U.S. Senate Races: Comprehensive 2018 Midterms Elections Guide with Candidate Bios and Key Issues

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Abridge News

69 min readOct 17, 2018

As the 2018 midterms approach, Abridge News wants to help you explore all the key Senate races, House races, and Governor races around the country. Want to know which states have a Senate Race, or which states are electing a new governor? Want to see who is running, and what the candidates’ platforms & key issues are? Check out the user-friendly, clickable 2018 Midterms Map on our site!

Click Here to View 2018 Midterm Map on Abridge News

Watch the video below to see how our midterm map works — then click the link above or scroll below to interact with each race!

2018 U.S. Senate Races at a Glance:

35 elections to the United States Senate will be held on November 6, 2018.
Out of the 100 total U.S. Senate seats, Democrats have 26 seats up for election. Republicans have 9.
Right now, the U.S. Senate is composed of 51 Republicans, 47 Democrats, and 2 Independents who caucus with the Democrats.
Republicans can only afford to have a net loss of one Senate seat in order to maintain a working majority of 50 Senators, with Republican Vice President Mike Pence able to cast a tie-breaking vote.
A net gain of two seats or more by Democrats would result in Democrat Senate majority. Democrats are defending ten seats in states won by Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election, while Republicans are only defending one seat in a state won by Hillary Clinton in 2016.
The winners will serve six-year terms from January 3, 2019, to January 3, 2025.

Which candidate would you vote for?

Check out in-depth candidate profiles for all the 2018 Senate elections below. For each state holding a race, we’ve gathered some relevant biographical facts about the Democratic and Republican nominees, and paired them with a few of their key issues from their respective campaign websites.

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Arizona U.S. Senate Race

Martha McSally (R) vs. Krysten Sinema (D)

Republican Nominee: Martha McSally

Martha McSally currently serves as the Congresswoman for Arizona’s 2nd congressional district. She was first elected in 2014.
In her role, McSally serves on the Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees. She also chairs the Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee.
McSally served in the U.S. military between 1988 and 2010 and was the first American woman to fly in combat.
McSally is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and has master’s degrees from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the United States Air War College.

Martha McSally’s Key Issues:

National Security: McSally opposes the Iran nuclear agreement. She worked with John McCain in 2016 to increase military spending, particularly on the Tomahawk missile program. She also successfully opposed the retirement of the A-10 Warthog. She supports indefinite detentions at Guantanamo Bay.
Economic Security: McSally voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017 and believes it gave our economy a much-needed boost. She supports passing a balanced budget amendment.
Border Security: McSally supports a cut in legal immigration, increased spending on border security, and a solution that would provide indefinite stay for DREAMers without giving them a path to citizenship.
Other Issues: Education and Opportunity, Energy, Foreign Affairs, Health Care, and Veterans (visit McSally’s website for full details).

Democratic Nominee: Krysten Sinema

Krysten Sinema currently serves as the Congresswoman for Arizona’s 9th congressional district. She was first elected in 2012.
In her role, Sinema serves on the Committee on Financial Services. She is a member of the New Democrat coalition and the Congressional Arts Caucus.
She previously served in Arizona’s State Legislature, being elected to Arizona’s House of Representatives in 2004 and Arizona’s Senate in 2010.
If elected, Sinema will be the first openly bisexual person elected to the U.S. Senate.

Krysten Sinema’s Key Issues:

Fixing a dysfunctional Washington: “Sinema was ranked as the third most independent member of Congress. She believes that if Congress doesn’t pass a budget, they shouldn’t get paid. Sinema work with anyone — regardless of party — who’s serious about getting things done.”
Quality, affordable healthcare for all Arizonans: “Sinema grew up homeless at times, so she believes that no child should ever go without a doctor, and no family should be forced to choose between getting the care they need and paying their bills. She knows our healthcare system is broken, but believes we should work together to fix the problems — not simply repeal everything without real solutions.”
Supporting our veterans and fixing the VA: “Krysten comes from a military family and believes taking care of our active duty military and veterans is one of our most important obligations. She will work across the aisle to improve health care for veterans, expand educational opportunities, and hold the VA accountable.”
Other Issues: Keeping Arizona families safe, Keeping our promises to seniors, Creating good jobs and growing Arizona’s economy, Commonsense immigration reform, and Standing up for women and families (visit Sinema’s website for full details).

California Senate Race

Dianne Feinstein (D) vs. Kevin de León (D)

*Note: Under California’s non-partisan blanket primary law, all candidates appear on the same ballot, regardless of party. The top two finishers — regardless of party — advance to the general election in November. In 2018, the top two finishers were both Democrats.

Democratic Nominee #1: Senator Dianne Feinstein

Dianne Feinstein is the incumbent candidate. She has served in the Senate since 1992 and is running for her sixth term. She is the longest current-serving female U.S. Senator.
Feinstein serves as the ranking member on the Committee on the Judiciary. She also serves on the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Rules and Administration and the Select Committee on Intelligence.
Feinstein was the Mayor of San Francisco between 1978 and 1988. She ran a failed gubernatorial campaign in 1990.

Dianne Feinstein’s Key Issues:

Environment: Feinstein is dedicated to “preserving our natural spaces, combating climate change, and fighting for environmental justice. She led a successful bipartisan effort to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles, authored the historic California Desert Protection Act, and helped secure over $250 million in federal funds to purchase and preserve the the last unprotected, intact, ancient redwood forest ecosystem on earth.”
Gun Reform: “Senator Feinstein authored the landmark assault weapons ban, which banned military-style firearms from 1994 to 2004. She has introduced a new Assault Weapons Ban and will also continue to author and support additional legislation to enact sensible gun laws.”
Healthcare: Senator Feinstein “strongly supports universal health care for all Americans, and with her colleagues in the Senate, stopped Republicans attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. In 2009, she sponsored legislation to create a public option to compete with private health insurance.”
Other Issues: Immigration; Jobs & Economy; and LGBTQ Equality (check out Feinstein’s website for full details).

Democratic Nominee #2: Kevin de León

Kevin de León has served in the California State Senate since 2011 and currently represents the 24th District, encompassing downtown and East Los Angeles.
De León served in the California State Assembly between 2007 and 2010. In 2009, he was defeated in a bid to become Speaker of the California State Assembly.
Prior to serving as an elected official, de León worked for One Stop Immigration Center, a nonprofit assisting undocumented immigrants, and he was also a labor organizer for the California Teacher’s Association.

Kevin de León’s Key Issues:

Medicare for All: “It’s time we listen to the American people and create a Medicare for all plan that will foster a healthier, happier, and safer society where Americans no longer worry about losing their health insurance if they lose their jobs.”
Clean Energy Future: De León is calling for a Green New Deal. “From solar highways and byways to free and secure internet bandwidth, we need a comprehensive plan to restore the infrastructure that brings our country together, and to do it sustainably, in a way that caps carbon emissions and sets our nation on track to consume only renewable energy by 2045.”
Gun Control: De León has introduced a “comprehensive gun-control plan that includes: an assault weapons ban, expanded background checks, closing the domestic violence loophole, harsher gun trafficking penalties, funding for gun violence research, and funding for community programs.”
Other Issues: Free public education; Immigration reform; and Marijuana (check out de León’s website for full details).

Connecticut Senate Race

Chris Murphy (D) vs. Matthew Corey (R)

Democratic Candidate: Senator Chris Murphy

Chris Murphy is the incumbent candidate. He was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and is seeking his second term.
He previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Connecticut’s 5th district, between 2007 and 2013. Prior to serving in the U.S. House, Murphy was a member of both chambers in the Connecticut General Assembly.
As a U.S. Senator, Murphy serves on the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and the Joint Economic Committee.

Chris Murphy’s Key Issues:

Education: Murphy worked to repeal No Child Left Behind in 2015 and replace it with the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act. He thinks that states, not the federal government, should set student achievement goals.
Healthcare: Murphy thinks that the Affordable Care Act was a first step towards fixing a broken healthcare system and will work to strengthen it. He co-introduced the Choose Medicare Act, a bill that would allow every American and every American business to buy in to Medicare.
Gun Violence: “After Sandy Hook, Murphy pledged to do everything in his power to fight the scourge of gun violence.” He conducted one of the longest filibusters in Senate history in order to force the Senate to have a debate on measures to end gun violence. He supports “universal background checks, cracking down on straw purchasers and illegal weapon sales, and limiting access to high-capacity magazines and military-style assault weapons.”
Other Issues: Choice & Women’s Health, Climate Change & the Environment, Connecticut Families, Farms, Roads & Rails, Election Reform, National Security & Foreign Policy, Immigration, Jobs, Juvenile Justice Reform, LGBTQ Equality, Long Island Sound, Manufacturing, Retirement Security, Tax Reform, and Veterans (visit Murphy’s website for full details).

Republican Candidate: Matthew Corey

Matthew Corey has previously sought election to the U.S. House of Representatives as both a Republican and Independent candidate, but each of his three runs was unsuccessful.
Corey is the owner of McKinnon’s Irish Pub in Hartford and the owner of a high-rise window cleaning company called Advanced Services International.
He served in the U.S. Navy between 1982 and 1987. Following his military service, he worked for the U.S. Postal Service and then as a truck driver for the Teamsters (Roadway Corporation).

Matthew Corey’s Key Issues:

Economy: Corey believes “our national debt is stifling job growth.” He says: “lack of courage in Washington to pass a balanced budget is hindering our ability to grow the economy, and harmful regulations cost businesses millions of dollars.”
Social Security / Medicare / Medicaid: Corey wants to “ensure that Americans receive their social security benefits.” He wants to “get those who are not yet of retirement age back in the workforce, raise the contribution cap, implement tax free retirement savings accounts, and would consider increasing the retirement age.” He supports giving more power to States on Medicaid spending.
Defense: Corey wants to allow the purchase of health insurance across state lines and supports tort reform. “Now that health care exchanges are in place, Corey wants to let the free market compete in those exchanges so that Americans get the best rates.”
Other Issues: Healthcare, Education, Jobs, and Veterans (check out Corey’s website for full details).

Delaware Senate Race

Tom Carper (D) vs. Rob Arlett (R)

Democratic Nominee: Senator Tom Carper

Tom Carper is the incumbent candidate. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000 and is running for his fourth term.
In the U.S. Senate, Carper serves as the ranking member on the Homeland Security Committee. He also serves on the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Finance. He serves as one of four Deputy Democratic Whips.
Carper served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983–1993 and served as Governor of Delaware between 1993 and 2001.

Tom Carper’s Key Issues:

Health Care: Carper helped craft the Affordable Care Act, “with a focus on how to improve our healthcare system by reducing costs, getting better results, and empowering consumers with the tools and resources they need to achieve better health and wellness.”
Energy & Environment: “Carper successfully defended common sense clean air regulations from misguided attempts to repeal them, and he continues to push for meaningful protections that limit carbon pollution, regulate cross-state air pollution, and help stem the tide of climate change.”
Governmental Oversight: Carper will fight to “ensure that the federal government develops a wiser and more effective management strategy.” He thinks our growing budget deficits demand us to be better stewards of taxpayer dollars and “wants to take a tough and honest look at how we can better manage scarce taxpayer resources.”
Other Issues: Agriculture; Economy & Jobs; Education; Energy & Environment; National Security; Transportation and Infrastructure; and Veterans and Military (check out Carper’s website for full details).

Republican Nominee: Robert Arlett

Rob Arlett has served as the County Councilman of Sussex County since 2015. He also served as President Trump’s Delaware State Chairman during the 2016 presidential election.
Arlett is the owner of a Delaware-based real estate company that he founded in 2007.
Arlett served in the US. Naval Reserve as an Intelligence Specialist. He’s the founding member and organizer for “Operation Seas The Day,” a community-based organization that provides a free beach week to 25 wounded warriors and their families.

Rob Arlett’s Key Issues:

Economy, Jobs, & Trade: Arlett promises to “go to Washington to remove burdensome, job-killing regulations, will fight for free trade, will work tirelessly to ensure that banks are lending safely and securely, and will remove barriers to making Delaware a FinTech capital.”
Immigration: “As the husband of a legal immigrant from Vietnam, Rob knows that immigration can be great for America. Rob will remain steadfast in following through on immigration reform to ensure that the legal process of immigration into the U.S. is shorter but thorough, with full and comprehensive background checks.”
2nd Amendment: “As a person who has raised his right hand twice to Defend our Constitution, Rob will always fight up for American’s right to defend themselves and their families.”
Other Issues: Defending the Constitution and Religious Liberties; National and Border Security; Federal Budget, Debt, Deficit and Taxes; Veterans; Health Care; Education; Entitlement Reforms; Infrastructure; Opioid Epidemic; and Protecting the Family and Human Life (Check out Arlett’s website for full details).

Florida Senate Race

Bill Nelson (D) vs. Rick Scott (R)

Democratic Nominee: Senator Bill Nelson

Bill Nelson is the incumbent candidate.
He was first elected to the Senate in 2000, and was subsequently re-elected in 2006 and 2010.
During the 113th and 114th U.S. Congress, Nelson served on the following committees: Committee on Armed Services; Committee on the Budget; Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and the Committee on Finance.
He was Chairman of the Special Committee on Space as well as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Science and Space.

Bill Nelson’s Key Issues:

Civil Rights: Nelson spurred on a DOJ investigation into voter turnout suppression, and fought against restrictive absentee ballot policies. After the LGBT-targeted Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, he co-sponsored legislation providing $41 million to DOJ programs that prevent bias-motivated violence.
Gun Safety: He co-sponsored the Assault Weapons Ban of 2017, which proposed a ban on the sale and manufacture of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, including the AR-15 which was used in the Parkland shooting.
Education: He introduced legislation that caps interest rates for undergraduate student loans at four percent and that enables existing borrowers to refinance interest on loans to lower rates.
Other Issues: Health Care and Seniors; Economy & Infrastructure; Education; Space & Innovation; International Relations; Defense; Veterans; and Fraud Prevention & Consumer Protection (visit Nelson’s website for full details).

Republican Candidate: Rick Scott

Rick Scott has been the governor of Florida since 2011, serving two terms.
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1971 to 1974 with the rank of petty officer third class.
Before entering politics, he was a law firm partner as well as co-founded Columbia Hospital Corporation, which has become the largest U.S. for-profit healthcare company.

Rick Scott’s Key Issues:

Term Limits: Scott has proposed term limits for members of U.S. Congress.
Supermajority Vote: He wants to require a supermajority vote of two-thirds of each House of Congress in order to approve taxes and fee increases into law.
Full-Time Salary for Full-Time Work: Because “Washington politicians like Bill Nelson spend less than half of their time doing their jobs in Washington [and] still collect an annual salary of $174,000,” Scott wants to remedy this injustice by ensuring that members of Congress work full weeks in order to collect full time salaries.
Other Issues: Line Item Veto; No Budget, No Pay; End Government Waste; Improve Transparency & Accountability; Stop Congress Members from Cashing In as Lobbyists; End Congressional Pay Raises and Pensions; and Stop Unfair Big Government-Run Insurance Subsidies (visit Scott’s website for full details).

Hawaii Senate Race

Mazie Hirono (D) vs. Ron Curtis (R)

Democratic Candidate: Senator Mazie Hirono

Mazie Hirono is the incumbent candidate. She was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and is seeking her second term.
She previously served in the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1985–1994, and as Hawaii’s Lieutenant Governor from 1994–2002. She ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Hawaii in 2002.
Hirono was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district, from 2007–2013.
As a U.S. Senator, Hirono serves on the Committee of Armed Services, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Veteran’s Affairs.

Mazie Hirono’s Key Issues:

Seniors: Hirono knows that “Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are a lifeline for millions of seniors in Hawaii and across the country.” She has fought against “every attempt to privatize, voucherize, or place a cap on funding for Medicare.”
Healthcare: She believes “we should all have accessible and affordable health care.” “For this reason, Mazie is a co-sponsor of Senator Bernie Sanders’ Medicare For All Act to create a universal, single-payer health care system for everyone in our country.”
Veterans: Hirono has championed legislation to “expand access to health services, end veteran homelessness, and honor veterans whose service has gone unrecognized for too many years.” She secured millions in funding to build new VA facilities and expand and enhance staffing at existing facilities in Hawaii.
Other Issues: Education, Economic Security, Energy & Environment, Civil Rights, Immigration Reform, and National Security (check out Hirono’s website for full details).

Republican Candidate: Ron Curtis

Ron Curtis’ professional experience includes working as a systems engineer as a government contractor for NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Agriculture. He retired in February 2016.
Curtis earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science with minors in architecture, electrical engineering, physics, and mathematics from the University of Maryland Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences and Engineering.
He has pledged to donate all of the annual U.S. Senator salary not used for personal senatorial expenses to charities in Hawai’i.

Ron Curtis’s Key Issues:

Cost of Living: Curtis will “fight reduce Hawai’i’s highest cost of living in the nation by getting Hawaii out from under the Jones Act, a 1920 regulation that requires that goods shipped from one American port to another to be transported on a ship that is American-built, American-owned, and crewed by US citizens or permanent residents.”
Government: Curtis wants to “restrict the size and growth of government to match the private sector, enact government spending reform and promote accountability, and enable true transparency by allowing online public access to all expenditures, contracts, and audit findings. He also supports congressional term duration and term limit reform.”
Healthcare: Curtis believes that “the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is going to implode. He wants to take incremental steps to gradually migrate the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, Medicaid, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and, eventually, the Veterans Health Administration into a unified nationally-guided private health care system covering all Americans.”
Other Issues: Diversity, Campaign Reform, Line Item Veto, Education, Tax Reform, Kingdom of Hawai’i, Renewable Energy, and Immigration Reform (check out Ron Curtis’s website for full details).

Indiana Senate Race

Joe Donnelly (D) vs. Mike Braun (R)

Democratic Nominee: Senator Joe Donnelly

Joe Donnelly is the incumbent candidate. He was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and is running for his second term.
Donnelly served on four Senate Committees during his first term: the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; and the Special Committee on Aging.
From 2007–2013 Donnelly represented Indiana’s 2nd district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Joe Donnelly’s Key Issues:

Education: Donnelly has fought for expanded funding for early childhood education and solutions that address growing student debt. He is committed to ensuring that higher education is both affordable and that it prepares graduates with skills they need in today’s job market.
Veterans and Servicemembers: Donnelly introduced numerous bipartisan bills focused on expanding veterans’ access to mental health and suicide prevention during his first term. He will “continue working to increase accessibility to quality care.”
Jobs and the Economy: Donnelly will “continue to push for Americans to build an all-in energy policy, invest in infrastructure, improve workforce development, and keep local businesses competitive in the global marketplace.” He helped pass the America Works Act that aims to train and connect job seekers with employees in need of the skills.
Other Issues: Trade, Healthcare, the Opioid Epidemic, and Seniors (check out Donnelly’s website for full details).

Republican Nominee: Mike Braun

Mike Braun served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 2014–2017.
During his tenure in the Indiana House, Braun was assigned to the Ways and Means Committee as well as the Committee on Roads and Transportation.
Prior to his political career, Braun worked in business as the president and CEO of Meyer Distributing, an auto parts distribution company.

Mike Braun’s Key Issues:

Protecting the Second Amendment: Braun is an “avid hunter, NRA member, and 100% pro-second Amendment.”
Creating Jobs for all Hoosiers: Braun will continue “the work that President Trump started cutting taxes and the government’s burdensome red tape that hold back the private sector.” He will work to simplify the tax code and ensure that it is fair. He wants to repeal Obamacare to reduce costs and expand healthcare options, and ensure that American Jobs are filled by American workers.
Drain the Swamp: Braun argues the importance of replacing career politicians in Washington from both parties with citizen legislators that bring real world experience and will prioritize the interests of Indiana families and businesses. He will fight for term limits for politicians.
Other Issues: Reform Healthcare, Reduce Government Spending, Protect our Borders, Strengthen Our Military, and the Right to Life (check out Braun’s website for full details).

Maine Senate Race

Angus King (I) vs. Eric Brakey (R)

Independent Candidate: Senator Angus King

Angus King is the incumbent candidate. He is a political Independent but caucuses with the Democratic Party.
King was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and is running for his second term. He previously served as the Governor of Maine between 1995 and 2003.
In the U.S. Senate, King serves on the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Committee on Rules and Administration, and the Select Committee on Intelligence.

Angus King’s Key Issues:

Veterans: “King is committed to getting veterans the health care, housing, employment and education they need and have earned. He cosponsored the Veterans Entrepreneurship Act, has advocated for expanding options for our veterans’ medical care, and has worked to simplify student loan forgiveness for our disabled veterans.”
Health Care: “King knows that the Affordable Care Act is not perfect. But the repeal-and-replace options presented by Congress this past year would only exacerbate the problems Americans are already facing. King supports legislation to stabilize premiums and expand the ACA’s cost-sharing reduction payment program.”
Jobs and the Economy: “King has worked tirelessly to ensure that Maine’s traditional industries — such as fishing, farming and forestry — will be able to continue thriving as technology changes every sector it touches.”
Other Issues: Opioids; National Security; and Environment and Renewable Energy (check out King’s website for full details).

Republican Nominee: Eric Brakey

Eric Brakey currently serves as the State Senator for District 20 in the Maine Senate.
Brakey was the Maine State Director for Ron Paul’s 2012 presidential campaign, winning a majority of Maine delegate seats to the 2012 Republican National Convention.
After working for Ron Paul’s 2012 presidential campaign, Brakey led Defense of Liberty PAC, a libertarian political action committee in Maine.

Eric Brakey’s Key Issues:

Healthcare: “We need to give power and choice to patients, not to big government or big insurance companies. Our healthcare system is a tangled, expensive web of policies and regulations. We must look to free-market solutions to spur innovation, increase competition and give patients control over their own healthcare decisions.”
Constitutional Rights: “We have seen our federal government creep further and further into our lives, and our Constitutional rights are being compromised as a result. Brakey will fight to defend the Second Amendment (guns), the Fourth Amendment (privacy), the Tenth Amendment (states’ rights) and all Constitutional liberties.”
Foreign Policy: “Our foreign policy must put America First. America cannot be the world’s policeman. Nor should we ask our taxpayers to send money to foreign governments that work against our interests. Our military is over-extended and American lives are being put at risk every day for nation-building efforts that are not working.”
Other Issues: Immigration; A Real Plan to Reign in Over-Spending; Ending Corporate Welfare and Draining the Swamp; and Government Spending & Taxes (check out Brakey’s website for full details).

Maryland Senate Race

Ben Cardin (D) vs. Tony Campbell (R)

Democratic nominee: Senator Ben Cardin

Ben Cardin is the incumbent candidate. He was first elected to the Senate in 2006 and is running for reelection to a third term.
Prior to his 2006 election to the Senate, Cardin was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was first elected to the house in 1986 and was reelected nine times.
Cardin currently serves on the following Senate committees: Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Committee on Environment and Public Works, Committee on Finance, Committee on Foreign Relations, and Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Ben Cardin’s Key Issues:

Civil Rights: Cardin is committed to ensuring protections against any form of discrimination. While serving as a senator, he has promoted putting an end to racial profiling by law enforcement, reopening the Equal Rights Amendment for ratification and protecting the right to vote from intimidation and intentionally deceptive practices.
Economy & Jobs: As a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, Cardin understands the importance of small businesses. He pledges to “continue to work to ensure Maryland’s small businesses have access to credit and other tools essential for their success, and that the federal government is a partner and not an obstacle to their success.”
Foreign Policy: It is ideal for the executive and legislative branches of government to be united on foreign policy. However, Cardin promises: “as a senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I will not hesitate to cry foul and hold the Trump administration accountable if our principles and values are compromised.”
Other Issues: Agriculture, Chesapeake Bay, Education, Energy & Environment, Federal Workers, Healthcare, Homeland Security, Seniors, Small Business, Tax Reform, Transportation, and Veterans & Military (visit Cardin’s campaign website for full details).

Republican nominee: Tony Campbell

Tony Campbell is a professor of politics at Towson University, a veteran of the United States Army, and an author of two books: America Today and A More Perfect Union.
Campbell has served on the Executive Committee of the Maryland Republican Party and the Baltimore County Charter Review Commission.
He is currently a member of the P-20 Leadership Council for Education, a board member of a charter school in Baltimore, and serves on the Baltimore County School Board Nomination Commission.

Tony Campbell’s Key Issues:

Education Reform: Programs like Race To The Top, No Child Left Behind and Common Core have stripped the fundamental rights of states to manage public education. States should be the driving force in teacher training, school district evaluation and setting curricula standards.
Role of Government: Government should be focused on allowing individuals to achieve their right of property in the most effective and less intrusive way possible. Smaller, more effective government is the correct course of action.
Immigration: Common-sense immigration policy is vital to national security. “As your next United States Senator, I will push for an end to chain migration and the immigration lottery.”

Massachusetts Senate Race

Elizabeth Warren (D) vs. Geoff Diehl (R)

Democratic Nominee: Senator Elizabeth Warren

Senator Elizabeth Warren is the incumbent candidate, having served in the Senate since 2013.
After the U.S. financial crisis 2008, she was appointed Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel. In 2010 she helped create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to better regulate Wall Street.
Prior to entering politics, she was a law school professor for over 30 years, including 20 years at Harvard Law School.

Elizabeth Warren’s Key Issues:

Energy and Environment: Senator Warren has vowed to “fight against Big Oil and Big gas interests, and instead invest in clean energy technology. Moreover, she wants to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and ensure that the EPA has sufficient funding to protect public land.”
Leveling the Economic Playing Field: She wants to hold Wall Street accountable, ensure equal pay between women and men of all races, and institute tax reform that provides tax cuts for middle- and working-class Americans.
Equality and Justice for All: She is committed to ensuring LGBTQ equality, reforming the criminal justice system to protect citizens over corporate America, and preventing disenfranchisement on the basis of race.

Republican Nominee: Geoff Diehl

Geoff Diehl has represented the 7th Plymouth District in the MA House of Representatives since 2011.
He served as Donald Trump’s Massachusetts campaign co-chair during the 2016 presidential election.
Before entering politics, he was an Account Executive at two Massachusetts-based companies and a member of the Whitman Finance Committee.

Geoff Diehl’s Key Issues:

Grow Jobs: Diehl vows to fight for regulatory and tax reform to ease the financial burden on small businesses in Massachusetts, stimulating job growth.
Fighting the Drug Addiction Epidemic: He has a four-tiered, “comprehensive and compassionate plan” to: facilitate access to treatment for addicts, halt the cross-border movement of illegal opiates into MA, bolster research for alternative pain management practices, and encourage responsible prescriber practices.
Israel: Diehl supports a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine crisis. He recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and wants to relocate the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.
Other Issues: Stop Illegal Immigration; Lower the Tax Burden; Put Massachusetts First; Second Amendment; Term Limits; Health Care; and Veterans (visit Diehl’s website for full details).

Michigan Senate Race

Debbie Stabenow (D) vs. John James (R)

Democratic Nominee: Senator Debbie Stabenow

Debbie Stabenow is the incumbent candidate. She was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000 and is running for her fourth term.
Stabenow serves as the ranking member on the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and also serves on the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources as well as the Committee on Finance.
Prior to the Senate, she was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Michigan’s 8th district, between 1997 and 2001. She also served on the Ingham County Board of Commissioners and in the Michigan State Legislature.

Debbie Stabenow’s Key Issues:

Growing Michigan’s Economy: Stabenow’s economic plan “focuses on growing a diverse Michigan economy that includes manufacturing and technology, small business creation and agriculture, education and career training.” She believes in fair trade and is “a champion for smart tax policies that create jobs and stop outsourcing.”
Smart Infrastructure Investments to Keep Michigan Moving: “Michigan businesses and families depend on reliable infrastructure, including roads and bridges, water and sewer systems, Great Lakes harbors and locks, and high-speed internet. Investing in these crucial resources creates good jobs here at home and keeps our economy moving.”
Defending our Democracy: Stabenow is a sponsor of the Democracy for All Amendment, which would overturn the Citizens United ruling, and the DISCLOSE Act, which would “close loopholes that allow shadowy political groups to hide their donors.” She’s cosponsoring legislation to reinforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and “strongly supports an end to gerrymandering in Michigan.”
Other Issues: Equality and Justice for All; Fighting for our Veterans; Improving Health Care and Lowering Costs, Education and Training; Standing Up for Small Business; Taking on Special Interests, Michigan Agriculture; and Protecting our Great Lakes (check out Stabenow’s website for full details).

Republican Nominee: John James

John James graduated from West Point in 2004 and spent eight years in the Army as a Ranger-qualified aviation officer, serving with distinction in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Following his military service, James returned to his family business, James Group International. He currently serves as president and has led the company from $35M to $137M in revenue.
James holds a Masters of Supply Chain Management from Penn State University and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Michigan.

John James’s Key Issues:

Economic Opportunity: “We need a job creator in the US Senate. We have to upscale existing labor force. We need to increase entrepreneurship which allows everyone to achieve the American dream.”
Defend the Constitution: “Supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States means abiding by it as written. I will fight to preserve separation of powers, fight for limited government and will approve justices who will interpret the constitution as written.”
Border Security: “I understand how to secure a border because I’ve done it before. Sovereign nations must have secure borders and entry points. I support Kate’s Law and I will support defunding ‘sanctuary cities,’ or as I call them, ‘outlaw cities.’ “
Other Issues: Pro-2nd Amendment; Pro-Life; Veterans; Social Security; Health Care; Balanced Budget; Infrastructure; Trade; Entitlement Reform; Immigration; Michigan’s Agriculture; Education; and Great Lakes (check out James’s website for full details).

Minnesota Senate Race

Amy Klobuchar (D) vs. Jim Newberger (R)

Democratic Candidate: Senator Amy Klobuchar

Amy Klobuchar is the incumbent candidate. She was first elected to the Senate in 2006 and is running for her third term.
As Senator, Klobuchar serves as the ranking member of the Committee on Rules and Administration. She also sits on the Committee on the Judiciary, the Joint Economic Committee, the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, the Joint Committee on Printing, and the Joint Committee on Library.
She is a graduate of Yale University and University of Chicago Law School. She worked as a corporate lawyer in Minneapolis before being elected County Attorney in Hennepin County in 1998.

Amy Klobuchar’s Key Issues:

Jobs and the Economy: “I’m committed to working for economic policies that benefit all Americans and give everyone an opportunity to succeed. This means having a laser focus on jobs, wages, affordable health care, infrastructure, homegrown energy, and fiscal responsibility.”
Agriculture and Rural Communities: “In 2014, I worked to pass a five-year Farm Bill that strengthens Minnesota’s rural economy by ensuring that our farmers continue to have the support they need. I also served on the conference committee that successfully reached a compromise on the bill. We are now working on a new Farm Bill in 2018.”
Environment, Climate Change, Homegrown Energy and Natural Resources: “I am dedicated to promoting responsible policies that counter climate change, preserve our farmlands, reduce flooding dangers, and keep our air and water clean… We need to chart a new energy future–one that creates jobs, reduces our dependence on foreign oil, increases domestic energy production, keeps energy costs affordable for all Americans, and responds to the challenges of global climate change.”
Other Issues: Health Care; National Security; Veterans; Ethics and Democracy; Seniors; Families and Children; Education; Public Safety; and Consumer Protection (visit Klobuchar’s website for full details).

Republican Candidate: Jim Newberger

Newberger currently serves in the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 15B in Central Minnesota. He has been a state representative for six years.
He is a vocal supporter of President Trump and volunteered in the Central Minnesota area for the president’s 2016 election campaign.
Newberger attended St. Cloud State University, graduating with a B.A. in Political Science and Mass Communications.

Jim Newberger’s Key Issues:

Taxes: “The American tax system is a bloated bureaucratic mess… As your next U.S. Senator, I will work to reduce our taxes, simplify the code and reign in the IRS. Thanks to Senator Klobuchar’s help, government has grown by leaps-and-bounds under the Obama Administration. It’s time to turn things around. MAGA!”
Obamacare: “The Democrats nearly destroyed one of the best healthcare systems in the world. Thousands of people lost their trusted family doctors, they were forced out of their healthcare plans and saw their rates skyrocket to almost 60%. It’s time to get back on to the path of becoming the greatest healthcare providing nation in the world.”
National Debt: “Today, our national debt is over 20 trillion dollars. I look forward to working with President Trump to stop this sprint towards the fiscal cliff and eliminate our national debt.” The president needs people “who are determined to fix this destructive fiscal situation.”
Other Issues: Social Security; Military; Refugee Resettlement Reform; Life; Energy; Second Amendment; Mining; and Farming (check out Newberger’s website for full details).

Minnesota Senate Race (Special Election)

Tina Smith (D) vs. Karin Housley (R)

Democratic Candidate: Tina Smith

Tina Smith has served in the U.S. Senate since 2018, filling the seat vacated by Al Franken.
Prior to joining the U.S. Senate, Smith served as Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota from 2015–2018.
In her career, she has worked at General Mills, started her own marketing firm, and worked as the vice president of external affairs at Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Tina Smith’s Key Issues:

A Strong and Diverse Economy: Smith has worked to raise Minnesota’s minimum wage, supports legislation to close the gender pay gap and expand family medical leave, and helped write parts of the The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act which became law.
Affordable, High-Quality Health Care: Smith supports and believes single-payer health care is the most direct way to ensure universal coverage. She believes in “a strong federal response to the opioid crisis with prevention, treatment, and law enforcement efforts, and is focused on providing Minnesotans with access to mental health resources.”
Quality Education for All Minnesotans: “Tina has fought to open up opportunities for career and technical training. She worked to slow tuition increases at 2 and 4-year colleges and universities and wants to help millions of Americans refinance student debt. She introduced legislation which invests in key partnerships between education, local business, and higher education.
Other Issues: Action on Gun Violence; Supporting Minnesota’s Farmers and Rural Communities; Women’s Economic Health and Security; Supporting our Veterans; Standing up for our LGBTQ Family; Tribal Communities; Protecting our Environment; Protection for Dreamers and Immigrants; Taking on Special Interests and Campaign Finance Reform; Strengthening Unions; Trade; and Supporting Arts and Culture (check out Smith’s website for full details).

Republican Candidate: Karin Housley

Housley currently serves in the Minnesota Senate, representing District 39, which includes the eastern Twin Cities metropolitan area.
In the Minnesota Senate, Housley is the chairwoman of the Aging and Long-Term Care Committee, vice chair of the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, and serves on the Veterans and Military Affairs and the Jobs and Economic Growth committees.
In her career, she has worked as a television news producer, hosted her own radio show, authored an investment book, and started a successful real estate business.

Karin Housley’s Key Issues:

Social Security: “We must work together on protecting Social Security, preserving its solvency for future generations. Social Security should not be privatized; instead, we need a bipartisan solution that protects benefits without increasing taxes or raising the age of retirement.”
Health Care: “Obamacare has failed hardworking Minnesotans. A government takeover of health care has driven up costs, hurt small businesses, and reduced the quality of care. I believe in a patient-centered, market-driven health care system that provides individuals and families with affordable, accessible coverage and care.”
Values: “Life is a gift, and it should be protected. As a mother and grandmother, I believe every effort should be made to protect and honor life.”
Other Issues: Economy; Second Amendment; Taxes; Trade; Military; Immigration; and Agriculture (visit Housley’s website for full details).

Mississippi Senate Race

David Baria (D) vs. Roger Wicker(R)

Republican Nominee: Senator Roger Wicker

Roger Wicker is the incumbent Republican candidate seeking re-election.
Before entering politics, he joined the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force Reserve. Now retired, he ranks as a lieutenant colonel.
He formerly served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1994 to 2007. In December 2007, Mississippi governor Haley Barbour appointed him to fill Trent Lott’s vacant seat in the U.S. Senate. He won the subsequent 2008 special election and has served since then.
From 2015 to 2017, he was chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Roger Wicker’s Key Issues:

Domestic and Global Health: In 2001, he authored the Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education (MD CARE) Act of 2001, which created NIH centers to accelerate muscular dystrophy research. Moreover, he has helped secure research funding for many Mississippi universities.
Economic Development: He has “supported many pro-growth, pro-manufacturing policies in Congress that aim to help Mississippi compete in the global economy.” He is an advocate of creating jobs, reducing spending, limiting federal overreach, and maintaining a strong national defense.
Stopping Illegal Immigration and Protecting the Border: He opposes amnesty and sanctuary cities, and he supports President Trump’s plan to secure the Southern border (check out Wicker’s website for full details).

Democratic Nominee: David Baria

David Baria is a current Democratic member of the Mississippi House of Representatives.
He currently serves as the Mississippi House minority leader.
Prior to the state House, Baria was a member of the Mississippi State Senate from 2008 to 2012.
He is the former chairman of the NCSL Gulf and Atlantic States Task Force.

David Baria’s Key Issues:

Consumer Protection: Rep. Baria has vowed to defend the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, ensure that the mortgage industry “follows the rules,” and protect Mississippians from unfair business policies.
Economy: He supports tax relief for working- and middle-class families, not just for the 1% or large corporations. He is a proponent of equal pay for women, and as such he wants to extend the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
Education: He is committed to improving the quality of Mississippi public schools to enable all children to compete in the global economy (check out Baria’s website for full details).

Mississippi Senate Race (Special Election)

Mike Espy (D) vs. Chris McDaniel (R) vs. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R)

Mike Espy vs. Chris McDaniel vs. Cindy Hyde-Smith

Note: Mississippi is holding a special U.S. Senate election to replace the seat of Senator Thad Cochran, who resigned over health issues. This special election will take the form of a nonpartisan “jungle primary” on November 6, 2018. Party affiliations are not printed on the ballot. The parties below identify which party label candidates would have run under if given the option.

Republican Nominee #1: Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith

Hyde-Smith was appointed to Thad Cochran’s Senate seat by Governor Phil Bryant. She is the first woman to represent Mississippi in Congress.
In 1999, Hyde-Smith was elected to the Mississippi State Senate as a Democrat. She represented the 39th district from 2000 to 2012. In 2010, Hyde-Smith switched parties and became a Republican, citing her conservative values.
She was elected Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner in 2011.

Cindy Hyde-Smith’s Key Issues:

Gun Control: “As the owner of an enhanced carry permit,” Sen. Hyde-Smith is a strong defender of Second Amendment Constitutional rights.
Budget: She vows to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Health Care: She believes that the Affordable Care Act should be repealed and replaced with “a common sense, patient-centered healthcare plan.”
Other Stances: Defending the life of the unborn, stopping illegal immigration, supporting the military and veterans (check out Hyde-Smith’s website for full details).

Democratic Nominee: Mike Espy

Espy served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993.
From 1993 to 1994, he served as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under President Bill Clinton. He was both the first African American and first person from the Deep South in that position.
Espy is a career attorney, and served as the Assistant State Attorney Generalfrom 1984 to 1985.

Mike Espy’s Key Issues:

Civil Rights: Espy vows to protect civil rights, voting rights, and women’s rights.
Agriculture: As former Secretary of the USDA, he believes in the importance of supporting local farms.
Other Views: Empowering Young Graduates and Supporting Low-Income Communities (check out Espy’s website for full details).

Republican Nominee #2: Chris McDaniel

McDaniel is a career attorney and radio talk show host.
He currently serves as a member of the Mississippi State Senate, having first been elected in 2008.
In 2012, McDaniel led a delegation for the dedication of a monument to the eight Mississippians who died when Fort Alamo was overrun in 1836.

Chris McDaniel’s Key Issues:

Budget Reform: Sen. McDaniel supports The Penny Plan, which “reduces Federal spending by one penny on the dollar year after year until the budget is balanced without touching Social Security.”
Taxes: He supports slashing individual taxes, including repealing the Death Tax and eliminating taxes on Social Security benefits.
Regulatory Reform: He wants to reduce federal regulations to enable businesses and enterprise to flourish.
Other stances: Judicial reform, Second Amendment rights, Building a wall on the Southern border (check out McDaniel’s website for full details).

Missouri Senate Race

Claire McCaskill (D) vs. Josh Hawley (R)

Democrat Nominee: Senator Claire McCaskill

Incumbent Claire McCaskill has been a U.S. Senator for Missouri since 2006.
Prior to her political career, she was a trial lawyer in the public sector.
In the 114th U.S. Congress, she was a senior member of the Committee on Armed Services and Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and a ranking member of the Special Committee on Aging and the United States Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
In the 115th U.S. Congress, she is a ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Claire McCaskill’s Key Issues:

Expanding Job & Business Opportunities: In an effort to stimulate job growth, Sen. McCaskill has: protected businesses from unreasonable federal regulations, raised the minimum wage, and passed the Federal Permitting Improvement Act, which reduces bureaucratic processes that businesses face when taking on infrastructure projects.
Cutting Wasteful Spending: She supports a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, and she has introduced legislation to limit defense and non-defense discretionary spending.
Protecting Consumers: She has initiated Senate investigations into fraudulent schemes related to reverse mortgages and credit card companies (check out McCaskill’s website for full details).

Republican Nominee: Josh Hawley

Josh Hawley has been the Attorney General of Missouri since 2016.
He graduated from Stanford University and Yale Law School.
After receiving his JD, he clerked for Judge Michael McConnell of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
In June 2017, Hawley announced that the State of Missouri had filed a lawsuit in state court against three major drug companies, Purdue Pharma, Endo Health Solutions, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, for hiding the danger of prescription painkillers.

Josh Hawley’s Key Issues:

Constitutional Conservatism: As a constitutional lawyer, he is committed to “fighting for the people’s liberties.”
Protecting Religious Liberties: He believes in protecting religious liberties, especially those of churches, and “before becoming Attorney General of Missouri, he was one of the lead attorneys in the Hobby Lobby case against Obamacare.”
Taking on the “Big and Powerful”: He has fought against big opioid manufacturers and government overreach when it comes to small businesses and farms (check out Hawley’s website for full details).

Montana Senate Race

Jon Tester (D) vs. Matt Rosendale (R)

Democrat Nominee: Senator Jon Tester

Jon Tester is the incumbent candidate, having served in the U.S. Senate for Montana since 2007.
He has served on the Committee on Appropriations; Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Committee on Indian Affairs; and Committee on Veteran Affairs.

Jon Tester’s Key Issues:

Economy & Jobs: Senator Tester has an #EmployMT plan to stimulate innovation, invest in the workforce, and expand business in Montana.
National Security & Military: He has supported military personnel by voting for pay raises for troops and securing the northern Canadian border. He has also worked to modernize the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Fleet at Malmstrom Air Force base.
Education: He believes in improving the quality of the public school education system to ensure equal access to education across the state. He has also supported provisions to ease the financial pressure on college students like restoring Pell Grants, decreasing student loan interest rates, and supporting the Perkins Loans Program.
Other Issues: Campaign Finance, Civil Liberties, Public Lands, and Women (check out Tester’s website for full details).

Republican Nominee: Matt Rosendale

Matt Rosendale is the current Auditor for Montana, and he is a self-described “Trump conservative.”
He entered the political world in 2010 as a representative for House District 38.
In 2013 and 2015, he was elected to the Montana State Senate.

Matt Rosendale’s Key Issues:

Veterans: Matt Rosendale is a strong supporter of veterans, and believes in improving the policies of the V.A. office.
Supreme Court: He vows to support Justice Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh who “have a proven record of upholding the Constitution” and to “oppose activist judges who want to re-write the U.S. Constitution.”
Protecting Public Land: He supports Montanans’ opposition to a federal lands transfer.
Other Issues: Illegal Immigration, Healthcare, Fight for Social Security, and Medicare (check out Rosendale’s website for full details).

Nebraska Senate Race

Deb Fischer (R) vs. Jane Raybould (D)

Republican Nominee: Senator Deb Fischer

Senator Deb Fischer holds the incumbent seat, having served in the Senate since 2013.
While in the Senate, she has served on the Committee of Armed Services; Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Committee on Environment and Public Works; and Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Prior to her tenure in the Senate, she served two terms in the Nebraska Legislature.
While serving in the Nebraska Legislature, she did a weekly radio show on the seven stations covering her district, and wrote a weekly column printed in several newspapers.

Deb Fischer’s Key Issues:

Agriculture: “Sen. Deb Fischer has fought to protect the rights of farmers and ranchers and to encourage rural development.” While in the 113th U.S. Congress, she voted in favor of the five-year farm bill, S. 954, which helps farmers trying to start new businesses and provides a safety net via disaster relief programs.
Cutting Red Tape: She has fought to eliminate unnecessary regulations on colleges and universities, on individual taxpayers, and on the healthcare industry, among other sectors.
Immigration: She believes in strengthening immigration laws, including securing the Southern border and requiring employers to use the E-verify program to determine the legal eligibility of employees.
Other Issues: Defense, Government Spending and Taxes, Second Amendment Rights, Judiciary, Telecommunications, Health Care, Transportation, Veterans, Strong Families (check out Fischer’s website for full details).

Democratic Nominee: Jane Raybould

Jane Raybould helps run B & R Stores Inc., her family’s grocery business, which was one of the first employee-owned companies in the state of Nebraska.
Raybould has previously served as Lancaster County Commissioner, and she currently serves on the Lincoln City Council.
She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.
She is a self-described “life-long, devoted Catholic who believes in living her faith and giving back.”

Jane Raybould’s Key Issues:

Creating Jobs and Growing Small Businesses: She vows “to fight for Main Street, not Wall Street” by fighting for tax relief for small businesses rather than for large corporations.
Ensuring Quality, Affordable Healthcare: She believes in “mend[ing], not end[ing] the Affordable Care Act” to ensure that all Nebraskans have access to affordable healthcare coverage.
Protecting the Agricultural Economy: She wants to stand up for Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers and pass policies that support the state’s rural economy.
Other Issues: Educating our Children for a Bright Future, Caring for Aging Nebraskans, and Supporting Military Families & Our Veterans (check out Raybould’s website for full details).

Nevada Senate Race

Dean Heller (R) vs. Jacky Rosen (D)

Republican Nominee: Senator Dean Heller

Dean Heller is the incumbent candidate, having been elected in 2012 after he was appointed to the Senate by Governor Brian Sandoval.
Previously, he was a member of the the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011. He is a former Secretary of State of Nevada (1995–2007) and member of the Nevada Assembly (1990–1994). Before entering the political sphere, he was a stockbroker and trader on the Pacific Stock Exchange.
Heller has worked on the Senate Committees on: Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Finance; and Veterans’ Affairs.

Dean Heller’s Key Issues:

Tax Reform: Heller believes in cutting individual income taxes for middle-class families and small businesses. While in the Senate, he helped write the tax reform bill, repealed the Individual Mandate, and doubled the Child Tax Credit.
Veterans: “As a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate VA Backlog Working Group,” he is committed to making the Department of Veteran Affairs work better and supporting Nevada veterans to find employment.
Border Security and Immigration: He states that “while we are a nation of immigrants, we are also a nation of laws,” and as such he supports reform that secures the borders “while ensuring that those who want to participate in the American Dream can do so.”
Other Issues: Israel, Second Amendment, Federal Spending and Deficit, Healthcare, and Tourism (check out Heller’s website for full details).

Democratic Nominee: Jacky Rosen

Rosen currently serves in the U.S. House of Representatives. She was elected to her first term there in 2016.
Rosen is a former computer programmer. Prior to her 2016 run, Rosen served as the president of Ner Tamid, a Reform Jewish synagogue in Las Vegas. She cites tikkun olam, the Jewish concept of aspiring to behave and act constructively and beneficially, as a key part of her decision to enter politics.
During her tenure in the House, she has served on the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Jacky Rosen’s Key Issues:

Education: Jacky Rosen is committed to improving the quality of the Nevada public school system and making higher education more affordable for students who struggle to repay student loans.
Immigration: She vows to “find a solution that provides relief for the thousands of Dreamers and TPS recipients who call Nevada home” because “they are Americans in every way except for a piece of paper.”
Jobs & the Economy: She wants to support Nevada-based tech startups that are driving innovation in the state, and support the clean energy sector which has created thousands of jobs.
Other Issues: Energy & the Environment, Government Reform, Health Care, Safety & Security, Seniors, Veterans, and Women’s Issues (check out Rosen’s website for full details).

New Jersey Senate Race

Bob Menendez (D) vs. Bob Hugin (R)

Democratic Nominee: Senator Bob Menendez

Bob Menendez is the incumbent candidate, and he has held NJ’s Senate seat since 2006. He previously served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In 2015, Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges for alleged favors given and gifts received. He pleaded not guilty to all charges, and after his trial ended in a hung jury and subsequent mistrial, the Justice Department announced they were dropping all charges.
During his Senate tenure, he has served on the following committees: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Committee on Finance; and Committee on Foreign Relations.

Bob Menendez’s Key Issues:

Education: He wants “to ensure that every child has access to early education, opportunities to attend quality public schools, and affordable higher education.”
Environment & Climate Change: He believes that New Jersey should utilize renewable energy to lessen the state’s dependence on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse emissions. He is also committed to protecting New Jersey’s natural resources and landscapes, such as beaches and other green spaces.
Creating Good Paying American Jobs: His “number one priority” is to ensure that the middle class has access to quality jobs and the opportunities for social mobility.
Health Care: While a member of the Senate Finance Committee, he fought to defend and improve the Affordable Care Act to ensure that citizens of New Jersey have access to affordable health care coverage (see Menendez’s website for full details).

Republican Nominee: Bob Hugin

Hugin attended Princeton University from 1972 to 1976, and subsequently served as an active duty infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps for seven years.
He is a businessman who has worked as a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan; the CEO of biotech company Celgene; and board member of PhRMA.
He is a self-described fiscal conservative, but a relatively socially liberal Republican.

Bob Hugin’s Key Issues:

Energy Independence: He supports increased domestic production of oil and natural gas, as well as investment in renewable energy. He is opposed, however, to drilling off the east coast over environmental and tourist concerns.
Immigration Reform: While he wants to secure the national borders and he opposes the existence of Sanctuary Cities, he also supports a path to citizenship for Dreamers and other immigrants.
Protecting the Homeland: To better protect the United States from potential foreign terrorists, he wants to reform visa and green card programs to strengthen the vetting process.
Other Issues: National Defense, Tax Relief, Health Care Reform, Getting New Jersey’s Fair Share, Environment, Jobs & the Economy, Restoring Honesty & Integrity to Government, Infrastructure, Term Limits, Cuba, North Korea, and Standing with Israel (check out Hugin’s website for full details).

New Mexico Senate Race

Martin Heinrich (D) vs. Mick Rich (R) vs. Gary Johnson (L)

Martin Heinrich vs. Gary Johnson vs. Mick Rich

Democratic Nominee: Senator Martin Heinrich

Martin Heinrich is the incumbent candidate, seeking re-election to a second term.
In the Senate, he was assigned to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Natural Resources.
Before joining the U.S. Senate, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st district of New Mexico from 2009 to 2013.

Martin Heinrich’s Key Issues:

Economy & Jobs: Sen. Heinrich states: “my number one priority is not only continuing to grow our economy, but ensuring that we again create good jobs that pay workers a fair and livable wage.” Some relevant promises include making college affordable, fueling the clean energy industry, and supporting middle-class citizens.
Justice and Civil Liberties: He has vowed to defend civil liberties, including marriage equality, privacy rights, and elimination of the gender pay gap.
Conservation: He pledges to protect New Mexico’s public lands, water, and wildlife “to ensure our public lands remain an economic engine.”
Other Issues: Agriculture, Immigration, Transportation and Infrastructure, etc. (check out Heinrich’s website for full details).

Republican Nominee: Mick Rich

With a civil engineering background, Rich worked as a field engineer and laborer on big projects in California while in college at Oregon State.
After graduating from college, he started a construction business with his wife.
His senate run is his first foray into the political realm.

Mick Rich’s Key Issues:

Jobs & Economy: Mick Rich believes that “in order to create job growth, he must eliminate unnecessary federal regulations related to hiring and manufacturing and also invest in modernizing national infrastructure.”
Immigration: Regarding immigration, he states “once our immigration pattern is reversed, and legal immigrants far outnumber illegal immigrants, we can address the status of those legal immigrants who have become responsible members of society.”
Energy: He is committed to returning public lands to the people from the federal government for energy production and job creation.
Other Issues: Security of Life, National Security, Healthcare, Taxes, and Veterans (check out Rich’s website for full details).

Libertarian Nominee: Gary Johnson

Gary Johnson was the governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003.
He was also the Libertarian Party’s nominee for U.S. President in 2012 and 2016.
Before entering politics, he founded one of the largest construction companies in New Mexico, Big J Enterprises. He sold it in 1999.

Gary Johnson’s Key Issues:

Budget and Deficits: Johnson supports a potential amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring an annual balanced budget. In regard to taxes, he supports ending federal personal and corporate income taxes and replacing them with a national consumption tax on goods and services, a proposal known as “FairTax.”
Environment: He believes in free-market solutions to environmental issues in lieu of government action such as cap and trade or carbon taxes.
Social Security and Medicare: He wants to continue Social Security and Medicare, while also enacting “responsible entitlement reform.” He has proposed funding both programs out of FairTax revenues rather than out of payroll taxes (see Johnson’s facebook campaign page for more details on his views).

New York Senate Race

Kirsten Gillibrand (D) vs. Chele Farley (R)

Democratic Nominee: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

Kirsten Gillibrand is the incumbent candidate. She was first appointed to the Senate in 2008 to fill the vacant seat left by Hillary Clinton when she served as Secretary of State. Gillibrand won a special election to keep the seat in 2010, and was re-elected in 2012 to a full six-year term.
Prior to the Senate, Gillibrand was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2007 and served one term.
During her Senate tenure, Gillibrand has been outspoken on issues like sexual assault in the military and sexual harassment.
Senator Gillibrand currently serves on the following Senate committees: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Committee on Armed Services; Committee on Environment and Public Works; and a Special Committee on Aging.

Kristen Gillibrand’s Key Issues:

Women’s Health: Senator Gillibrand is committed to “protecting and defending women’s access to the full range of reproductive health care services,” and supports “a woman’s right to choose– no matter what.”
Gun Reform: “While Senator Gillibrand supports the Second Amendment to the Constitution, she is focused on protecting communities in every corner of New York from unnecessary gun violence by supporting common sense solutions to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.”
Immigration: Senator Gillibrand promises to “advocate for comprehensive immigration reform that treats immigrants fairly and gives them a path to earned citizenship.”
Other Issues: Agriculture; the Environment; National Security; Medical Marijuana; Transparency and Accountability; and Veterans (visit Gillibrand’s website for full details).

Republican Nominee: Chele Farley

Farley’s career has been in the financial services industry in New York.
She worked at UBS Capital and Goldman Sachs before joining Mistral Capital International, a private equity investment firm specializing in the real estate and energy industries, where Farley became a Partner and Managing Director.
Farley is a member of several corporate boards, and she has served as the New York State Republican Party’s New York City Finance Chair.
Farley is a graduate of Stanford University, where she majored in Industrial Engineering.

Chele Farley’s Key Issues:

Term Limits: Farley has pledged to serve only two terms, and she supports limiting the “terms of Congress just like we do for the President.”
Put New York First: Farley promises to “fight to put New York First in the United States Senate and ensure we get our fair share of federal funding to rebuild and improve our infrastructure.”
Jobs and Taxes: She opposes the “onerous tax rates and reduced economic opportunities” imposed on New York, vowing to “get the money back and use these funds to help fix our roads and mass transit systems, which will create jobs and lower taxes for New Yorkers.”
Other Issues: Standing with Israel; A Strong Foreign Policy; Addressing the Opioid Epidemic. (Visit Farley’s website for full details).

North Dakota Senate Race

Heidi Heitkamp (D) vs. Kevin Cramer (R)

Democratic nominee: Senator Heidi Heitkamp

Senator Heitkamp is the incumbent candidate. In 2012 she became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from North Dakota, and she is seeking reelection to a second term.
Heitkamp served as the North Dakota Attorney General from 1993 to 2001 and as State Tax Commissioner from 1986 to 1992.
She has also worked as an attorney for the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Heitkamp is currently assigned to the Senate committees on: Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; Indian Affairs, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Heidi Heitkamp’s Key Issues:

Agriculture: Heitkamp knows that agriculture is a way of life for many in North Dakota, and she pledges to fight for a “safety net to cushion the downside losses inherent to agriculture.”
Economy and Small Business: Senator Heitkamp will continue to prioritize “reducing federal spending and the deficit, while supporting small businesses and promoting economic development in our communities.”
Housing: “One of Senator Heitkamp’s top priorities is addressing North Dakota’s housing shortage.” Heitkamp states that “as a key member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, she is uniquely positioned to tackle this complicated issue.”
Other issues: Education, Energy, Healthcare, Indian Affairs, Military, Transportation, Veterans, and Water Resources (visit Heitkamp’s website for full details).

Republican nominee: Kevin Cramer

Kevin Cramer is currently a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, having represented North Dakota’s only congressional district since 2013.
Cramer was the Chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party from 1991 to 1993. At age 30, he was the youngest person to be named state party chairman.
He has also served as the State Tourism Director, Economic Development Director, and on the North Dakota Public Service Commission.
Kramer currently co-chairs the Roughrider Honor Flight program, which gives World War Two veterans the chance to visit the World War Two memorial in Washington, D.C.

Kevin Cramer’s Key Issues:

Illegal immigration and Sanctuary cities: Cramer supports hiring additional border patrol agents to stop chain migration and taking “all appropriate steps to immediately plan, design, and construct a physical wall along the southern border of the U.S.” He was also a proud supporter of a bill to “defund sanctuary cities immediately.”
Pro-life: Cramer voted in support of “the most recent attempt at banning late-term abortion in our nation,” and he promises to “reinforce our Christian foundational values to protect the unborn and continue to fight for pro-life issues.”
The Second Amendment: Cramer states: “The radical left continues to assault our right to bear arms seeking to infringe on the Second Amendment in any way they can. I will continue to fight these attempts every step of the way.”
Other Issues: Tax cuts good for North Dakota; National Security; Regulatory reform creates job and economic growth; Waters of the U.S. Rule; All-of-the-above energy; Farm Bill; Healthcare; Strong military and Support for our Veterans; and Social Security & Medicare (visit Cramer’s website for full details).

Ohio Senate Race

Sherrod Brown (D) vs. Jim Renacci (R)

Democratic nominee: Sherrod Brown

Senator Brown is the incumbent candidate, and is running for reelection to a third term in the Senate.
Prior to the Senate, Brown represented Ohio’s 13th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.
He has also served as Ohio Secretary of State, after having been a member of the Ohio House of Representatives.
In the Senate, he has been the chair of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Hunger, Nutrition and Family Farms and the Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy, and is also a member of the Committee on Finance, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and Select Committee on Ethics.

Sherrod Brown’s Key Issues:

Agriculture & Rural Communities: Brown pledges to “fight to make sure the 2012 farm bill reflects the locally-identified priorities of Ohio’s rural communities and bolsters Ohio’s number one industry to create jobs and strengthen our economy.”
Economy & Jobs: He supports a job agenda that “strengthens small business lending programs and boosts U.S. exports so Ohio’s businesses can expand, revitalizes the state’s infrastructure, and counteracts China’s currency manipulation.
Promoting Equal Rights & Opportunity: “From expanding economic opportunities for low-income Ohioans to opposing discrimination in every form, I will continue to fight and protect the civil rights and liberties of all citizens.”
Other Issues: Aerospace, Science, & Innovation; Education & Workforce Development; Energy; Financial Services & Housing Policy That Works for Main Street; HealthCare; Homeland Security & First Responders; Manufacturing; Military & Defense; Protecting our Natural Resources; Seniors; Small Business; Trade & Foreign Policy; Transportation & Infrastructure; Veterans; and Legislation. (Visit Brown’s website for full details).

Republican nominee: Jim Renacci

Jim Renacci is a current member of the U.S. House of Representatives, having been first elected in 2010.
He previously served as a city council president as well as two terms as Mayor of Wadsworth, Ohio.
In the most recent congressional term, Renacci worked on the Committee on Financial Services as vice chair of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, and was a member of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
Formerly, Renacci was a businessman and worked in the financial services industry in Ohio.

Jim Renacci’s Key Issues:

Agriculture: Renacci pledges to “be a strong advocate for Ohio’s farmers and understand the importance of ensuring that they have the tools they need to produce a stable and affordable food supply.”
Defense & National Security: He is committed to ensuring “our Armed Forces have the resources they need to maintain our military readiness and remain the world’s premier and best-equipped fighting force,” and that reducing the national debt will not come at the cost of cutting “core defense needs.”
Healthcare: Renacci does not support the Affordable Care Act, and believes the “key to making health care more affordable lies with increasing competition and eliminating unnecessary overhead costs on the system.”
Other Issues: Energy, Education, Economy & Jobs, Spending Cuts & Debt, Tax Reform, and Veterans (visit Renacci’s website for full details).

Pennsylvania Senate Race

Bob Casey Jr. (D) vs. Lou Barletta (R)

Democratic nominee: Senator Bob Casey Jr.

Bob Casey Jr. is the incumbent candidate, running for reelection to a third term in the Senate.
Casey is a licensed attorney, and he previously served as Pennsylvania Auditor General from 1997 to 2005 and as Pennsylvania Treasurer from 2005 to 2007.
He has been described as an “even-keeled moderate, not only in tone but in policy,” but has become more vocal in his opposition to aspects of President Trump’s agenda.
In the Senate, he is assigned to the committees on: Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Finance; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; and the Special Committee on Aging.

Bob Casey Jr.’s Key Issues:

Criminal Justice: “Senator Casey believes we need to rebalance our criminal justice system to reduce the overcrowding of prisons with nonviolent offenders serving unnecessarily long sentences.”
LGBTQ Issues: “Senator Casey supports the rights of all LGBTQ individuals,” and he “is committed to ensuring that our government provides equal protection under the law for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Women and Families: “Senator Casey has long advocated for policies to ensure that women can be full participants in America’s economy, supporting access to childcare and paid family leave, seeking an end to discrimination against pregnant women, and advocating for equal pay for equal work.”
Other Issues: Agriculture; Children; Civil Rights; Disabilities; Early Learning; Environment; Gun Violence; Health Care; Higher Education; An Independent Judiciary; Israel; Jobs and the Economy; Law Enforcement and Local Communities; National Security; Opioid Epidemic; Pennsylvania Businesses; Raising Wages; Retirement Security; Rural Economy; Seniors; Transportation and Infrastructure; Veterans and Military Families (visit Casey’s website for full details).

Republican nominee: Lou Barletta

Barletta has served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 2011.
Prior to the House, he served as Mayor of Hazleton, Pennsylvania from 1999 to 2010. During his mayorship, he gained prominence due to a high-profile anti-immigration ordinance that spurred legal challenges.
In the House, he has been assigned to the committees on: Homeland Security, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Education and the Workforce.

Lou Barletta’s Key Issues:

Economy & Spending: Barletta says the country “faces a serious debt problem,” and that “we must address fiscal accountability and target government spending.”
Health Care: Barletta opposes the Affordable Care Act, and since the beginning of his tenure, he has “voted to protect and strengthen seniors’ benefits by repealing the President Obama’s healthcare law over thirty times.”
Immigration: He believes “there should not and cannot be a plan to offer amnesty to the millions of illegal aliens present until we secure the borders,” and he promises to be a “loud voice to fix our broken borders and immigration system.”
Other Issues: Defense; Energy; Education; Gun Rights; Jobs; Transportation; and Veterans (visit Barletta’s website for full details).

Rhode Island Senate Race

Sheldon Whitehouse (D) vs. Bob Flanders (R)

Democratic Candidate: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

Sheldon Whitehouse is the incumbent candidate, having served in the Senate since 2007.
Previously, Whitehouse was the United States Attorney from 1993 to 1998 and the Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1999 to 2003.
He has received the Golden Gavel award, having presided over Senate debates for more than 100 hours in his first six months in office.
Senator Whitehouse is currently assigned to the committees on: the Budget, Environment and Public Works, Finance, Judiciary, the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the International Narcotics Control Caucus.

Sheldon Whitehouse’s Key Issues:

Acting on Climate Change and Protecting Our Environment: Senator Whitehouse pledges to fight for “smart solutions to address climate change and position Rhode Island as a leader in the clean energy economy”, and he helped form “the bipartisan Senate Oceans Caucus to protect our ocean and coasts for our, and future, generations.”
Strengthening Our Justice System and Democracy: Whitehouse vows to “lead the fight to give real teeth to our campaign finance laws, so that powerful interests cannot anonymously influence our elections.”
Promoting Quality, Affordable Health Care: Whitehouse believes that “the Affordable Care Act expanded access to health insurance for millions of Americans, but there is still working to be done to lower costs and improve results,” and he promises to “protect and strengthen Medicare and Medicaid.”
Other Issues: Economic Opportunity and Shared Prosperity, and Keeping America Safe and Honoring Those Who Served (visit Whitehouse’s website for full details).

Republican Candidate: Bob Flanders

Robert Flanders is an attorney, and he served on the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1996 to 2004.
He had a career as a trial and appellate lawyer, including founding and leading a litigation law firm for 10 years.
After graduating from college, Flanders was drafted by the Detroit Tigers professional baseball team, for which he played in the minor leagues.
Flanders is a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Law School.

Bob Flanders’s Key Issues:

School Security: Flanders promises to invest in “school infrastructure to modernize schools and strengthen security,” as well as “School Resource Officers, so that every school has a dedicated first responder in the event of emergencies.”
Immigration: Flanders advocates for stronger border security, ending sanctuary cities, updating the federal verification system, non amnesty-based legislation to address DACA children, reforming chain-immigration policies, and prioritizing skill-based immigration.
Foreign Policy & National Security: Flanders believes the United States must “work more closely with our allies so as not to become isolated in an increasingly interdependent world.” He says: “Russian interference in democratic elections cannot be tolerated. Chinese aggression and expansion in the Far East must be constrained. The extreme threats of North Korea and Iran cannot be ignored.”
Other Issues: Supporting small businesses, Fixing our roads and bridges, Opioids, Environment & Energy, Education, Government accountability, Affordable Healthcare and lower prescription drug costs, and Jobs Strategy for Rhode Island (visit Flanders’ website for full details).

Tennessee Senate Race

Marsha Blackburn (R) vs. Phil Bredesen (D)

Republican nominee: Marsha Blackburn

Marsha Blackburn currently serves as the U.S. Representative for Tennessee’s 7th congressional district in the House, having been first elected to the post in 2002.
She is the Republican Deputy Whip and Chair of the Subcommittee on Communications and the Internet. Blackburn is also a former member of the Tennessee Senate.
She is a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Select Investigative Panel on Planned Parenthood.
In April 2018, she signed onto a letter formally nominating President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize “in recognition of his work to end the Korean War, denuclearize the Korean peninsula and bring peace to the region.”

Marsha Blackburn’s Key Issues:

Border Security: Blackburn describes herself as a strong “proponent of the border fence along our southern border.” She is also the sponsor of the CLEAR Act, which helps the “federal government deport criminal aliens from our country and withholds certain funding for sanctuary cities.”
Securing Freedom for the Next Generation: “Congressman Blackburn is a leading advocate for pro-life policy in the U.S. House of Representatives and is dedicated to preserving the traditional institution of marriage.”
Health Care: Blackburn has introduced legislation entitled the Healthcare Choice Act, that would “repeal Obamacare and allow Americans to shop for health care insurance across state lines, allowing insurance companies to compete.” She has supported other legislation that repeals the Affordable Care Act, including H.R. 2653, the American Healthcare Reform Act.
Other Issues: Data Security; Economic Security; Energy Security; and National Security. (Visit Blackburn’s website for full details).

Democratic nominee: Phil Bredesen

Phil Bredesen was previously the 48th Governor of Tennessee from 2003 to 2011.
During his governorship, Bredesen helped navigate a fiscal crisis due to TennCare, enacted measures aimed at improving education, and launched a war on methamphetamine.
Prior to his gubernatorial election, Bredesen was the Mayor of Nashville from 1991 to 1999 and founder of the HealthAmerica Corporation, which he sold in 1986.
Since 2011, he has been chair of a firm that develops and operates solar power stations.

Phil Bredesen’s Key Issues:

Economy: If elected, Bredesen promises to “use his decades of experience in business and government to put forward economic solutions that help Tennessee and America prosper.”
Healthcare: He describes himself as a “constructive critic of health care reform efforts in Washington,” and vows to support “common-sense solutions that benefit all Tennesseans and Americans.”
Education: As a result of his work as governor, “Tennessee’s academic standards went from being among the lowest in America to among the highest,” and Bredesen pledges to use this experience to create “policies that support states and strengthen America’s public schools.”

Texas Senate Race

Ted Cruz (R) vs. Beto O’Rourke (D)

Republican Nominee: Senator Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz is the incumbent candidate. He was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and is running for his second term.
Cruz was a candidate for the Republican nomination for President in 2016. He received over 7.8M votes in the primaries and won 12 states.
During his first term as U.S. Senator, Cruz served on the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, the Committee on Rules and Administration, and the Special Committee on Aging.

Ted Cruz’s Key Issues:

Defending the Constitution: “Cruz fought to keep the US out of the UN Arms Treaty, called for a special prosecutor to investigate the IRS’s targeting of American citizens’ political activity, defended Americans’ First Amendment rights against Democrats, and defended Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties against Obamacare’s contraception mandate.”
Securing the Border and Ending Illegal Immigration: “He introduced the EL CHAPO Act to direct funds forfeited after the conviction of drug cartel members to construction of a wall on the southern border of the United States. Along with Jeff Sessions, Cruz introduced the American Jobs First Act of 2015 to reform the H-1B visa program, curb abuse, and protect American workers.”
Fighting for our Servicemen and Women to Secure Texas and America: “Cruz helped secure more than $224 million in military construction funds to rebuild Texas’ military infrastructure, introduced legislation barring refugees to the United States from any country that contains substantial territory controlled by a foreign terrorist organization, and spoke up for our veterans by sponsoring the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act.”
Other Issues: Fighting for Jobs and Opportunities for Texans, Limiting Washington’s Power, Defending the Second Amendment, Standing with our Ally Israel, and Defending Texas Values (visit Cruz’s website for full details).

Democratic Nominee: Beto O’Rourke

Beto O’Rourke has served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives as the representative for Texas’s 16th Congressional District (El Paso), having been first elected in 2012.
He has served on the Committee of Armed Services and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and he is currently a member of the New Democrat Coalition and Congressional Arts Caucus.
Prior to his election to Congress, O’Rourke was on the El Paso City Council from June 2005 to June 2011.

Beto O’Rourke’s Key Issues:

Jobs: “O’Rourke will invest in training, certification, and registered apprenticeship programs, increase federal spending on infrastructure in order to create new construction and manufacturing jobs, promote rural broadband infrastructure policies, and protect the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Family and Medical Leave Act.”
Healthcare: “O’Rourke will improve the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by stabilizing U.S. insurance markets, incentivize insurers to participate in the exchanges, expand Medicaid, and work towards achieving universal healthcare coverage, whether it be through a single payer system, a dual system, or otherwise.”
Immigration: “O’Rourke will end the militarization of our immigration enforcement system, pass the DREAM Act, modernize the visa system, and reform our immigration laws to legalize the status of millions of immigrants already in our country and ensure a fair path to citizenship.”
Other Issues: Agriculture, Economy, Education, Energy, Equality, Government Accountability, Gun Safety, Higher Education, Justice, National Security, Seniors, Veterans and Women’s Health (visit O’Rourke’s website for full details).

Utah Senate Race

Mitt Romney (R) vs. Jenny Wilson (D)

Republican nominee: Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney is the former governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. He unsuccessfully ran for President as the Republican nominee in 2012.
While he was governor, Romney helped develop and signed into law the Massachusetts health care reform legislation, the first of its kind in the country. It provided near-universal health insurance access through state-level subsidies and individual mandates to purchase insurance.
Prior to his career in politics, Romney co-founded and led the spin-off company Bain Capital, a highly profitable private equity investment firm.
Romney is an active Mormon, and has served as the bishop of his ward (head of his local congregation) as well as stake president near Boston.

Mitt Romney’s Key Issues:

The Constitution: Romney believes these principles of the constitution must be reestablished: “powers not reserved to the federal government must be returned to the states,” and “laws should originate with the Legislative branch not the Judicial branch or unelected bureaucrats.”
Taxes: Romney supports the recent Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but would “have fought to make it revenue neutral rather than adding to the deficit.”
Trade and Tariffs: Romney opposes President Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, but “will support focused tariffs that penalize cheaters and dumping.”
Other Issues: Budget & Debt; Public Land; Agriculture; Clean Air and Energy; Foreign Policy; Immigration; Healthcare; Opioid Crisis; Second Amendment; Life Family & Religion; Utah Values; and Action, not just Talk (visit Romney’s website for full details).

Democratic nominee: Jenny Wilson

Jenny Wilson is currently serving her second six-year term as an at-large member of the Salt Lake County Council.
Wilson is a leadership, public relations and media consultant.
She has served at the federal level as assistant press secretary to U.S. Rep. Les AuCoin and as chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Bill Orton.
She assisted the Democratic Caucus of the Utah State Legislature in 1998.

Jenny Wilson’s Key Issues:

DACA and Immigration: Wilson states she “simply cannot imagine how we can tear families apart, forcefully deporting those who have come to the United States as children.” She promises to “support comprehensive immigration reform that creates a path to citizenship for those here, secures our borders, and restructures the process for new immigrants.”
Health care: Wilson supports the Affordable Care Act, and believes the current Congress is moving backward rather than forward in addressing its shortcomings. She pledges to “strongly defend the advances that arose from the ACA, while striving towards fixes that address spiraling costs.”
Making Washington Work Again: Wilson believes that government at the federal level is broken, and vows to be a “leader in Congress willing to push a reform agenda.”
Other Issues: Protection for Utah’s Valuable Natural Resources; Tax Reform and Economic Prosperity for All; Supporting Utah’s Economy and Health in all 29 Counties; Environment; Climate Change & Air Quality; and Fairness and Dignity for all Utahns (visit Wilson’s website for full details).

Vermont Senate Race

Bernie Sanders (I) vs. Lawrence Zupan (R)

Independent Candidate / Democratic Nominee (declined): Senator Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders is the incumbent candidate, seeking re-election to a third Senate term. He declined the Democratic nomination to run as an Independent.
Though he caucuses with the Democratic Party, Sanders is the longest-serving Independent in congressional history. In 2016, he unsuccessfully campaigned for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Sanders describes himself as a democratic socialist, and he has been an outspoken proponent of progressive causes like universal healthcare and reducing economic inequality.
Prior to the Senate, Sanders was elected as an independent to serve eight terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and four terms as Mayor of Burlington.

Bernie Sanders’s Key Issues:

Campaign Finance: Senator Sanders opposes the decisions made in the Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission court case regarding campaign finance laws, and describes himself as a “staunch advocate for effective campaign finance reform.”
Civil Liberties: Sanders believes civil liberties should not be sacrificed in the name of national security. He has introduced legislation to “amend the PATRIOT Act to curtail overly broad surveillance by the government.”
Civil Rights: Sanders opposes “draconian voter ID laws.” He has proposed legislation to make Election Day a national holiday “so that everyone has the time and opportunity to vote.”
Other issues: Dairy & Agriculture, Dental Care, Economy, Education, Energy & Environment, Financial Reform, International Relations, Media Ownership & Telecommunications, Prescription Drugs, Primary Health Care, Seniors, Trade, Transportation & Infrastructure, Veterans, and Women’s Rights (visit Sanders’ website for full details).

Republican nominee: Lawrence Zupan

Lawrence Zupan is a senior real-estate broker at Bean Group Stratton.
He has served as the Director at Benchmark Atelier since 2009.
On his campaign website, Zupan describes working “with three different Presidential administrations.”
Lawrence Zupan lost to candidate H. Brooke Paige in the primary election. After Paige withdrew his candidacy in August 2018, Zupan was chosen by the Republican Party to run as his replacement in the general election.

Lawrence Zupan’s Key Issues:

Healthcare: Lawrence Zupan opposes Senator Sanders’ healthcare policies, especially the proposed Medicare-For-All, saying it “opens the door for an economic and political catastrophe.”
Anti-Socialism: Zupan opposes socialist economic policies, describing them as “sugar coated poison of government first and people second.”
Taxes: Zupan believes in “the approach of low taxes and minimal government intervention in the lives and businesses of a free citizenry.”

Virginia Senate Race

Tim Kaine (D) vs. Corey Stewart (R)

Democratic Nominee: Senator Tim Kaine

Tim Kaine is the incumbent candidate and has represented Virginia in the U.S. Senate since 2013. He is running for re-election for a second term.
In the U.S. Senate, Kaine sits on the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Special Committee on Aging.
Kaine was elected as the Governor of Virginia in 2005 and served from 2006–2010 and he was chairman of the Democratic National Committee between 2009 and 2011. He served as Mayor of Richmond between 1998 and 2001.
In 2016, Kaine was chosen as Hillary Clinton’s Vice Presidential running mate in the 2016 Presidential Election.

Tim Kaine’s Key Issues:

Good Jobs and a Strong Economy: “Kaine cosponsored the Apprenticeship and Jobs Training Act to give businesses incentives to hire individuals in apprenticeship programs, and he introduced the bipartisan JOBS Act to help expand employment in high-demand fields. He wants to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and sponsored the Raise the Wage Act to do just that.”
Education: “Tim is a champion for public schools. Tim will fight efforts to divert public school funding to private schools, and he supports raising teacher pay and providing teachers with the tools and resources they need in the classroom. Tim believes in the power of career and technical education (CTE) and introduced the PRE-K Act to help more states expand early childhood education.”
Healthcare for All: “Tim will continue to oppose efforts to roll back the Affordable Care Act (ACA). He will never support eliminating protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and he will continue to ensure that plans provide ‘essential health benefits.’ Tim has a plan called Medicare X, which would give all Virginians access to a plan similar to Medicare and he believes Virginia should expand Medicaid. He will continue to defend the Children’s Health Insurance Program.”
Other Issues: Civil Rights and Equal Justice, Tackling Gun Violence, Supporting Veterans and Our Military, Women’s Equality, Strengthening Public Schools and Education, Higher Education and Job Training, Keeping America Safe and Strengthening Diplomacy, Fighting for Immigrant Communities, Standing with our Seniors, and Protecting our Environment (visit Kaine’s website for full details).

Republican Candidate: Corey Stewart

Corey Stewart is currently the At-Large Chairman of the Board of County Supervisors in Prince William (PWC) — the 2nd largest and fastest growing county in Virginia.
In 2017, Stewart sought the Republican nomination for Governor of Virginia and narrowly lost to Ed Gillespie.
Stewart was the Virginia state chair of the Donald Trump’s 2016 Presidential campaign, and co-chaired the Republican Party of Virginia’s “Team Virginia” field and communications campaign in 2016.
Stewart has had a career as an international trade attorney.

Corey Stewart’s Key Issues:

Bringing Back Jobs: Corey pledges to “work to reduce federal corporate taxes to compete with other states like North Carolina — bringing jobs back to the United States.” He promises to “slash through Washington’s regulatory hurdles and red tape to make the United States more welcoming to businesses.”
Illegal Immigration: “In Prince William County, Corey led the nation’s toughest crackdown on illegal immigration — resulting in over 7,500 criminal illegal aliens being turned over for deportation.” Corey vows to fight illegal immigration, ban sanctuary cities, and oppose amnesty. He says: “every illegal immigrant arrested should be deported — no questions asked.”
Second Amendment: Corey believes “our Constitutional right to keep and bear arms is under attack. That is unacceptable.” He will “defend Americans’ Second Amendment rights by fighting to remove any unconstitutional restrictions already in place and pro-actively ensuring this right is safely protected going forward.”
Other Issues: Protecting Life, Lower Taxes, Healthcare, Support National Concealed Carry Reciprocity, Veterans, Build the Wall, Education, Public Safety, and Energy (visit Stewart’s website for full details).

Washington Senate Race

Maria Cantwell (D) vs. Susan Hutchison (R)

Democratic nominee: Senator Maria Cantwell

Maria Cantwell is the incumbent candidate, running for a fourth term.
She has previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives for one term as well as the Washington House of Representatives. Following her term in the House, Cantwell worked as an executive for RealNetworks, an internet software company.
Senator Cantwell currently serves on these committees: Commerce, Science and Transportation, Energy and Natural Resources, Finance, Indian Affairs, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Maria Cantwell’s Key Issues:

Equal Rights & Protection: Cantwell is “proud to support measures that would expand federal nondiscrimination protections, ban federal contractors from engaging in employment discrimination, end law enforcement’s use of racial and religious profiling, and secure programs and positions that advance rights of the LGBTQ community around the world.”
Financial Reform: Cantwell promises to fight for legislation to “rein in excessive speculation on Wall Street, shine light on the dark derivatives market, stabilize the price of oil, and reinstate vital financial safeguards from the Glass-Steagall Act.
Tribes: Senator Cantwell pledges to continue to work “to promote economic growth in Indian Country and promote the sovereignty of Tribal Nations.”
Other Issues: Agriculture, Education, Energy, Environment, Healthcare, Jobs & the Economy, Public Safety, Technology & Innovation, Transportation & Infrastructure, and Veterans & Defense (visit Cantwell’s website for full details).

Republican nominee: Susan Hutchison

Hutchison is a former career journalist. She won 5 Emmys for her work at KIRO-TV news.
She is the former Chair of the Seattle Symphony and former Executive Director of the Simonyi Fund for the Arts & Sciences in Seattle, Washington.
Hutchison has served as Chair of the Washington State Republican Party for five years.

Susan Hutchison’s Key Issues:

Supreme Court: Hutchison supports the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, and says she will vote to approve a nominee whose “record shows he will interpret the Constitution as written and respect the separation of powers by not legislating from the bench.”
Taxes and a Simpler Tax Code: Hutchison supports the recent tax cuts and promises to vote “for efforts to un-complicate the tax code and undo the huge IRS bureaucracy.”
Immigration: Hutchison states that “U.S. immigration is broken.” She supports the building of a border wall, and pledges to support a “humane immigration system that promotes legal entry and blocks illegal entry.”
Other Issues: The Economy & Jobs, Military Readiness, Trade, Second Amendment and Gun Control, Swift Solutions for Obamacare’s Woes, Opioid Drug Crisis, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, Housing Affordability, 21st Century Education for our Children, Israel and the Middle East, Debt, Women and Workplace Equity, Infrastructure and Traffic, and Term Limits (visit Hutchison’s website for full details).

West Virginia Senate Race

Joe Manchin (D) vs. Patrick Morrisey (R)

Democratic nominee: Joe Manchin

Joe Manchin is the incumbent candidate, having served in the Senate since 2010.
Prior to the Senate, Manchin was the 34th Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010 and the 27th Secretary of State of West Virginia from 2001 to 2005.
Manchin has been described throughout his career as a conservative Democrat, and he is known in Congress for his bipartisan efforts.
He is currently appointed to the committees on: Appropriations, Energy and Natural Resources, Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and the Select Committee on Intelligence.

Joe Manchin’s Key Issues:

Education: Senator Manchin pledges to “work on bipartisan legislation that will simplify loan repayments for students and families so they can focus on getting the best education they can and being a productive member of society.”
Intelligence: When it comes to national cybersecurity, “Manchin believes in sending a strong signal to foreign adversaries that hostility will not be tolerated,” and he is working “across the aisle to expand sanctions against the Russian government.”
Energy: Manchin recognizes the important role coal plays in achieving energy independence, and believes Congress must stop “demonizing one resource and start developing a comprehensive plan that utilizes all of our domestic resources — coal, natural gas, biomass, nuclear, wind and solar.”
Other Issues: Appropriations; Healthcare; Infrastructure & Jobs; Opioids; Seniors; and Veterans (visit Manchin’s website for full details).

Republican nominee: Patrick Morrisey

Patrick Morrisey has been serving as the Attorney General of West Virginia since 2013.
As Attorney General, Morrisey sued the DEA to release its data on opioid sales and challenged the sales quota system that it uses to regulate opioid manufacturers, the first lawsuit of its kind in West Virginia history.
Morrisey served as deputy staff director and chief health counsel for the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce from 1999 to 2004.
Prior to becoming Attorney General, Morrisey was a career lobbyist in DC, working for the corporate law firm Sidley Austin before joining King & Spalding in 2010 and becoming partner.

Patrick Morrisey’s Key Issues:

Second Amendment: Morrisey believes that Senator Manchin has failed to adequately defend second amendment rights. Morrisey promises that if elected, he “will continue his Second Amendment advocacy and fight the radical gun control lobby at every turn.”
Right to Life: Morrisey describes himself as a “staunch defender of life and a strong ally for the pro-life movement.” He opposes “all taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood,” he was a “leader in standing for religious liberty in the Hobby Lobby decision.”
Illegal Immigration: While Morrisey appreciates the importance of immigrants, he believes that the “country’s lax immigration laws pose a security risk to our homeland.” He has “filed suit against the Obama amnesty program and opposes sanctuary cities.”
Other Issues: Fighting Substance Abuse; Jobs and Economy; Energy; National Security; Constitutional Conservative Values; Veterans; Fighting for our Seniors; Healthcare; and Term Limits. (Visit Morrisey’s website for full details).

Wisconsin Senate Race

Tammy Baldwin (D) vs. Leah Vukmir (R)

Democratic nominee: Tammy Baldwin

Tammy Baldwin is the incumbent candidate, having served in the Senate since 2013.
Prior to the Senate, Baldwin served three terms in the Wisconsin Assembly, and from 1999 to 2013 she represented Wisconsin’s 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.
Baldwin was the first open lesbian elected to Congress.
She is currently appointed to the committees on: Appropriations; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Tammy Baldwin’s Key Issues:

Protecting our Health Care: Senator Baldwin believes in protecting Americans’ health care from “partisan repeal efforts.” “To achieve the goal of universal health care coverage, Tammy helped introduce the Medicare for All Act.”
Fighting for Debt-Free Higher Education: “Tammy has led bold college affordability reforms while also pushing Washington to take immediate action for current students who need relief from sky-high college costs.”
Holding Wall Street Accountable: Baldwin believes Wall Street needs to be held in check, to prevent “people who have never even been to our state playing with Wisconsin businesses and Wisconsinites’ lives like Monopoly pieces.”
Other Issues: Strengthening Made In Wisconsin Manufacturing; Lowering Prescription Drug Prices; Standing Up for Our Veterans; Taking on Special Interests; Combating the Opioid Epidemic; Rebuilding Our Roads and Bridges; Keeping America Safe; Supporting Our Farmers and Rural Economies; and Defending Our Great Lakes and Clean Water (visit Baldwin’s website for full details).

Republican nominee: Leah Vukmir

Leah Vukmir is a member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 5th District.
She has previously served in the Wisconsin Assembly, where she was the ranking member of the Assembly’s Committee on Health and Health Care Reform.
Prior to politics, Vukmir was a registered nurse and nationally certified pediatric nurse practitioner.
Vukmir is on the Board of Directors of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative policy-based nonprofit.

Leah Vukmir’s Key Issues:

Our Troops: As the mother of a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Vukmir was “appalled to learn of the widespread mismanagement and disgraceful neglect that has taken place at Veterans Affairs and angered by the way Senator Tammy Baldwin failed our veterans at Tomah.”

The Constitution: “Leah believes our rights come from God, not man. The government exists to enforce our freedoms and protect our rights, not to create new entitlements not specifically enumerated in the Constitution.”

Protect Life: Vukmir says she is “pro-life, and proud to stand up for the unborn.” She promises to “confirm pro-life judges” and “fight efforts to restrict religious liberty.”

Wyoming Senate Race

John Barrasso (R) vs. Gary Trauner (D)

Republican Candidate: Senator John Barrasso

John Barrasso is the incumbent candidate, having served in the Senate since 2007. He also served two terms in the Wyoming State Senate, where he was Chairman of the Transportation and Highways Committee.
Prior to his political career, Barrasso was an orthopedic surgeon in private practice.
Barrasso co-authored the letter to President Trump urging him to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
He is currently assigned to the committees on: Energy and Natural Resources, Committee on Environment and Public Works, Foreign Relations, and Indian Affairs.

John Barrasso’s Key Issues:

Healthcare: Barrasso voted against the Affordable Care Act, and he is part of the group of 13 Senators drafting the Senate version of the ACHA, which would repeal parts of the ACA.
Environment: Barrasso opposes the climate change policies of the Obama administration, and has said “The climate is constantly changing. The role human activity plays is not known.”
Conservative Values: Barrasso has said “I believe in limited government, lower taxes, less spending, traditional family values, local control and a strong national defense.”

Democratic Candidate: Gary Trauner

Gary Trauner is a Wyoming businessman and politician, and he currently serves as the Chair of the Aspens Pines Water and Sewer District.
Previously he was the Chair of the Teton County School District Number 1 Board of Trustees, and was the Democratic nominee for the United States House of Representatives election in Wyoming in 2006 and 2008.
Prior to politics Trauner was the Vice President of the Teton Trust money management company and founded a dog food company called Mulligan Stew Pet Food.

Gary Trauner’s Key Issues:

Internet & Net Neutrality: Trauner believes that “the ideal of an Internet that is “neutral” — that allows anyone, rich or poor, large company, small business or private individual, to present their products, services, views and interests on an equal footing — must be preserved.”
Guns and Public Safety: Trauner supports “common sense” gun control like “truly universal background checks, raising the age limit to purchase firearms, ‘red-flag’ laws, banning bump stocks that turn guns into automatic weapons, and looking at other possible changes such as requiring special permits and training for ‘dangerous and unusual weapons.’ “
Healthcare: Trauner believes that “even with the advances made through the Affordable Care Act, the current state of health care policy in America is immoral, unacceptable and unsustainable,” and he supports “covering every single American with basic, quality coverage.”
Other Issues: Labor, Working People, and Right-To-Work; Energy & our Future, Social Security & Safety-net Programs; Taxes and Living within our means; and Contract with Veterans (Visit Trauner’s website for full details).

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Written by Kristine Sowers