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Lee Murphy'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.

Lee Murphy did not provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2022 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 2022.

  • "I fully support Social Security and Medicare, but through a growing economy and improvements to the administration of these programs, not through increasing taxes and increasing the national debt." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? "Yes" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Despite exhaustive research, Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
  • "The Defense Department should be held accountable for every dime spent. Increased spending should be fully justified as required for national security and only after getting rid of waste, fraud and duplication." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The United States must commit to a strong national defense to ensure that our interests at home and abroad are protected." (gomurph.com)
  • "This is a complicated question. Much federal spending hinders rather than promotes growth. It is the private economy that creates economic growth and wealth, and enables the very tax revenues that government then spends. The government must support those goods and services that are necessary for our country's survival, like national defense, border security, FEMA, infrastructure, and a system of laws. To the extent that states forced the shutdown of business, I support financial relief to businesses and workers impacted by COVID-19." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "This is a complicated question. Much federal spending hinders rather than promotes growth. It is the private economy that creates economic growth and wealth, and enables the very tax revenues that government then spends. The government must support those goods and services that are necessary for our country's survival, like national defense, border security, FEMA, infrastructure, and a system of laws. To the extent that states forced the shutdown of business, I support financial relief to businesses and workers impacted by COVID-19." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The Biden Administration ignored signs of inflation growth because they knew it was bad politics. The Fed was asleep at the wheel and acted too slowly and too late. Now we are experiencing inflation not seen in two generations. And the Democrats' response is to spend even more when spending is helping drive inflation. We need to make smart, responsible spending decisions that will cut regulations, encourage economic growth, and be responsive to hard-working Delaware families." (gomurph.com)
  • 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.
  • "Federal regulations for reducing emissions aren't needed. The U.S. is the world leader in emission reduction (12% since 2005, twice that of other developed countries), resulting from a combination of state mandates and market forces (e.g., switching to natural gas for electric generation). State mandates for wind and solar power helped kickstart a cost-competitive energy transition but, according to Wood Mackenzie, only 11% of the 2018 activity was mandate-driven; the rest was market-driven. The US Department of Energy needs to continue its major role in funding research on new, cost-effective energy sources and on carbon capture and storage technology." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Federal regulations for reducing emissions aren't needed. The U.S. is the world leader in emission reduction (12% since 2005, twice that of other developed countries), resulting from a combination of state mandates and market forces (e.g., switching to natural gas for electric generation). State mandates for wind and solar power helped kickstart a cost-competitive energy transition but, according to Wood Mackenzie, only 11% of the 2018 activity was mandate-driven; the rest was market-driven. The US Department of Energy needs to continue its major role in funding research on new, cost-effective energy sources and on carbon capture and storage technology." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "I fully support the Second Amendment and the U.S. Constitution. Our nation's citizens should not have their Constitutional right to protect themselves and their families infringed upon. Instead, we should address the root causes of violence and crime in our communities." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Do you generally support gun-control legislation? "No" (justfacts.votesmart.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.
  • "Congress has shirked their responsibility to find a permanent solution to our nation’s Border Crisis. I will support Customs and Border Patrol and ICE in their efforts to protect our sovereignty. I will support legislation that addresses the visa, permanent resident, and citizenship issues of those who wish to pledge allegiance to our nation legally. We must stop politicizing this national crisis." (gomurph.com)
  • "Congress has shirked their responsibility to find a permanent solution to our nation's Border Crisis. I will support Customs and Border Patrol and ICE in their efforts to protect our sovereignty. I will support legislation that addresses the visa, permanent resident, and citizenship issues of those who wish to pledge allegiance to our nation legally. We must stop politicizing this national crisis." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "People who are here illegally should have a pathway to citizenship once they pay the penalty for breaking the law, as any U.S. citizen would have to do. That penalty may or may not include returning to their country of origin, depending on the case. Under no circumstances should illegal immigrants be put ahead of any legal immigrant or U.S. citizen." (justfacts.votesmart.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.
  • "After a generation of operating under NAFTA, a bad trade deal NAFTA, the President is about to sign the USMCA , a great deal for the United States and its workers for years to come. Thank you Mr. President and your team of "America first" negotiators!" (twitter.com)
  • "But trade must be fair and beneficial to the US. An example of an unfair trade deal was NAFTA. Countries that insist on unfair trade with the US should expect to have tariffs and other measures imposed on them to ensure our economic prosperity." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
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-life Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
No In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
No Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
I fully support Social Security and Medicare, but through a growing economy and improvements to the administration of these programs, not through increasing taxes and increasing the national debt.
Yes Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
Unknown Position Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
Yes Do you support increasing defense spending?
The Defense Department should be held accountable for every dime spent. Increased spending should be fully justified as required for national security and only after getting rid of waste, fraud and duplication.
No 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?
Yes Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
This is a complicated question. Much federal spending hinders rather than promotes growth. It is the private economy that creates economic growth and wealth, and enables the very tax revenues that government then spends. The government must support those goods and services that are necessary for our country's survival, like national defense, border security, FEMA, infrastructure, and a system of laws. To the extent that states forced the shutdown of business, I support financial relief to businesses and workers impacted by COVID-19.
No Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
I have been a school teacher so I understand this issue. Local and state governments, in conjunction with schools, teachers and parents, should set their own standards for education. The further removed the decisions are from the local community, the more bureaucratic, politicized and ineffective they become. Common Core is but one example of misguided and wasteful federal education standards. Teachers should be allowed to do what they do best: inspire and teach, not fill out endless paperwork. Families should be allowed to decide where their children go to school through School Choice.
Yes Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
No Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
Federal regulations for reducing emissions aren't needed. The U.S. is the world leader in emission reduction (12% since 2005, twice that of other developed countries), resulting from a combination of state mandates and market forces (e.g., switching to natural gas for electric generation). State mandates for wind and solar power helped kickstart a cost-competitive energy transition but, according to Wood Mackenzie, only 11% of the 2018 activity was mandate-driven; the rest was market-driven. The US Department of Energy needs to continue its major role in funding research on new, cost-effective energy sources and on carbon capture and storage technology.
No Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
Yes Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
No Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
If the state exacerbates the economic impact of the public health crisis through such measures as massive shutdowns, then the state has to make workers whole, not the business.
Yes 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?
People who are here illegally should have a pathway to citizenship once they pay the penalty for breaking the law, as any U.S. citizen would have to do. That penalty may or may not include returning to their country of origin, depending on the case. Under no circumstances should illegal immigrants be put ahead of any legal immigrant or U.S. citizen.
Yes Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
Yes Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
Yes Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
But trade must be fair and beneficial to the US. An example of an unfair trade deal was NAFTA. Countries that insist on unfair trade with the US should expect to have tariffs and other measures imposed on them to ensure our economic prosperity.
None of these require additional funding if we have a strong economy: 1. Using the $6 billion allocated to fight the drug/opioid crisis in a two-pronged approach: prevention and long-term care for those ready to get treatment. 2. Incentivize manufacturing to leave China, where it poses a national security threat, and return to the US for the benefit of US workers, the economy and the tax base. 3. Support and defend the Constitution, particularly the Second Amendment.

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