Candidates for United States Senate

Candidates for United States Senate

Six-Year Term

Linda E. McMahon (Republican, Independent)

No Response

Christopher S. Murphy (Democratic, Working Families)

Economy: I have announced a jobs plan that centers around five key points. First, we must reform the tax code for individuals and businesses to encourage growth and to get rid of loopholes that put small businesses at a disadvantage. Second, we should promote and strengthen American manufacturing. It’s clear that our nation is stronger when we make things here in the US. Third, we need to reinvest in our transportation infrastructure. Rebuilding our roads and rails will yield enormous long-term benefits while also putting Americans back to work. Fourth, we need to make education a top priority. While we won’t be the cheapest place to build things, we can be the smartest with sound investments in our educational system. Lastly, we need to lead the way in renewable energy. Renewable energy is the next big global industry, and we must work now to ensure those jobs are in the U.S.

Campaign Finance Reform: I strongly believe that Citizens United is one of the worst Supreme Court decision in my lifetime. Special interest groups and billionaires are making a mockery out of our democracy by secretively funneling hundreds of millions of dollars to shadowy groups who then blanket the airwaves without any accountability. I am fighting to restore sanity in our elections by supporting several measures. First, I am a proud supporter of the DISCLOSE Act, which would expand disclosure requirements on outside groups and corporations and bring much needed transparency to campaign advertisements. Second, I have been a longtime champion of public financing federal elections, which would mirror our system in Connecticut. Lastly, I am supporting two constitutional amendments that would reverse Citizens United. One would clarify that constitutional rights are reserved for individuals – not corporations, and the second provides Congress the clear authority to regulate and limit campaign spending.

Environment: No. While we need to do a better job of ensuring the safety of spent fuel pools at reactors, we won't ever be able to fully address the issue until we find a permanent storage site for all of our nation's nuclear waste. The President’s Blue Ribbon Commission on nuclear waste has developed a worthwhile “consent-based” framework to find an American community that’s willing to help us store our nuclear waste over the long-term. I’m hopeful that we can finally break the partisan stalemate over this issue, and do the right thing when it comes to protecting our families, our homes, and our environment – for good.

Gun Laws: We need to do everything we can to make sure that guns don’t get into the hands of those who would pose a danger to public safety. Fortunately, as a “May-permit” state, Connecticut’s gun laws are some of the strongest in the country in ensuring that guns don’t get into the wrong hands. That’s why I voted against the Republicans’ National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011, which would require states to recognize one another's concealed weapons permits. This would have  eviscerated Connecticut’s law and led to a race to the bottom among states. In 2010, I also cosponsored the bipartisan Gun Show Loophole Closing Act, which would close the loophole that allows people to buy guns at gun shows in most states without passing a Brady criminal background check. We must work together to safeguard Second Amendment rights while also protecting public safety.

Paul Passarelli (Libertarian)

No Response.