Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Politics

Senate race: Key issues and votes

How the candidates stand on the issues and key votes while in office.

By TIMES STAFF
Published November 1, 2006

KEY ISSUES:

IMMIGRATION
Harris: Supports more enforcement and creating a temporary identification system for immigrant workers. Opposes path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.
Nelson: Supports increasing border security as well as providing a path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants, provided they learn English, stay employed and don’t commit crimes.

ABORTION
Harris: Opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest and when a woman’s life is at risk.
Nelson: Generally supports abortion rights. Voted against a ban partial birth abortion that made no exceptions for the health of the woman. Voted for a ban that included exceptions for the life, health of the woman.

IRAQ:
Harris: Supports staying in Iraq until nation is stable, with no set departure date.
Nelson: Supports staying in Iraq until nation is stable, with no set departure date. Has voted to require presidential progress reports on troop withdrawal.

OFF-SHORE DRILLING:
Harris: Supports allowing states to decide whether to drill and wants a buffer of at least 125 miles off Florida coast.
Nelson: Voted for a Senate bill allowing oil and gas drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico in exchange for a 125-mile buffer for the Florida Panhandle and a 234-mile buffer for Tampa Bay, as well as maintaining a federal ban on drilling off the East Coast.

STEM CELL RESEARCH:
Harris: Voted against lifting restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
Nelson: Voted to lift restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

INSURANCE:
Harris: Supports a national catastrophe fund, funded by insurers, to help insurance companies cover major disasters. Also backs tax-exempt, personal savings accounts for disaster expenses.
Nelson: Supports a national catastrophe fund, funded by insurers, to help insurance companies pay for major disasters. Also backs tax-exempt, personal savings accounts for disaster expenses.

Source: Campaigns, Times research

KEY VOTES

Create military tribunals for trying suspected terrorists.
Nelson: Yes
Harris: Yes

Amend the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage
Nelson: No
Harris: Yes

Amend the Constitution to ban desecrating the flag
Nelson: Yes
Harris: Yes

Allow oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Nelson: No
Harris: Yes

Pass the Central American Free Trade Agreement
Nelson: Yes
Harris: Yes

Cut corporate taxes by $137-billion over 10 years
Nelson: Yes
Harris: Yes

Create the Medicare prescription drug benefit
Nelson: No
Harris: Yes

Source: Library of Congress, Congressional Quarterly, Almanac of American Politics, Project Vote Smart.

[Last modified November 1, 2006, 12:03:00]