scale)	Demand changes to post-NAFTA agreement USMCA: Opposes topic 13 Protect American workers but take part in global economy: Opposes topic 13 Renegotiate NAFTA to protect workers & environment: Opposes topic 13 Renegotiate NAFTA: Opposes topic 13
Strongly Opposes topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (-5 points on Economic scale)	21st century Marshall Plan for Central and Latin America: Strongly Opposes topic 14 Rebuild alliances & reclaim role as world leader: Opposes topic 14
Strongly Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-5 points on Social scale)	Supported military expansion into cybersecurity: Strongly Favors topic 15
Strongly Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+5 points on Social scale)	Eliminate the Electoral College: Favors topic 16 Mandate paper ballots: Favors topic 16 We need election security against foreign interference: Favors topic 16 1995: Studied overcoming minority voter disenfranchisement: Strongly Favors topic 16
Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-3 points on Social scale)	North Korea won't work with US after ditching Iran nuke deal: Strongly Opposes topic 17 No preparation is why North Korea talks have done little: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Don't entangle ourselves in wars, but rebuild alliances: Strongly Favors topic 17 Opposed troops in Syria, but have to plan withdrawal: Favors topic 17 Withdraw US troops from Syria: Strongly Favors topic 17 Strengthen our relationship with allies to keep us safe: Strongly Opposes topic 17
Strongly Favors topic 18: Prioritize green energy (-5 points on Economic scale)	School curriculum should include climate change: Favors topic 18 Carbon-free America by 2045, clean electricity by 2035: Strongly Favors topic 18 Backed fracking as mayor; leave bans to each community: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Federally mandated price on carbon to spur renewables: Strongly Favors topic 18 Lower energy consumption in HUD-assisted housing: Strongly Favors topic 18 Cut carbon emissions; invest in renewable energy: Strongly Favors topic 18 Green Jobs Leadership Council: more solar; less coal: Strongly Favors topic 18 Supported both fossil fuel and green energy: Opposes topic 18 Rejoin the Paris Climate Treaty: Strongly Favors topic 18 Investments in mass transit could stimulate job creation: Favors topic 18
Opposes topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (+2 points on Social scale)	Decriminalize and legalize marijuana: Strongly Opposes topic 19 Crack down on traffickers of dangerous drugs like fentanyl: Favors topic 19 Legalize and regulate marijuana; expunge criminal records: Strongly Opposes topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	ConnectHome: Support affordable housing: Favors topic 20 Property was taken from slaves, so pay reparations: Favors topic 20 Supported tax breaks to lure corporations: Strongly Favors topic 20

Julian Castro is a Populist-Leaning Liberal
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