2020 Minnesota US Senate Voters Guide

Jason Lewis (R) vs Tina Smith (D)

US Senate | Election | Nov 10, 2020

The Candidates

Jason Lewis

Jason Lewis

Republican

Tina Smith

Tina Smith

Democrat

Incumbent

The Issues

Abortion

Keep legal or ban?

Click To Share Stance

Campaign Finance

Limit campaign spending and require political advertisers to disclose their largest funders?

Jason Lewis (R)

No. Supports Citizen United decision. Says courts have “previously struck down laws limiting campaign spending.”

Tina Smith (D)

Yes.  Co-sponsored DISCLOSE Act, requiring campaign groups to disclose donors’ names.  Would reverse Citizens United decision.

Click To Share Stance

Climate Change

Consider human-caused climate change a serious threat?

Address as a top priority by taxing or limiting output of greenhouse gases?

Jason Lewis (R)

No. Says “market forces and technology” can control carbon emissions. Opposes carbon tax. Voted to weaken environmental regulation.

Tina Smith (D)

Yes. Emphasizes incentives for renewable energy more than taxes or limits. Helped introduce the Clean Economy Act in 2020.

Click To Share Stance

Courts

Support picking Ginsburg replacement now, vs. letting Nov. winner choose?

Tina Smith (D)

Wait. Current rush to replace Ginsburg—after 10-month blocking of Obama from nominating Scalia’s successor—is “hypocrisy.” See CEEP Supreme Court guide.

Click To Share Stance

Environment

Tighten or loosen environmental regulations?

Jason Lewis (R)

Loosen. Opposes carbon tax and argues “the hard environmental left” is hampering the state’s energy, mining, and logging industries.

Click To Share Stance

Financial Regulation

Tighten or loosen regulation of banks and credit card companies?

Click To Share Stance

Guns

Enact more restrictive legislation on guns?

Click To Share Stance

Immigration

Support expanding border walls?

Tina Smith (D)

No. Voted against funding for the border wall. Supports “fiscally efficient methods to secure our border.”

Click To Share Stance

Iran

Oppose military attacks on Iran without congressional approval?

Tina Smith (D)

Yes. Co-sponsored bill directing president not to order attacks without congressional approval. Said she was “gravely concerned” Trump lacked strategy to prevent escalation.

Click To Share Stance

LGBTQ Rights

Support efforts to end discrimination against LGBTQ people?

Jason Lewis (R)

No. Says ruling legalizing marriage equality “would undo the entire state criminal code because we’re all treated unequally.”

Tina Smith (D)
Click To Share Stance

Minimum Wage

Raise federal hourly minimum wage above current $7.25?

Tina Smith (D)

Yes. Co-sponsored legislation to raise federal minimum wage to $15 by 2024, which would “raise the wages of nearly 40 million people.”

Click To Share Stance

Planned Parenthood

Support Planned Parenthood’s receiving public funds for non-abortion care?

Support Planned Parenthood’s receiving public funds for non-abortion care?

Click To Share Stance

Saudi Arabia

Block arms sales to Saudi Arabia?

Click To Share Stance

Taxes

Support administration’s $1.9 trillion (2017) tax cuts?

Click To Share Stance

Police and Community

Restrict police use of force and increase public oversight?

Tina Smith (D)

Yes. Supports comprehensive police-reform legislation that would end practices such as choke holds and no-knock warrants.

Click To Share Stance
×
Candidate Image

Jason Lewis

republican Party

Candidate Image

Tina Smith

democratic Party

Download Image
guides.vote
guides.vote

Jason Lewis

republican

Tina Smith

democratic

See guides.vote for online guides with links & sources https://lewisformn.com/ https://tinaforminnesota.com/
Abortion

Keep legal or ban?

Ban. Is anti-abortion, and “believes life begins at conception.” Supports making Hyde Amendment permanent.Keep legal. Women should “have the freedom to decide when and how to raise a family.”
Affordable Care Act

Support Affordable Care Act (ACA)?

No. Will “repeal and replace Obamacare” and replace it with “patient-centered reforms.”Yes. Wants to “build on” the ACA, to have “affordable, good quality health care … no matter who you are.”
Campaign Finance

Limit campaign spending and require political advertisers to disclose their largest funders?

No. Supports Citizen United decision. Says courts have “previously struck down laws limiting campaign spending.”Yes.  Co-sponsored DISCLOSE Act, requiring campaign groups to disclose donors’ names.  Would reverse Citizens United decision.
Climate Change

Consider human-caused climate change a serious threat?

No. “Has it warmed? You bet. I’m just not convinced it’s due to carbon emissions.”Yes. “Climate change is real and poses a threat to our economy and our health.”
Courts

Support picking Ginsburg replacement now, vs. letting Nov. winner choose?

Now. The “will of the people” is behind the quick confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett. See CEEP Supreme Court guide.Wait. Current rush to replace Ginsburg—after 10-month blocking of Obama from nominating Scalia’s successor—is “hypocrisy.” See CEEP Supreme Court guide.
COVID-19

Support administration’s response to coronavirus pandemic?

Yes. Says lawmakers have gone too far with shutdown measures against the virus. “The cure cannot be worse than the disease!”No. “I think that the president’s handling of the pandemic has been a disaster.”
Education

Use public funding for private and/or for-profit schools?

Yes. “School choice has always been important, but it’s especially relevant now.”No. “School vouchers create a two-tiered education system while diverting critical resources from the public schools.”
Environment

Tighten or loosen environmental regulations?

Loosen. Opposes carbon tax and argues “the hard environmental left” is hampering the state’s energy, mining, and logging industries.Tighten. Is fighting Trump administration’s efforts to “roll back responsible environmental policy.”
Financial Regulation

Tighten or loosen regulation of banks and credit card companies?

Loosen. Voted to roll back parts of Dodd-Frank and to repeal guidance to help consumers prevent markups on auto loans.Tighten. Signed letter to Senate leadership opposing rule change that would hurt access to credit by communities of color.
Guns

Enact more restrictive legislation on guns?

No. Said after a school shooting that gun control laws “would not have stopped” it. Favors funding to schools to enhance security.Yes.  Supports “common-sense gun laws” to keep guns from criminals and some other individuals.  Would ban bump stocks, assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Immigration

Support expanding border walls?

Yes. Voted in favor of border-wall funding. But opposed banning entry to the U.S. for green-card holders.No. Voted against funding for the border wall. Supports “fiscally efficient methods to secure our border.”
Iran

Oppose military attacks on Iran without congressional approval?

No. “The strike against Qasem Soleimani was undertaken to protect USA personnel abroad and as such I support this action.”Yes. Co-sponsored bill directing president not to order attacks without congressional approval. Said she was “gravely concerned” Trump lacked strategy to prevent escalation.
Labor

Support “right to work” laws, eliminating the ability of unions to mandate dues for workers they represent?

Yes. Supports local right-to-work laws, saying it shouldn’t be a crime for someone not to join a union, but doesn’t believe they should be imposed nationally.No. Introduced bill to prevent states from passing right-to-work laws. Workers have the right to “join together for fair wages, benefits and improved working conditions.”
LGBTQ Rights

Support efforts to end discrimination against LGBTQ people?

No. Says ruling legalizing marriage equality “would undo the entire state criminal code because we’re all treated unequally.”Yes.  Supports “marriage equality” and “LGBTQ equality.”
Marijuana

Legalize marijuana?

Can legalize state by state, not federally. Supports states’ rights to determine their marijuana policies without federal interference.Yes. Introduced a bill this year to legalize marijuana for recreational use nationwide.
Minimum Wage

Raise federal hourly minimum wage above current $7.25?

No. “Minimum-wage hikes cause unemployment among the least-skilled people.”Yes. Co-sponsored legislation to raise federal minimum wage to $15 by 2024, which would “raise the wages of nearly 40 million people.”
Planned Parenthood

Support Planned Parenthood’s receiving public funds for non-abortion care?

No. Voted for 2017 bill to defund organizations that provide abortions as part of their healthcare services.Yes. Opposed proposal to block state family planning grants to Planned Parenthood
Saudi Arabia

Block arms sales to Saudi Arabia?

Unclear. Has been critical of Saudi Arabia and said U.S. must take harder line with this ally.Yes. Voted against arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
Taxes

Support administration’s $1.9 trillion (2017) tax cuts?

Yes. Voted for the tax cuts and has said about the bill that “rarely has one piece of legislation been so successful so quickly.”No. Says instead of saving Wall Street billions,  should invest in “better wages for teachers, affordable child care, better health care.”
Police and Community

Restrict police use of force and increase public oversight?

No. Has objected to some of the calls for police reform, saying they are going too far.Yes. Supports comprehensive police-reform legislation that would end practices such as choke holds and no-knock warrants.
Voting Rights

Support stricter ID requirements and other rules on voting?

Mixed. Believes voting rights should be restored to felons once they have completed parole. Says each state should decide on laws.No. Co-sponsored bill to restore Voting Rights Act enacted to prevent discriminatory changes to state voting laws and procedures.

Success!

×
Download Images