Are you looking for a nonpartisan voter guide for the Chuck Grassley vs. Patty Judge Senate race? One that will give you an accurate, no-spin comparison of the candidates’ positions on key issues? Our Campus Election Engagement Project is a national nonpartisan initiative working to increase student electoral participation. At the request of the schools we work with, we’ve created concise nonpartisan candidate guides for the presidential race, for the importance of the 2016 election on future Supreme Court decisions, and for 20 Senate and Governor’s races, including this Senate race. Our lead researcher spent 19 years as a senior editor at Encyclopedia Britannica, and we invite readers to share this and our other guides as widely as possible
So here are the issue-by-issue stands for Chuck Grassley and Patty Judge. Visit our Nonpartisan Candidate Guides home page to find links to all our other guides, with most available in both online/mobile friendly and printable PDF formats.
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Abortion: Should abortion be highly restricted?
Grassley: Yes
Judge: No
Campaign Finance: Do you support the DISCLOSE Act, which requires key funders of political ads to put their names on those ads?
Grassley: No
Judge: Yes
Campaign Finance: Support Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which allows unlimited independent political expenditures by corporations and unions?
Grassley: Yes
Judge: No. Supports Constitutional Amendment to overturn.
Climate Change: Believe that human activity is the major factor driving climate change?
Grassley: No
Judge: Yes
Climate Change: Should government limit the levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere?
Grassley: No
Judge: Yes
Contraception: Should employers be able to withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if they disagree with it morally?
Grassley: Yes. Religious freedom takes precedence.
Judge: Probable no, based on Emily’s List endorsement.
Economy: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Grassley: No
Judge: Yes
Financial Regulation: Support the Dodd-Frank Act, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and increases regulation of Wall Street corporations and financial institutions?
Grassley: No
Judge: Yes, but needs some adjustments in rules for community banks.
Gay Marriage: Support gay marriage?
Grassley: No
Judge: Yes
Gay Rights: Should transgender individuals have the right to use public bathrooms of their choice?
Grassley: Called Obama’s executive order overreach and says communities should “work out in a practical way” on their own.
Judge: Yes
Gun Control: Support more restrictive gun control legislation?
Grassley: Mixed. Supports banning sales to people on no-fly list but has opposed most legislation.
Judge: Yes. Supports banning assault rifles and gun sales to people on no-fly list.
Healthcare: Repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare?
Grassley: Yes
Judge: No, but amend it to address skyrocketing prescription drug costs.
Healthcare: Did you support shutting down the federal government in order to defund Obamacare in 2013?
Grassley: Thought shutdown was unnecessary, but later voted against ending it.[1]
Judge: Unknown
Healthcare: Should Planned Parenthood be eligible to receive public funds for non-abortion health services?
Grassley: No
Judge: Yes
Immigration: Support the DREAM Act, which would allow children brought into the country illegally to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions? [2]
Grassley: No
Judge: Yes
Immigration: Should America’s 11 million undocumented residents have an earned path to citizenship?
Grassley: No. Not until border is deemed totally secure.
Judge: Yes
Iran: Support the US-Iran treaty that limits Iran’s nuclear capability in return for lifting economic sanctions?
Grassley: No. Signed letter to Iran intended to make a deal more difficult to accomplish.
Judge: Yes
Iraq: Should the US recommit significant additional ground troops to Iraq to combat the success of ISIS?
Grassley: Unclear. In 2014 thought it was too early to make ground troop commitment.
Judge: No, but does support increased air strikes.
Marijuana: Decriminalize and/or legalize marijuana?
Grassley: Blocked bi-partisan medical cannabis bill from getting hearing and supports federal override of state laws. Does support research on CBD-only medical strains.
Judge: Supports legalization of medical marijuana. Opposes recreational use.
Minimum Wage: Raise the federal minimum wage?
Grassley: No. Voted against it.
Judge: Yes. Increase to $15 over three to four years.
Renewable Energy: Support government mandates and/or subsidies for renewable energy?
Grassley: Supports renewable energy subsidies.
Judge: Yes
Social Security: Support full or partial Social Security privatization?
Grassley: Yes
Judge: No
Student Debt: Refinance student loans at lower rates, paid for by increasing taxes on high earners?
Grassley: No. Opposes government subsidies for student loans. Prefers expanding market solutions.
Judge: Yes
Student Financial Aid: Should federal student financial aid, like Pell Grants, be increased?
Grassley: No, because money isn’t available.
Judge: Yes
Supreme Court: Support the Senate holding hearings to consider Obama Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland?
Grassley: No. Chaired committee that rejected hearings.
Judge: Yes
Taxes: Increase taxes on corporations and/or high-income individuals to pay for public services?
Grassley: No
Judge: Yes
Voting Rights: Support stricter voting rules such as voter ID requirements or reduced registration times, even if they prevent some people from voting?
Grassley: Yes. Sees no urgency in restoring Voting Rights Act.[3]
Judge: Unknown
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Other senate candidates include Charles Aldrich (L). Due to limited space, we can’t include his positions, but invite you to check out his website.
Created by the Campus Election Engagement Project, a non-partisan effort to help college and university administrators, faculty, and student leaders engage their schools in the election. Key sites consulted included Votesmart.org, Ballotpedia.org, Countable.us, OntheIssues.org, FactCheck.org , Politifact.com, and public candidate statements. For a guide to all races, see Vote411.org, from the League of Women Voters, and Ballotready.org.
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[1] Believed a shutdown would be unproductive, but then became one of 12 Republican Senators to vote against ending the shutdown, stating that ending it was a “missed opportunity for forcing action to limit government.”
[2] Need to have graduated from high school, have a clean legal record, and attend college or serve in the military.
[3] Believes that the Voting Rights Act exists to increase minority turnout rather than to stop discrimination. and states that more minorities are already voting, so redundant.