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David Holden's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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.

David Holden has failed to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2020 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

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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 2020.

  • "Abortion must be treated like healthcare, which means abolishing the Hyde Amendment and protecting funding for Planned Parenthood. We must rescind the arbitrary deadline for the ERA and ratify it now." (holdenforflorida.com)
  • "The Supreme Court has ruled that Louisiana's abortion law is unjust. This is a win for pro-choice people everywhere. Women and those who can have children have had their rights assailed for too long. We will not go back." (twitter.com)
  • Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? "Pro-choice." (votesmart.org)
  • "House Speaker Paul Ryan leaves a legacy of a tax system skewed toward the rich and trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see. The next Congress must begin the clean-up. Help me start the job." (twitter.com)
  • "Mitch McConnell and Francis Rooney blew a $2 trillion hole in the deficit and now they want to pay for it by cutting programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. You've worked and invested your whole life. You've earned a representative who will fight for you. Stand with me." (www.facebook.com)
  • In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? "Yes." (votesmart.org)
  • "This administration continues to attack social security and medicare–proposing to cut billions from these programs year after year. Hard working Americans pay into these programs over their entire lives and it’s a Representative’s duty to ensure your investment is secure. We cannot afford to increase the age for recipients of social security, and we cannot afford to raid medicare." (holdenforflorida.com)
  • "As pensions vanish and healthcare costs soar, seniors are taking on more financial risk than ever. This has to stop. When I get to Washington, you can count on me to protect and strengthen social security. #FL19." (twitter.com)
  • "Mitch McConnell and Francis Rooney blew a $2 trillion hole in the deficit and now they want to pay for it by cutting programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. You've worked and invested your whole life. You've earned a representative who will fight for you. Stand with me." (www.facebook.com)
  • "Underlying many of our most intractable problems is unregulated dark money flooding the political system." (votesmart.org)
  • Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? "Yes." (votesmart.org)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "In America, anyone who works 40 hours a week should be able to live a dignified life. That’s why I’m a proponent of a $15 dollar minimum wage–the absolute minimum wage that accounts for the stagnation in wages that has plagued American workers for the last 40 years. Wages need to increase with the price of inflation, and it’s the federal government’s job to ensure that." (holdenforflorida.com)
  • "It’s time to end this catastrophe. It’s time for leadership who will be proactive in safeguarding the lifeblood of south Florida’s economy — it’s pure water, clean air, and pristine beaches." (twitter.com)
  • Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? "Yes." (votesmart.org)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "In order to keep the backbone of America afloat, we must give people immediate cash payments, suspend evictions and utility shutoffs, and cancel student loan payments for the time being. A full stimulus package that focuses on people, not corporations, must be prioritized in the house. If a business receives a bailout, they must be barred from ever participating in stock buy-back practices and commit to a living wage for their employees in a fair timeline." (holdenforflorida.com)
  • "Protect the Department of Education from attempts to dismantle or abolish it." (votesmart.org)
  • Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards? "Yes." (votesmart.org)
  • "Acknowledge climate change as a fact and prepare for its effects. Insist all federal agencies plan for how they are going to deal with climate change." (votesmart.org)
  • "This is leadership. ‘Thankfully, we still have an opportunity to listen to experts and take strong action on climate change before the worst overwhelms our best intentions. And, if we do, we can not only prevent a crisis, but we can boost our economy and create millions of clean energy jobs here in America.’" (www.facebook.com)
  • Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)? "Yes." (votesmart.org)
  • "Restore American membership in the Paris Climate Agreement." (votesmart.org)
  • "Scott Pruitt's resignation as head of the EPA removes one opponent of environmental protections from power, but many still remain. We must remain vigilant and active—it's more important now than ever. #SWFL needs leaders who actually believe in climate science!" (twitter.com)
  • Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? "Yes." (votesmart.org)
  • Rated 0% by National Rifle Association. (votesmart.org)
  • "I support the Second Amendment and I support more strongly the right of our children to go to school without the fear of being shot to death in front of their friends and teachers." (votesmart.org)
  • "Support the 10-point program of the Parkland Students, which consists of: Funding gun violence research; Eliminating absurd restrictions on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Conducting universal background checks; Banning high-capacity magazines; Limiting firepower on the streets; Funding intervention programs; Issuing extreme risk protection orders; Disarming all domestic abusers; Stopping gun trafficking; Requiring safe storage and mandatory theft reporting." (votesmart.org)
  • Do you generally support gun-control legislation? "Yes." (votesmart.org)
  • "Our campaign believes in affordable healthcare for all and we believe that getting there requires we strengthen the ACA until we can ensure everyone has access to affordable, quality, and effective healthcare." (holdenforflorida.com)
  • Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")? "No." (votesmart.org)
  • "Federally mandated paid sick leave now #Covid_19." (twitter.com)
  • "Glad govt. shutdown is over for the moment but Dreamers must be protected and Trump's wall is a huge mistake." (twitter.com)
  • "Instead of a denouncement of this statement of white supremacy from a Trump supporter in the villages, the president thanks him. From "build a wall," to "good people on both sides,"Trump has courted racism since the inception of his candidacy. Shout it down this Nov." (twitter.com)
  • Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border? "No." (votesmart.org)
  • "Even the Supreme Court agrees: DACA should continue! I stand with the dreamers. DACA should be permanent." (twitter.com)
  • "Glad govt. shutdown is over for the moment but Dreamers must be protected and Trump's wall is a huge mistake." (twitter.com)
  • Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? "No." (votesmart.org)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "We need a clear strategy on our aims and goals in Middle East conflicts. We have none at this time. There are times when interventions beyond air support may be required." (votesmart.org)
  • "Advocate for sane, sensible trade policies that don't harm or penalize working Americans." (votesmart.org)
  • "Francis Rooney and Donald Trump's protectionist trade policies are driving up prices while driving out #SWFL tourists. Read my op-ed in today's @ndn. #ReplaceRooney #FL19." (twitter.com)
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.
Pro-choice Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
I fully support a woman's right to make her own health care decisions, just as I get to do.
Yes In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
Yes In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
Yes Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
Underlying many of our most intractable problems is unregulated dark money flooding the political system.
Yes Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Yes Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
There are times when corporate tax rates have been out of alignment, now is not such a time. I would support repeal of the latest round of corporate tax cuts and provide real tax relief to working Americans.
Yes Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
Yes Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
Yes Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
Yes Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
I strongly support the 2nd Amendment and also support the reduction of gun violence and the increase in gun safety. I have been named A distinguished candidate by Moms Demand Action.
No Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
In the richest country in the history of the world health care should be a right, not a privilege.
No Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
No Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
I support a rigorous and fair path to citizenship for law-abiding undocumented immigrants.
Yes Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
Yes Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
No Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
We need a clear strategy on our aims and goals in Middle East conflicts. We have none at this time. There are times when interventions beyond air support may be required.
First priority is to address the ongoing twin environmental crises of red tide and toxic algae bloom in Southwest Florida. Right next to that is providing access to affordable health care to all Americans.

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