Are you looking for a nonpartisan guide to the McMahon/Murphy U.S. Senate race, one that contrasts candidate stands in a fair way? The Campus Election Engagement Project, a nonpartisan effort to get students involved in the election, has produced guides for the presidential race and key Senate races that institutions like colleges and other nonprofits can circulate to give their communities accurate information in a way that they can't with more partisan guides.
For more detailed info on any of Linda McMahon's positions, go to her Vote Smart page and click on the [....] to the right of issue you're interested in.
For more detailed info on any of Christopher Murphy's positions, go to his Vote Smart page and click on the [....] to the right of issue you're interested in.
Linda McMahon
Abortion and Birth Control: Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? Says pro-choice. Pro-choice groups oppose due to her support for parental notification requirements, her opposition to federal funding except in cases of rape, incest, or the life of the mother, her support for the Blunt Amendment, which allows employers to withhold covering birth control for employees, and her opposition to requiring religious hospitals to give emergency contraception to rape victims.
Afghanistan: Do you support the continuation of United States combat operations in Afghanistan? Yes
Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending? No
Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on income above250,000 by letting the Bush tax cuts on that bracket expire, as well as ending subsidies to oil companies? No
Campaign Finance: Do you support the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, which prohibited the government from restricting independent political expenditures by corporations and unions? Yes
Campaign Finance: Do you support the DISCLOSE Act, which would require key funders of political ads to put their names on those ads? Unknown
Economy: Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? No
Economy: Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? Yes
Economy: Do you support the Dodd-Frank financial regulation act, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? Unknown
Education: Do you support increased federal aid to college students to help with the cost of their education? Unknown
Education: Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? No
Energy: Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production? Yes
Environment: Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? Unknown
Environment: Do you favor government support for alternative energy? No
Environment: Do you believe human activity is a major driving force in climate change? Skeptical
Guns: Do you support restrictions on the sale and possession of guns? No
Health Care: Should insurance companies be required to cover patients with pre-existing conditions, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act? No
Health Care: Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, with assistance from government subsidies for small businesses and low-income individuals, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act? No
Immigration: Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? Unknown
Immigration: Do you support the DREAM Act, which would allow children of illegal immigrants to stay in this country if they've graduated high school, have a clean legal record, and attend college or serve in the military? Unknown
Marriage: Do you support same-sex marriage? Unknown
Social Security: Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? Unknown
Chris Murphy
Abortion and Birth Control: Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? Pro-choice
Afghanistan: Do you support the continuation of United States combat operations in Afghanistan? No
Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending? Yes
Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on income above250,000 by letting the Bush tax cuts on that bracket expire, as well as ending subsidies to oil companies? Yes
Campaign Finance: Do you support the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, which prohibited the government from restricting independent political expenditures by corporations and unions? No
Campaign Finance: Do you support the DISCLOSE Act, which would require key funders of political ads to put their names on those ads? Yes
Economy: Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? Yes
Economy: Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? Yes
Economy: Do you support the Dodd-Frank financial regulation act, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? Yes
Education: Do you support increased federal aid to college students to help with the cost of their education? Yes
Education: Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? Yes
Energy: Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production? Unknown
Environment: Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? Yes
Environment: Do you favor government support for alternative energy? Yes
Environment: Do you believe human activity is a major driving force in climate change? Yes
Guns: Do you support restrictions on the sale and possession of guns? Yes
Health Care: Should insurance companies be required to cover patients with pre-existing conditions, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act? Yes
Health Care: Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, with assistance from government subsidies for small businesses and low-income individuals, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act? Yes
Immigration: Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? No
Immigration: Do you support the DREAM Act, which would allow children of illegal immigrants to stay in this country if they've graduated high school, have a clean legal record, and attend college or serve in the military? Yes
Marriage: Do you support same-sex marriage? Yes
Social Security: Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? No
Created by the Campus Election Engagement Project, a non-partisan effort to help college and university administrators, faculty, and staff get their students engaged in the election, which was founded by Paul Loeb. Candidate positions are drawn primarily from the Project Vote Smart, a non-partisan, nonprofit organization providing factual, unbiased information on candidates, officials, issues, and legislation, with positions inferred from candidate stands and more detailed information available on the candidates' Issue Position pages. See also the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School's FactCheck.org, which lets you check the truth of candidate claims.
For a comprehensive guide to all races including state initiatives and local Congressional and legislative races, see Vote411.org, created by the League of Women Voters. You enter your address, or the address of your school, and click "Get Personalized Information on Candidates and Issues," and it will give you information provided by the respective campaigns on their stands, taking you first through national races, then statewide races, then local ones. You do have to scroll down to the bottom where it offers a comparison, because checking the box by a candidate won't automatically bring up their stands.