Card image cap

Justin Murphy's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

On The Ballot: Running, Republican for U.S. Senate (NJ) - Sr

Key

Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.
What is the Political Courage Test?

Issue Positions

For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2024.

  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "Tariff goods manufactured in China to compensate for the intellectual property theft and the damage the corona-virus caused to America’s economy; increase American military presence in the South China Sea; expel Chinese diplomats and close Chinese consulates in America; withhold federal aid to colleges and universities that take money from Chinese companies and Chinese universities; remove ambiguity as it relates to the defense of Taiwan; continue to arm Taiwan and our Asian allies Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. Make it clear to China that we would entertain a military alliance with Vietnam." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "Reignite America's domestic energy production industry. Promote, rather than restrict, energy production on federal lands. Expedite federal leasing and permitting for energy development projects." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • "America has more oil, more natural gas, more clean-burning coal, and more technological capacity for nuclear power, than any other country in this world. With the requisite political will and leadership, America can easily become energy independent and energy dominant again. We can provide hundreds of thousands of blue-collar jobs, gainfully employing Americans, and ensure our middle class is productive and economically secure. We can once again, as America did under President Trump, dissolve the bonds of energy dependence on foreign countries." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • "In my life time, America has been energy independent for a few short years under the Trump Administration. Other than those few years, America has been dependent on foreign sources of energy, primarily oil. The implication of this dependency is conspicuous: weakness. Being dependent on foreign sources of energy demonstrates weakness. I abhor weakness. There is no reason, under the rays of God’s gracious shining sun, why America should be dependent on foreign sources of energy." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "America’s immigration policies should ensure the following objectives are achieved: 1- Secure both the southern and northern borders: Impenetrable wall; military presence; Title 42 enforcement; aggressive deportation of criminals. 2- Effective tracking of who is here in our country, why they are here, and measures to ensure that legal immigrants do not overstay their work or student visa, thereby becoming illegal immigrants. 3- Stiff penalties for illegal immigrants: deportation and fines. 4- Issuance of work visas that benefit our American economy and American workforce." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • "Finish constructing the Wall started during the Trump administration. Deploy the US Military to secure both the northern and southern borders." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • "Secure our southern border we share with Mexico, and also secure the northern border we share with Canada." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • "Use the US Military to directly engage the drug cartels on the southern border." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • "America’s immigration policies should ensure the following objectives are achieved: 1- Secure both the southern and northern borders: Impenetrable wall; military presence; Title 42 enforcement; aggressive deportation of criminals. 2- Effective tracking of who is here in our country, why they are here, and measures to ensure that legal immigrants do not overstay their work or student visa, thereby becoming illegal immigrants. 3- Stiff penalties for illegal immigrants: deportation and fines. 4- Issuance of work visas that benefit our American economy and American workforce." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • "End catch-and-release." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • "Implement Title 42 health protections." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • "Resurrect the 'Remain in Mexico' policy." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • "Tariff goods manufactured in China to compensate for the intellectual property theft and the damage the corona-virus caused to America’s economy; increase American military presence in the South China Sea; expel Chinese diplomats and close Chinese consulates in America; withhold federal aid to colleges and universities that take money from Chinese companies and Chinese universities; remove ambiguity as it relates to the defense of Taiwan; continue to arm Taiwan and our Asian allies Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. Make it clear to China that we would entertain a military alliance with Vietnam." (jerseyjustin4senate.org)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.
The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.

a) Abortions should always be illegal.
b) Abortions should always be legal.
c) Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester.
X d) Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
X e) Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
f) Dilation and extraction or "partial-birth" abortion procedures should be legal.
X g) Medicare, Medicaid, and federal subsidies should be prohibited from being used on abortion procedures.
As a catholic, my Christian faith has taught me that life begins at conception. I oppose any use of federal dollars to fund abortion, or title X-planned parenthood family planning programs. I am unapologetically pro-life. I support the Hyde Amendment and oppose partial birth abortion.

Indicate what federal funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.1) Budget Priorities2) Defense Spending3) TaxesIndicate what federal tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.Family Income TaxesOther TaxesDeductions/Credits

Slightly Decrease a) Agriculture
Eliminate b) Arts
Slightly Increase c) Defense
Eliminate d) Education
Maintain Status e) Environment
Maintain Status f) FEMA
Slightly Increase g) Homeland security
Slightly Decrease h) International aid
Slightly Increase i) Law enforcement (Federal)
Maintain Status j) Law enforcement (State)
Maintain Status k) Medical research
Maintain Status l) National parks
Slightly Decrease m) Public health services
Eliminate n) Scientific research
Slightly Decrease o) Space exploration programs
Slightly Decrease p) Transportation and highway infrastructure
Greatly Decrease q) United Nations
Eliminate r) Welfare
Slightly Increase a) Armed forces personnel training
Greatly Increase b) Intelligence operations
Slightly Increase c) Military hardware
Slightly Increase d) Modernization of weaponry and equipment
Greatly Increase e) National missile defense
Greatly Increase f) Pay for active duty personnel
Slightly Increase g) Programs to improve troop retention rates
Maintain Status h) Research and development of new weapons
Slightly Increase i) Troop and equipment readiness
Slightly Decrease a) Less than $12,000
Slightly Decrease b) $12,001-$40,000
Slightly Decrease c) $40,001-$100,000
Slightly Decrease d) $100,001-$180,000
Slightly Decrease e) $180,001-$350,000
Slightly Decrease f) $350,001 and above
Slightly Decrease a) Alcohol taxes
Eliminate b) Capital gains taxes
Slightly Decrease c) Cigarette taxes
Greatly Decrease d) Corporate taxes
Slightly Decrease e) Gasoline taxes
Eliminate f) Inheritance taxes
Maintain Status a) Charitable contribution deduction
Slightly Increase b) Child tax credit
Slightly Increase c) Earned income tax credit
Maintain Status d) Medical expense deduction
Maintain Status e) Mortgage deduction
Maintain Status f) Student loan credit
Yes 4) Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
Yes 5) Do you support requiring the federal budget to be balanced each year?
I will advocate for a BRAC for all federal agencies and departments similar to the one which successfully streamlined the budget of the DoD.
I have dedicated my campaign to the men and women of the American military. I sincerely believe that the U.S. military is the greatest force for good on the planet, notwithstanding religious institutions. Intelligence funding is critical to winning the War-on-Terror and must be a priority.
I support all tax reduction policies.
The corporate tax rate needs to be drastically reduced permanently. All inheritance taxes, the AMT, and capital gains taxes should be abolished in their entirety.
I support tax reductions of all types as an interim measure. My long term goal is to replace, in its entirety, the current tax code with a flat tax of 10-15% for all taxpayers in America. In the interim, I support making the Bush tax cuts permanent.
The only exception should be for national security emergencies.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.

X a) Support increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
b) Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
c) Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
d) Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
e) Support prohibiting ads containing candidates' name that are paid for by third parties from airing 60 days before a primary and 30 days before a general federal election.
f) Support instant run-off voting (IRV).
X g) Support designating Election Day as a national holiday.
X h) Support giving the President the power of the line item veto for items concerning appropriations.
i) Support limiting the President's use of signing statements in order to prevent an alternative interpretation of the bill.
X j) Support a federal shield law to protect reporter-source privilege.
I support instantaneous disclosure of all federal campaign contributions. I believe sunlight is the best disinfectant; transparency will give legitimacy to the system.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.

X a) Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
b) Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
c) Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
d) Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
e) Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
X f) Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
X g) Support strict penalties for internet crime (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
h) Require that crimes based on sexual orientation be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
I strongly believe in the second amendment.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

a) Support the federal government funding universal pre-K programs.
X b) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any public school.
X c) Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
d) Allow teachers and professionals to receive federal funding to establish charter or magnet schools.
e) Increase funding for the Pell Grant program.
f) Decrease interest rates of Stafford Loans.
X g) Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
X h) Ban university financial aid officers from owning stock in or accepting gifts from student loan lenders.
X i) Require universities to disclose financial relationships with lenders.
j) Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
k) Eliminate all federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
I will advocate for the elimination of the federal department of education. The budgetary savings should then be returned to each local school district in America. The federal DOE does not educate a single child. The money should be spent on students and teachers in a classroom, where education actually takes place. My concern is not the amount of money America spends on education, rather who spends the money is the overridding issue.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.

a) Increase funding for national job-training programs that retrain displaced workers or teach skills needed in today’s job market.
X b) Reduce government regulation of the private sector.
c) Encourage employers to offer child care services, flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
d) Increase the federal minimum wage.
e) Support the right of workers to unionize.
f) Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
g) Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
h) Include gender identity in federal anti-discrimination laws.
Government needs to extricate itself from the decision making processes that businesses employ.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

a) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
b) Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
X c) Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
d) Strengthen emission controls on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
e) Strengthen fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
X f) Support domestic oil exploration in areas that are currently restricted.
X g) Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels.
X h) Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
X i) Support research and development of nuclear reactors as an alternative energy source.
j) Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits under "cap and trade" laws.
k) Support international mandatory emission targets to limit global warming.
X l) Support international voluntary emission targets to limit global warming.
Developing America's domestic sources of energy has to be a priority for any future Congress. Given that the recent spike in oil and fuel prices are mainly attributed to speculation in the energy futures market, we should thoroughly review the viability of a national cap-and-trade program for CO2 emissions. I support government promotion of alternative fuels and new technologies to address our energy issues. Specifically, coal to liquid, and nuclear power plant construction.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.On (c) and (d), indicate what levels (#1-6) you support for the following categories.

X a) Allow individuals to carry concealed guns.
b) Ban the sale, ownership or possession of handguns except by law enforcement and other government officials.
Slightly Decrease c) Enforcement of existing restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
Slightly Decrease d) Restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
e) Other or expanded principles

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health.

a) Implement a universal healthcare program to guarantee coverage to all Americans, regardless of income.
X b) Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
c) Allow the importation of prescription drugs into the United States.
d) Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
X e) Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
f) Support expanding child healthcare programs.
X g) Providing healthcare is not a responsibility of the federal government.
Every American needs to own a Medical Savings Account. Tort reform is critical to dealing with medical inflation, hence expanding coverage.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration.

X a) Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
X b) Establish English as the official national language.
c) Support a temporary worker program.
X d) Support harsher financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
e) Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
X f) Illegal immigrants should have to return to their countries of origin before being considered for citizenship.
g) Illegal immigrants should be given a pathway to citizenship.
h) Support merit-based visas over family-based visas.
When dealing with the immigration crises, the first priority is to secure our borders. I also support denying all federal aid to cities that declare themselves sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants.

International AidIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international aid.International PolicyIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international policy.International TradeIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.

X a) Support the United States granting aid to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
X b) Support the United States granting aid to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
c) Eliminate United States aid for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
d) Aid granted by the United States should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
Yes a) Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
Undecided b) Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
Yes c) Should the United States impose greater international sanctions on Iran if it continues to defy United Nations mandates?
Yes d) Should the United States support the Lebanese government against insurgent forces?
Yes e) Should the United States maintain its troop levels in Iraq?
No f) Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
Yes h) Should the United States apply greater economic and diplomatic sanctions against North Korea if it fails to abide by its agreement to suspend its nuclear program?
Yes i) Should the United States increase financial support for Afghanistan?
Yes j) Should the United States increase military support for Afghanistan?
No k) Should the United States trade nuclear fuel to India for civilian purposes?
No l) Should the United States decrease financial support for Pakistan?
No m) Should the United States decrease military support for Pakistan?
Yes n) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in Darfur, Sudan?
Yes o) Should the United States be involved in bringing an end to the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
Yes p) Should the United States provide economic and military support to the Transitional Government of Somalia?
Yes q) Should the United States use sanctions to encourage the government of Zimbabwe to end its human rights abuses?
Yes r) Should the United States support the creation of an independent nation of Kosovo?
Yes a) Do you support the United States imposing economic sanctions on China?
Yes b) Do you support the United States imposing trade sanctions on Venezuela?
Undecided c) Do you support the United States involvement in free trade agreements?
Undecided d) Do you support the United States involvement in intergovernmental organizations dedicated to trade?
Aid from the U.S. should always contain stipulations with regard to how and where it is used. If our stipulations are deviated from, then the aid should be curtailed, or terminated.
We will stand down, when the Iraqi's are able to stand up. I support the recent gains made in regard to political reconciliation throughout Iraq. I adamantly oppose any timetable for withdrawal of American troops. Al Qaeda is being defeated in Iraq, we should continue the strategy of, 'clear, hold, build.' Progress is being made, no one can deny that. It is imperative that we fulfill our obligations to the Iraqi people, and to those Americans who gave their lives for winning thw war-on-terror. Also, we must continue to train and equip the iraqi military and police.
I support the policy of preemption as a policy goal for waging the war-on-terror.
We must understand, communist China is our enemy, despite being a large trading partner of ours. We must view them as we did the Soviets during the cold war. If we are able to prove a link between Hugo Chavez and any terror group, we should assassinate him.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security.

Yes a) Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
Yes b) Should law enforcement agencies have greater discretion to monitor domestic communications, to prevent future terrorist attacks?
Yes c) Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
Yes d) Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
Yes e) Do you support pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to United States national security?
Yes f) Do you support the creation of a federal identification card system?
Undecided g) Do you support long-term use of National Guard troops to supplement the armed forces in assignments overseas?
Yes h) Should the United States expand its missile defense shield?
I support the use of water boarding as one of many methods of intelligence extraction on known or suspected terrorists.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.

No a) Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
Yes b) Do you support a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman?
Undecided c) Do you support federal funding for research on existing embryonic stem cell lines?
No d) Do you support federal funding to create lines of stem cells from new embryos?
No e) Should the federal government consider race and gender in government contracting decisions?
No f) Should the federal government continue affirmative action programs?
Undecided g) Should the federal government regulate internet gambling?
I support Adult stem cell research.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.

X a) Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts that they manage themselves.
b) Ensure the viability of Social Security by increasing the payroll tax.
c) Decrease benefits paid to retirees.
X d) Support proportional increases of Social Security benefits based on the cost of living index.
X e) Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
SSI benefits should not be given to immigrants who have not paid into the system.

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare and poverty.

X a) Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
X b) Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
c) Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
X d) Abolish all federal welfare programs.
If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, if you teach him how to fish, you will feed him for a life time. No welfare for illiegal immigrants or their children.
1- Abolish the current tax code in its entirety, and replace it with a flat tax of 10-15%. 2- Develop domestic supplies of energy 3- Institute medical savings accounts for all Americans

Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.

arrow_upward