Are you looking for a nonpartisan voter guide for the Kelly Ayotte vs. Maggie Hassan 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 Kelly Ayotte and Maggie Hassan. Visit our Nonpartisan Candidate Guides home page to find links to all our other guides, including the New Hampshire Governor Guide, with most available in both online/mobile friendly and printable PDF formats.
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Abortion: Should abortion be highly restricted?
Ayotte: Yes. Wants Roe v Wade overturned.
Hassan: No
Campaign Finance: Do you support the DISCLOSE Act, which requires key funders of political ads to put their names on those ads?
Ayotte: No
Hassan: Yes
Campaign Finance: Support Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which allows unlimited independent political expenditures by corporations and unions?
Ayotte: Yes
Hassan: No
Climate Change: Believe that human activity is the major factor driving climate change?
Ayotte: Ambiguous. Previous denial, but recent change to acknowledge that human activity contributes.[1]
Hassan: Yes
Climate Change: Should government limit the levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere?
Ayotte: Yes, since recent shift.
Hassan: Yes
Contraception: Should employers be able to withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if they disagree with it morally?
Ayotte: Yes
Hassan: No
Economy: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Ayotte: No
Hassan: 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?
Ayotte: No. Voted to repeal.
Hassan: Yes
Gay Marriage: Support gay marriage?
Ayotte: No. But advocates for full access to government benefits for same-sex couples.
Hassan: Yes
Gay Rights: Should transgender individuals have the right to use public bathrooms of their choice?
Ayotte: No clear public stand, though has supported some previous protections.
Hassan: Yes. Also issued Executive Order for NH banning discrimination against transgender individuals.
Gun Control: Support more restrictive gun control legislation?
Ayotte: No. Except for restricting people on terrorist watch lists.[2]
Hassan: Yes
Healthcare: Repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare?
Ayotte: Yes. Also voted repeatedly to repeal Medicaid expansion component.
Hassan: No
Healthcare: Did you support shutting down the federal government in order to defund Obamacare in 2013?
Ayotte: Initally supported shutdown. Later voted to end it.
Hassan: No
Healthcare: Should Planned Parenthood be eligible to receive public funds for non-abortion health services?
Ayotte: No
Hassan: Yes
Immigration: Support the DREAM Act, which would allow children brought into the country illegally to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions?[3]
Ayotte: No
Hassan: Yes
Immigration: Should America’s 11 million undocumented residents have an earned path to citizenship?
Ayotte: Yes, but believes in first securing the border further. Then requiring a minimum of 13 years to become citizens.
Hassan: Yes
Iran: Support the US-Iran treaty that limits Iran’s nuclear capability in return for lifting economic sanctions?
Ayotte: No
Hassan: Yes
Iraq: Should the US recommit significant additional ground troops to Iraq to combat the success of ISIS?
Ayotte: Unclear. Supports increasing other military efforts but doesn’t specify position on ground troops.
Hassan: No. Supports air strikes, targeted special operations raids, and cutting off ISIS’s funding.
Marijuana: Decriminalize and/or legalize marijuana?
Ayotte: Opposes both medical and recreational.
Hassan: Has supported medical, opposes recreational.
Minimum Wage: Raise the federal minimum wage?
Ayotte: No
Hassan: Yes. Supports $12 per hour.
Renewable Energy: Support government mandates and/or subsidies for renewable energy?
Ayotte: Mixed. Supported some measurses but voted against extensions and expansions of renewable energy credit.
Hassan: Yes
Social Security: Support full or partial Social Security privatization?
Ayotte: Yes
Hassan: No
Student Debt: Refinance student loans at lower rates, paid for by increasing taxes on high earners?
Ayotte: No[4]
Hassan: Yes
Student Financial Aid: Should federal student financial aid, like Pell Grants, be increased?
Ayotte: No. Has voted to cut Pell Grants.
Hassan: Yes
Supreme Court: Support the Senate holding hearings to consider Obama Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland?
Ayotte: No
Hassan: Yes
Taxes: Increase taxes on corporations and/or high-income individuals to pay for public services?
Ayotte: No. Signed Americans for Tax Reform Pledge to oppose “any and all” tax increases to raise revenue.
Hassan: Yes. Close tax loopholes and ask wealthiest businesses and individuals to “pay their fair share.”
Voting Rights: Support stricter voting rules such as voter ID requirements or reduced registration times, even if they prevent some people from voting?
Ayotte: Yes
Hassan: No
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Other senate candidates include Brian Chabot (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, Countable.us, Ballotpedia.org, 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] Long considered a climate denier for stands like voting to “repeal the scientific finding by the EPA that greenhouse gases endanger human health and the environment,” Ayotte recently acknowledged human activity “contributes” to climate change and supported some related legislation.
[2] Strong second amendment advocate with NRA rating of 5. History of opposing all restrictive gun legislation but currently working on compromise bill restricting people on suspected terrorist watch lists.
[3] Need to have graduated from high school, have a clean legal record, and attend college or serve in the military.
[4] Voted against allowing students to draw on federal resources to refinance at lower interest rates. Introduced alternative bill to allow students to refinace at lower rates in the private market. Opponents view private sector option as benefitting financial institutions rather than students.