2022 Florida Senate Voters Guide
Val Demings (D) vs Marco Rubio (R)
The Candidates
Yes. “Climate change threatens everything we have tried to build as a nation and even as a species.” Introduced a bill to support U.S.-based solar energy components. Voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, with $369 billion in clean energy subsidies.
Previously no. Questioned human role in climate change. Recently joined bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus while arguing to “produce more American oil.” Voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, with $369 billion in clean energy subsidies, calling the bill “garbage.”
Increase. Voted for the CHIPS Act and government incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act. Voted for the American Rescue Plan’s COVID relief and economic stimulus. Supported the $1 trillion infrastructure funding bill. Opposed weakening bank regulation.
Mostly decrease. Opposed American Rescue Plan & bipartisan infrastructure bill. Voted against the Inflation Reduction Act. Voted against CHIPS Act to foster U.S technology development; China theft must be dealt with first. Co-wrote Paycheck Protection Program for small-business relief.
No specific comment, but says “we have been fighting systemic racism… for 400 years,” including in education. “Racism is so ingrained in… who we are as a nation,” it’s “something that we have to fight back against.”
“Critical race theory is Marxist inspired indoctrination and has no place in our schools.” Introduced a bill to investigate teachers who promote “divisive concepts” and “racially hostile school environments.”
Yes. Congratulated Biden on his inauguration. Jan 6 committee will “uncover the truth.” “Accountability matters.”
Mixed. Says Biden was legitimately elected. Called Jan 6 committee a “partisan scam.”
Tighten. Supported a bill to plug unsafe oil and gas wells and stop air and water pollution. “Each of us, and our children, deserves a future where we can live in health and security, both economic and environmental.”
Loosen. Introduced a bill to “limit federal overreach against American landowners.” Tired of “one-size-fits-all federal overreach by Washington- based bureaucrats.” Voted to repeal Stream Protection.
More. Introduced a bill to expand federal gun regulation. Cosponsored background check bill. “So many of these tragedies can be prevented with simple, basic policies like background checks.” Voted for bipartisan gun safety bill.
Mostly less. Calls background checks and gun control ineffective. Supported allowing individuals with home-state concealed carry privileges to carry in all states. Allow courts to remove guns from people who pose a threat. Voted against bipartisan gun safety bill.
Yes. “Healthcare is a right.” Defends ACA. Voted for Medicaid expansion. Voted for Medicare negotiating the price of prescription drugs. “We must…invest today to prevent the next pandemic.”
Immigration reform is “critical for our economy” and necessary to protect DACA recipients, Florida farmers and Temporary Protected Status recipients. Voted to give DACA participants a path to citizenship.
Easier. Cosponsored the Protecting Right to Organize (PRO) Act, “the most significant upgrade for workers’ collective bargaining rights in more than 80 years—because unions built the middle class. They can rebuild it.”
Mostly harder. Opposes PRO Act, which would “mandate adversarial” labor-management relations. Supports alternative to unionization that promotes voluntary employee organizations to discuss workplace issues. Backed Amazon workers trying to unionize because Amazon allies with “the left in the culture war.”
Expand. “The most fundamental freedom is to be who you are, and to exist without fear of prejudice and harm based on your identity.” Opposed Florida bill that limits teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity. Voted for bill to protect gay marriage.
Limit. Supports right of Catholic schools receiving public funding to not hire “transsexual” teachers. Has said marriage “should be between one man and one woman.” Supported Florida sexual orientation and gender identity education bill. Opposes bill to protect gay marriage.
Legal. Voted to decriminalize marijuana. Voted for 2021 SAFE Banking of Act, prohibiting federal banking regulators from penalizing banks for serving “a legitimate cannabis-related business.”
Ban. Calls recreational legalization “a terrible idea” sees marijuana as a “gateway” drug. Is open to possible FDA approval for medical use if doctors see marijuana as a medicine.
Raise. “A $15 minimum wage is the least that American workers deserve.” Cosponsored Raise the Wage Act of 2021 to increase the federal minimum over five years.
No recent position found. In 2013, said “I don’t believe a minimum law works.” In 2015 said the solution to low wages is to “create millions of jobs that pay more.”
More public oversight. Cosponsored a bill to “ensure higher levels of training and accountability.” Cosponsored a bill that would make it easier to sue police officers, prohibit no-knock drug case warrants, and ban chokeholds and military weapons transfers.
Mostly research further. “Bad police officers need to be fired,” and “if they’ve committed a crime, …prosecuted.” Police “should be reformed, not defunded.” Supported a bill to train police and collect data on use of force, with a limited chokehold ban.
Yes to both. Voted to provide $10,000 in student debt cancellation. “We should be reducing the amount of debt by reducing fees and payments, offering greater federal support and simply cancelling some debt.”
No to forgiveness. Loan cancellation would mean “hundreds of billions of dollars shelled out without congressional authorization.” Exceptions for some service members and terrorism survivors. Yes to eliminating interest, replacing with a one-time fee.
More. Voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, with provisions that set a minimum corporate tax and taxed corporate stock buybacks. Voted against the 2017 tax cuts, with provisions that reduced corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%.
Less. Voted for the 2017 tax cuts that reduced corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, though he also criticized them. Voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, which contained corporate tax provisions. Opposed high-earner tax increases, “Once you set up a new federal tax…They’ll keep going down the income brackets.”
No. Introduced a bill making states “facilitate absentee voting for federal elections.” Cosponsored John R. Lewis Voting Rights bill to prevent practices that would reduce voting rights.
Yes. Says absentee ballots had “massive fraud…so we banned those practices here in Florida.” Voted against John R. Lewis Act for “trying to ban voter ID and put Washington in charge of Florida’s elections.”
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