NONPARTISAN CANDIDATE GUIDE: 2018 MISSOURI SENATE RACE
Created by the Campus Election Engagement Project, a nonpartisan effort to help college and university administrators, faculty, and student leaders engage their schools in the election. Key sites consulted included Votesmart.org, OntheIssues.org, FactCheck.org, Politifact.com, and public candidate statements. For guides to local races, see Vote411.org from the League of Women Voters and Ballotready.org. For more detailed information visit their votesmart.org pages.
Visit joshhawley.com and clairemccaskill.com to volunteer. Other candidates include Japeth Campbell (Libertarian) and Jo Crain (Green), and Craig O’Dear (I). Due to lack of space, we can only include candidates who poll 15% or more, but encourage you to check out their websites. To download a printable pdf version of this guide, click here.
Abortion: Mostly ban or mostly legal?
Hawley – Ban. Called Roe v. Wade “one of the most unjust decisions” in U.S. judicial history.
McCaskill – Legal. Supported bill to prevent abortion providers being singled out for medically unwarranted restrictions.
Campaign Finance: Require political ads to disclose their largest funders?
Hawley – Unclear. Has said need ethics reform, but no stands requiring this.
McCaskill – Yes. Backed bills to require.
Campaign Finance: Support Citizens United decision, allowing unlimited political donations from corporations and unions?
Hawley – Unknown, although Citizens United PAC supported for Attorney General.
McCaskill – No. Restore reasonable limits.
Climate Change: Consider climate change a critical threat? Limit or tax greenhouse gas production?
Hawley – No. Criticized Obama’s “job-killing ‘climate agenda’” and “climate change crusade.” Backed lawsuit against Obama Clean Power Plan.
McCaskill – Yes, but asked for more time for coal plants to implement Obama Clean Power Plan, while opposing its repeal. Opposed carbon tax but supports US participation in Paris Climate Accord.
Contraception: Allow employers to withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if disagree with it morally?
Hawley – Yes. Was lawyer in Hobby Lobby case that gave businesses religious freedom rights to withhold this coverage.
McCaskill – No. Says best way to reduce unintended pregnancies and abortions is by expanding access to birth control.
Courts: Support President Trump’s Supreme Court choice of Brett Kavanaugh? [prior to recent allegations]
Hawley – Yes.
McCaskill – Will decide after hearings.
Economy: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Hawley – Unknown.
McCaskill – Supports federal infrastructure investment.
Economy: Support President Trump’s tariffs on Chinese steel and other products?
Hawley – Supports approach but worried about farmers, so wants to see the deal.
McCaskill – Opposes.
Education: Provide vouchers to send children to private schools with public money?
Hawley – Has supported eligibility of religious schools for state resources. Position unclear on vouchers.
McCaskill – No.
Elections: Support nonpartisan “Clean Missouri” redistricting initiative to address partisan gerrymandering and limit gifts by lobbyists.
Hawley – No current stand.
McCaskill – Yes. “Couldn’t be more enthusiastic”
Environment: Support cutbacks in Environmental Protection Administration?
Hawley – Fought Obama EPA “overreach.” Opposed EPA “Clean Power Plan.”
McCaskill – No, but opposed some EPA regulations affecting farmers.
Financial Regulation: Support cutbacks in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau?
Hawley – Yes. Argued that its creation was unconstitutional.
McCaskill – No, but voted to amend some of its banking rules.
Gay Marriage: Support gay marriage?
Hawley – No. Supports “the biblical truth about husband and wife, man and woman.”
McCaskill – Yes.
Gun Control: Support more restrictive gun control legislation? Restrict semi-automatic weapons?
Hawley – Supports background checks, banning bump stocks, but not assault rifles.
McCaskill – Yes. Supports Second Amendment, but supports background checks, closing gun show loophole, assault rifle ban.
Healthcare: Support or Repeal Affordable Care Act (ACA), known as Obamacare?
Hawley – Repeal & replace ACA, which “was never constitutional.” Part of lawsuit to end required coverage of pre-existing conditions.
McCaskill – Supports “improving” ACA. Offered Senate resolution to protect coverage of pre-existing conditions.
Healthcare: Allow public funding of Planned Parenthood for non-abortion health services?
Hawley – “No tax money of any kind.”
McCaskill – Yes. Taking away birth control will increase abortions.
Immigration: Support DREAM Act (DACA), allowing “Dreamers” who arrived illegally as children, then grew up in the US, to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions? Support path to citizenship for America’s 11 million illegal immigrants?
Hawley – Opposes general path to citizenship. “Amnesty is not the answer.” Supports Trump border wall. Position on DACA unclear. Criticized McCaskill for “giving illegal immigrants a free pass and allowing them to use children as a human shield.”
McCaskill – Voted for 2010 DREAM Act. Worked on bipartisan immigration proposal with path to citizenship for DACA kids combined with more border security. Opposes Trump’s wall and family separations. Has opposed general path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.
Iran: Support Trump withdrawal from treaty limiting Iran nuclear capability in return for lifting economic sanctions?
Hawley – Yes.
McCaskill – Supported original treaty. “Concerned about what comes next” and effect on the relationship with allies.
Labor: Support “Right to Work” laws, which make union dues optional?
Hawley – Yes.
McCaskill – No. Opposed MO ballot initiative.
Marijuana: Legalize or decriminalize marijuana.
Hawley – “Inclined” to support medical marijuana in initiative.
McCaskill – Supports medical marijuana, alternatives to prison for nonviolent drug offenders, “might support” recreational marijuana.
Minimum Wage: Support Missouri minimum wage initiative?
Hawley – Hasn’t made up mind. “Worried it may actually result in lost jobs.”
McCaskill – Supports MO initiative to raise to $12/hour by 2023.
Net Neutrality: Require internet providers to provide equal access to all users?
Hawley – Unknown.
McCaskill – Yes. Co-sponsored bill to restore rule requiring this.
President Trump: Percentage of key votes supporting Trump positions in Senate?
Hawley – N/A, but has disagreed with Trump “on nothing that has happened so far.”
McCaskill – 45% as of Sept 1.
Privatization: Support full or partial privatization of Social Security and VA?
Hawley – Unknown.
McCaskill – Opposes privatization.
Renewable Energy: Support government subsidies for renewable energy?
Hawley – Unknown.
McCaskill – Yes. Supports alternative energy subsidies, but also recognizes Missouri’s dependence on coal and supported Keystone Pipeline.
Student Debt and Financial Aid: Refinance student loans at lower rates, by raising high-earner taxes? Increase student financial aid, like Pell Grants?
Hawley – Unclear, but says universities waste billions of public funds and leave families with billions of debt, giving students “worthless degrees” and indoctrinating them in far-left thinking.
McCaskill – Yes. Co-sponsored Elizabeth Warren proposal to refinance student loans. Supports increasing Pell Grants.
Taxes: Support President Trump’s tax cuts?
Hawley – Yes. Supports.
McCaskill – No. Opposes.
Voting Rights: Support stricter voting rules like voter ID requirements or reduced registration times, even if they prevent some people from voting?
Hawley – Defended strict Missouri Voter ID Law, but may have just been in his role as Attorney General.
McCaskill – Opposes.
