Are you looking for a nonpartisan voter guide to the Mitch McConnell vs. Alison Lundergan-Grimes Senate race? One that will give you an unbiased, no-spin comparison of candidate positions on key issues? That's what our Campus Election Engagement Project guide will give you! We are a national nonpartisan initiative working with college and university administrators, faculty, and student leaders to increase student participation in America's elections. For the 2014 elections we have created and distributed voter guides to campuses in more than 20 states so they can provide their communities with accurate information for informed voting. Because these guides have been so well received and are useful for all voting citizens who want to be better informed, we are also posting them here.
We developed our guides by analyzing information from trusted resources such as www.votesmart.org, www.ontheissues.org, www.ballotpedia.com, www.politifact.com, www.factcheck.org, www.vote411.org and from candidate websites, public debates and interviews, and statements in major media outlets. We also showed them to groups like campus Young Republicans and Young Democrats at the schools we work with to verify their fairness and lack of bias.
So here are the issue-by-issue stands for Mitch McConnell and Alison Lundergan-Grimes, with additional links at the bottom for each candidate if you'd like to dig deeper.
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Budget: Did you support raising the Federal debt ceiling with no strings attached?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes, but will work to rein in spending
Budget: Do you support a Constitutional Balanced Budget Amendment?
McConnell: Yes
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes, but only one that would protect Social Security and limit tax breaks for billionaires
Campaign Finance: Do you support the DISCLOSE Act, which would require key funders of political ads to put their names on those ads?
McConnell: No. Once supported idea, but then led filibuster against bill (For more information on the evolution of Senator McConnell's position on disclosure, see Roll Call article)
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes
Campaign Finance: Do you support the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, which allowed unlimited independent political expenditures by corporations and unions?
McConnell: Yes
Lundergan-Grimes: No. Supports constitutional amendment to overturn
Economy: Do you support raising the minimum wage?
McConnell: No. Promised to block vote if he became Majority Leader
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes
Economy: Do you support extending unemployment benefits beyond 26 weeks?
McConnell: No. Promised to block vote if he became Majority Leader
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes
Economy: Do you support the Dodd-Frank Act, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and sought to increase regulation of Wall Street corporations and other financial institutions?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes, believes law isn't perfect, but will prevent Wall Street practices that led to the Great Recession.
Economy: Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes, specifically for rebuilding roads and bridges, developing clean coal technology, and making college affordable
Education: Do you support refinancing of student loans at lower rates, paid for by increasing taxes on income over a million dollars?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes
Environment: Do you believe that human activity is a major factor contributing to climate change?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes, but wants to avoid targeting Kentucky coal jobs
Environment: Do you support government action to limit the levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: Opposes EPA limits on coal plant carbon emissions
Environment: Do you support government mandates and/or subsidies for renewable energy?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: Supports development of all energy sources, unclear on renewable subsidies
Gay Marriage: Do you support gay marriage?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes
Gun Control: Do you support enacting more restrictive gun control legislation?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: No--NRA member, but does support expanding background checks
Healthcare: Do you support repealing the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare and as Kynect in Kentucky?
McConnell: Yes
Lundergan-Grimes: No--521,000 Kentuckians would lose Kynect coverage. But supported delay of mandate for small businesses and supports other fixes
Healthcare: Did you support shutting down the federal government in order to defund Obamacare in 2013?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: No
Immigration: Do you support the D.R.E.A.M. Act, which would allow children brought into the country illegally to achieve legal status if they've graduated from high school, have a clean legal record, and attend college or serve in the military?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes, while working to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Immigration: Do you support the comprehensive immigration plan passed by the Senate in 2013, which includes a pathway to citizenship and increased funding for border security?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes. Supports a similar approach, securing the border, then earned pathway to citizenship
Iraq: Should the US recommit troops to Iraq to combat the rise in insurgency?
McConnell: Unknown. Supports an "indefinite campaign, which...will include a multi-year air war of attrition."
Lundergan-Grimes: No, supports building coalitions to fight terrorists, not reintroducing combat troops
Social Issues: Should abortion be highly restricted?
McConnell: Yes
Lundergan-Grimes: No
Social Issues: Should employers be able to withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if they disagree with it morally?
McConnell: Yes
Lundergan-Grimes: No
Social Issues: Should Planned Parenthood receive public funds for non-abortion health services?
McConnell: No
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes
Social Security: Do you support partial privatization of Social Security?
McConnell: Yes
Lundergan-Grimes: No
Taxes: Have you signed the Americans for Tax Reform Pledge to oppose any tax increases to raise revenue? (The answer to this question is taken from the database of signatories of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, created by Americans for Tax Reform. Signers to the pledge promise to oppose "any and all tax increases" meant to generate additional revenue.)
McConnell: Yes
Lundergan-Grimes: No
Taxes: Would you increase taxes on corporations and/or high-income individuals to pay for public services?
McConnell: No. See above
Lundergan-Grimes: Yes, closing tax loopholes on corporations shipping jobs overseas
Learn more about the candidates:
McConnell: Mitch McConnell Vote Smart pages and Mitch McConnell On the Issues pages
Lundergan-Grimes: Alison Lundergan-Grimes Vote Smart pages and Alison Lundergan-Grimes On the Issues pages
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Other senate candidates include David Patterson (Libertarian). Limited space precludes including his positions, but we invite you to check out his website.