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 Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (-5 points on Social scale)	No taxpayer funding for abortion; protect the unborn: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Affordable access to contraception: Favors topic 1 Personhood amendment is a statement of pro-life principle: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Human life begins at conception: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Protecting most vulnerable is important measure of society: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Don't think Roe will be overturned: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Opposes all federal funding of Planned Parenthood: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Voted YES to protect infant survivors of abortion: Opposes topic 1 Strict Constitutionalist, according to CC survey: Opposes topic 1 Anti-Planned Parenthood, according to CC survey: Opposes topic 1 Pro-parental notification, according to CC survey: Strongly Opposes topic 1
Strongly Opposes topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (+5 points on Economic scale)	Endorsed by RightNOW Women PAC to escape "war on women": Opposes topic 2 Enforce Court decision ending college affirmative action: Strongly Opposes topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Support transgender and LGBTQ+ rights (-5 points on Social scale)	Marriage is a religious institution: one man and one woman: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Government shouldn't redefine marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Federal ban ok, but leave same-sex marriage to states: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Urged NCAA to ban transgender athletes from women's sports: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Anti-transgender bathrooms, according to CC survey: Strongly Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: America was founded on Christian values (-5 points on Social scale)	Judeo-Christian values established our government framework: Strongly Favors topic 4
Strongly Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+5 points on Economic scale)	Staunchly opposed to ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Voted against Medicaid expansion in Iowa: Strongly Opposes topic 5 FactCheck: False claim that ObamaCare cut Medicare benefits: Opposes topic 5 ObamaCare is egregious overreach of federal government: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Failed mindset gave us policies like ObamaCare: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Medicare-for-All would bankrupt rural health care systems: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Replace ACA but provide "backstop" for expensive cases: Opposes topic 5 On Medicaid cuts: "We all are going to die": Strongly Opposes topic 5 "Big Beautiful Bill" strengthens the integrity of Medicaid: Strongly Opposes topic 5
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Preserve and protect Social Security & Medicare: Opposes topic 6 Open to privatizing Social Security, but honor promises: Strongly Favors topic 6 Something like personal savings accounts for younger workers: Favors topic 6 Consider all options for solvency; must be bipartisan: Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+5 points on Economic scale)	No federal involvement in Common Core standards: Favors topic 7 Eliminate Department of Education but keep Pell Grants: Strongly Favors topic 7 Co-sponsored act for tax credits for private school tuition: Strongly Favors topic 7
Strongly Favors topic 8: Businesses have a right to pollute (-5 points on Social scale)	Voted to repeal 2015 Clean Power Plan: Strongly Favors topic 8 Supported rollback of Clean Water Act: Strongly Favors topic 8 EPA should stop awarding grants until Trump takes office: Strongly Favors topic 8 Endorsed Targeted as "Dirty Dozen" for anti-environmentalism: Strongly Favors topic 8 Regulatory relief for smaller banks stimulates growth: Favors topic 8 Loosen restrictions on predator control in Alaska: Strongly Favors topic 8
Favors topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (-3 points on Social scale)	Supported Republican police reform; Democrats walked out: Favors topic 9 First step: reduce recidivism & mass incarceration: Opposes topic 9 Support law enforcement, according to CC survey: Favors topic 9 Let ex-cons apply freely, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	Staunch defender of the Second Amendment: Strongly Favors topic 10 Opposes more gun restrictions: Strongly Favors topic 10 Purpose of Second Amendment is protection against tyranny: Strongly Favors topic 10 Reciprocity across state lines for concealed carry: Strongly Favors topic 10 Limit gun rights, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	IRS is a predatory, bureaucratic, out-of-control disaster: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Passed the largest tax cut in Iowa history: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Make tax code fairer, flatter and simpler: but not FairTax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Signed Grover Norquist tax pledge: never raise taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 2017 tax cuts gave relief to 1 million Iowans: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Reduce corporate tax rates from 35% to 21% to create jobs: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Pro-tax cuts, according to CC survey: Strongly Opposes topic 11 End the Death Tax, according to CC survey: Strongly Opposes topic 11
Opposes topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (-3 points on Social scale)	Protect the borders; prevent illegal entry: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Troops on Mexican border is ok, for logistical support: Opposes topic 12 Legal residency for DREAMers; need bipartisan solution: Favors topic 12 Path for DACA participants, against overall amnesty: Opposes topic 12 ICE performs vital functions that protect American families: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Support national emergency at the Southern border: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Increase both high-skill and family-based visa caps: Favors topic 12 Pro-border security, according to CC survey: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Keep markets open to exports for Iowa goods: Strongly Favors topic 13 Tear down trade barriers in Europe & the Pacific: Strongly Favors topic 13 Worth the pain of tariffs to get a better deal with China: Opposes topic 13 Supports USMCA trade agreement to replace NAFTA: Favors topic 13 Voted YES to kill reauthorization of Ex-Im Bank: Opposes topic 13 Implement USMCA for improved North American trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 Ban imports from Xinjiang made by Uyghur forced labor: Opposes topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 14: Stay away from the UN & Globalism (+5 points on Economic scale)	No more Agenda 21: no United Nations eminent domain: Strongly Favors topic 14 Military experience always plays role in decision-making: Favors topic 14 Disallow Palestine from joining ICC to threaten Israel: Favors topic 14 No transfers of Gitmo prisoners to US or abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 Two-state solution despite Israeli settlements on West Bank: Favors topic 14
Strongly Favors topic 15: Peace through Strength (-5 points on Social scale)	Voted against blocking arms sales to Saudi Arabia: Strongly Favors topic 15 I'm a veteran; honor and care for our nation's veterans: Strongly Favors topic 15 Keep veterans in forefront of all foreign policy decisions: Favors topic 15 I understand the importance a strong national defense: Strongly Favors topic 15 Will work to create the most lethal fighting force: Strongly Favors topic 15 $515B for military plus $89B off sequester for wars: Favors topic 15 Secure the grid, according to CC survey: Strongly Favors topic 15
Strongly Opposes topic 16: Make voter registration easier (-5 points on Social scale)	Photo ID for voting: Strongly Opposes topic 16 Against bill requiring more disclosure of political funders: Opposes topic 16
Opposes topic 17: Stay out of foreign wars (-3 points on Social scale)	USAID is a rogue bureaucracy at odds with nation's interests: Strongly Favors topic 17 Strong national defense makes the world is a safer place: Opposes topic 17 Comprehensive plan to defeat ISIL and al Qaeda: Opposes topic 17 Cohesive and strong strategy to confront threats: Opposes topic 17 No nuclear deal with Iran without Congressional input: Opposes topic 17 Pro-Israel, according to CC survey: Opposes topic 17 President ok to use military force against Iran: Opposes topic 17
Strongly Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Drives hybrid car, but doubts climate change is man-made: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Meeting with Big Oil doesn't make me feel uncomfortable: Opposes topic 18 Keystone Jobs Bill: many jobs; minimal environmental impact: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Fight for ethanol and biodiesel, not electric vehicles: Strongly Opposes topic 18
Favors topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (-3 points on Social scale)	Voted to legalize medical cannabis oil: Opposes topic 19 Opposes medical and recreational marijuana: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated D by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19
Strongly Opposes topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (+5 points on Economic scale)	Break Washington's spending addiction: Strongly Opposes topic 20 I've castrated hogs so I know how to cut pork: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Eliminate rules which inhibit strong free-market economy: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Roll back burdensome regulations: Strongly Opposes topic 20 Go back to drawing board to keep Post Office going: Favors topic 20 Raising the minimum wage would not improve the economy: Opposes topic 20 Voted YES on $900 billion COVID relief package: Favors topic 20 Opposed $1.9 trillion ARPA bill for COVID relief: Strongly Opposes topic 20

Joni Ernst is a Hard-Core Conservative
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