Are you looking for a nonpartisan voter guide for the Michael Bennet vs. Darryl Glenn 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 Michael Bennet and Darryl Glenn. 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?
Bennet: No
Glenn: Yes. Has pledged to ban abortions, with no exceptions. Recently has been more ambiguous.[1]
Campaign Finance: Do you support the DISCLOSE Act, which requires key funders of political ads to put their names on those ads?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No visible stand.
Campaign Finance: Support Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which allows unlimited independent political expenditures by corporations and unions?
Bennet: No. Wants to overturn.
Glenn: No visible stand, but likely yes. Supports unlimited contributions by individuals.
Climate Change: Believe that human activity is the major factor driving climate change?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No. Ardent climate change denier. “I do not believe that man is contributing.”[2]
Climate Change: Should government limit the levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No. Also advocates for defunding EPA and Department of Energy.
Contraception: Should employers be able to withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if they disagree with it morally?
Bennet: No. Classify contraception as preventive care so it is covered by all insurance plans.
Glenn: Unclear. Supports fetal personhood amendment, which might ban birth control pills & IUDs.
Economy: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Bennet: Supported 2010 stimulus but remains concerned about adverse effects of too much spending.
Glenn: No
Financial Regulation: Support the Dodd-Frank Act, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and increases regulation of Wall Street corporations and financial institutions?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No
Gay Marriage: Support gay marriage?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No. Strong opposition to LGBT rights, including opposition to job protections and civil unions.[3]
Gun Control: Support more restrictive gun control legislation?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No
Healthcare: Repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare?
Bennet: No
Glenn: Yes. Repeal and replace.
Healthcare: Did you support shutting down the federal government in order to defund Obamacare in 2013?
Bennet: No. Introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent shutdowns.
Glenn: Unknown.
Healthcare: Should Planned Parenthood be eligible to receive public funds for non-abortion health services?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No
Immigration: Support the DREAM Act, which would allow children brought into the country illegally to achieve legal status if meet certain conditions? [4]
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: Likely no. Has opposed all amnesty for people here illegally.
Immigration: Should America’s 11 million undocumented residents have an earned path to citizenship?
Bennet: Yes. Member of bipartisan “Gang of Eight” that wrote comprehensive reform bill.
Glenn: No
Iran: Support the US-Iran treaty that limits Iran’s nuclear capability in return for lifting economic sanctions?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No. Wants to withdraw from treaty and reinstate sanctions.
Iraq: Should the US recommit significant additional ground troops to Iraq to combat the success of ISIS?
Bennet: Supports intervention beyond air support, but wants robust debate before sending troops.
Glenn: Yes. Put troops on the ground and make a formal declaration of war against ISIS.
Minimum Wage: Raise the federal minimum wage?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No. Would prefer to repeal it, but will settle for not raising it.
Renewable Energy: Support government mandates and/or subsidies for renewable energy?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No. Remove all subsidies.
Social Security: Support full or partial Social Security privatization?
Bennet: No
Glenn: Increase age of eligibility. Has compared entitlement programs to slavery.
Student Debt: Refinance student loans at lower rates, paid for by increasing taxes on high earners?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No. There is no constitutional basis for federal government to assist with student debt.[5]
Student Financial Aid: Should federal student financial aid, like Pell Grants, be increased?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No. Also eliminate Department of Education.[6]
Supreme Court: Support the Senate holding hearings to consider Obama Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland?
Bennet: Yes
Glenn: No
Taxes: Increase taxes on corporations and/or high-income individuals to pay for public services?
Bennet: Mostly yes. Includes eliminating income cap for payroll taxes supporting Social Security & Medicare.
Glenn: No. Supports substantial tax decreases, including for the wealthy. Pledged to oppose any tax increases to raise revenue. Allow charities & community programs to do the work of alleviating poverty.[7]
Voting Rights: Support stricter voting rules such as voter ID requirements or reduced registration times, even if they prevent some people from voting?
Bennet: No. Co-sponsored Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore federal oversight of voting laws.[8]
Glenn: Unknown
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Other senate candidates include Lily Tang Williams (L) and Arn Menconi (G). Due to limited space, we can’t include their position, but invite you to check out their websites.
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] Has pledged to fight for personhood Constitutional amendment, which would effectively overturn Roe v. Wade, prohibit common forms of birth control, and ban abortions nationwide. More recently has hedged on some of these stands.
[2] See transcript from KNUS radio interview on 5/17/16.
[3] During his Council tenure, worked to repeal domestic partnership benefits; voted against same-sex city employees getting health insurance (even if paid their own premiums); opposed employment protections based on sexual orientation.
[4] Need to have graduated from high school, have a clean legal record, and attend college or serve in the military.
[5] Believes “There is no constitutional basis for the federal government to be mandated to assist with student debt,” so better to educate students on the risks of high student debt and help them find alternatives to loans.
[6] Wants to abolish Department of Education, which administers Pell Grants. No proposed alternative for administering the program.
[7] See Colorado Independent article.
[8] Co-sponsored Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore federal courts’ ability to review voting changes made at the state and local level and monitor for discriminatory practices.