As the leading organization for women’s civic education and engagement, All In Together believes it is crucial for women to understand how their votes will impact their lives. To help everyone make an educated choice about their votes in the primary election, the AIT team put together this briefing on where each of the Republican primary candidates stands on key issues for women including abortion, paid leave, childcare, guns, and LGBTQIA+ rights. Not all candidates are included in this initial rollout – we have included all 7 candidates who have qualified for the Republican Debate as well as a few other notable candidates.
The Debate Qualifiers
Doug Burgum
Doug Burgum is the current governor of North Dakota, serving since 2016. Prior to his political career, he was a business executive in the software sector.
- Abortion: North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum signed legislation banning abortion at six weeks of pregnancy. The law has few exceptions. Abortions for medical emergencies are allowed at any stage of pregnancy, but after six weeks, rape and incest victims cannot receive abortions.[1]
- Paid Leave: In February 2023, under Gov. Doug Burgum, the North Dakota state House of Representatives rejected House Bill 1460, which would have established a paid family leave program administered by the state and funded mostly by employers and their workers.[2]
- Childcare: In January 2023, Burgum signed House Bill 1540, which provides nearly $66 million to support childcare services.[3] The package will increase access, affordability, and quality to child care services for North Dakotans in an effort to support low income families.
- Equal Pay: Gov. Burgum proclaimed April 2nd as Equal Pay Day for the state of North Dakota.[4] North Dakota state statute §34-06-1 holds that an employer may not discriminate between employees in the same establishment on the basis of gender, by paying wages to any employee in any occupation in this state at a rate less than the rate at which the employer pays any employee of the opposite gender for comparable work on jobs that have comparable requirements relating to skill, effort, and responsibility.[5]
- Gun Control: On April 26, 2021, Gov. Doug Burgum declared North Dakota a “2nd Amendment Sanctuary State.” With this proclamation, Burgum signed HB 1383, a bill prohibiting state agencies from enforcing federal gun laws that infringe on the Second Amendment; HB 1450, a bill allowing more North Dakotan to qualify for a Class 1 Concealed Carry license; and HB 1293, a bill expanding constitutional carry and hunting rights.[6]
- LGBTQ+ Issues: In 2023, Burgum signed legislation blocking transgender women and girls from competing in sports consistent with their gender identity,[7] and vetoed a law preventing educators from calling transgender students by their preferred pronouns.[8]
Chris Christie
Chris Christie served as the governor of New Jersey from 2010 – 2018. He also ran for President in the 2016 primaries. Prior to being governor he served as a Federal Prosecutor and county Legislator.
- Abortion: As Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie vetoed $7.5 million in state funding for Planned Parenthood and other family planning clinics. Following this decision, Christie vocally opposed abortion in his 2016 presidential campaign.
- However, Christie has not voiced support for a federal abortion ban, remarking that “the states should make the decisions,” and supports abortion in the instances of rape, incest, and survival of the mother.[9]
- However, Christie has not voiced support for a federal abortion ban, remarking that “the states should make the decisions,” and supports abortion in the instances of rape, incest, and survival of the mother.[9]
- Paid Leave: In 2017, Gov. Chris Christie conditionally vetoed a paid family leave law that would have doubled the amount of time state workers can take off to care for a newborn, a newly adopted child or a sick family member from six to twelve weeks.
- Christie conditionally vetoed the proposed bill on the grounds that it would increase taxes on New Jersey residents.[10]
- Christie conditionally vetoed the proposed bill on the grounds that it would increase taxes on New Jersey residents.[10]
- Childcare: Chris Christie has a mixed record on childcare policy. Although Christie’s 2011 budget slashed funding for government subsidized day care centers and preschool programs by $30 million,[11] in response to the damage of superstorm Sandy in 2013 $2.5 million was allocated to the Social Services Block Grant.
- These funds provided subsidies to families whose child care was disrupted as a result of damage or displacement, in addition to storm-related building renovation and replacement of supplies for childcare centers.[12]
- In 2017, Christie appropriated $15 million for the Child Care Subsidy Program to help pay child care expenses for families that meet an income standard, are working, are in training, or in school.[13]
- Equal Pay: In 2016, Gov. Christie vetoed Equal Pay Bill Senate Bill 992, which intended to eliminate unequal pay among sexes for jobs that are “substantially similar” in terms of skill, effort and responsibility. Christie expressed he vetoed the bill because it was “nonsensical” and made “New Jersey very business unfriendly.” While Christie “support[s] an explicit prohibition on wage discrimination on the basis of gender,” he argued that the elimination of an intensive fact-based evaluation of the workplace to identify unlawful wage discrimination “is wrong.”[14]
- Gun Control: In his run for state legislature in 1995, Christie supported a ban on assault weapons; in 2009, following his election as Governor, Christie banned .50 caliber weapons.
- However, Christie’s position on gun policy took a rightward shift in 2013: Christie reversed his ban on .50 caliber rifles, and in 2014 struck down bills that would have banned high-capacity magazines.
- Christie’s support of gun freedoms culminated in 2015 in the lead up to his first presidential campaign with Executive Order No. 180, which created a commission on New Jersey’s process for issuing gun permits.[15]
- To combat the rise of mass shootings in the United States, Christie asserts that “We must focus on the mental health crisis in this country.”[16]
- LGBTQ+ Issues: Chris Christie’s policy record for LGBTQIA+ rights has shifted over his political career.
- In 2015, Christie vetoed a bill that intended to enable transgender people to change the marker on their birth certificates.
- In 2017, Christie established protections for transgender youth by passing legislation that directed schools to let students use bathrooms and locker rooms based on their gender identity or provide “reasonable alternative arrangements,” and, additionally, prohibited health insurers from discriminating against transgender residents.[17]
- However, Christie opposes same sex marriage. In 2012, Christie vetoed a bill allowing same-sex marriage,[18] and following Oberge v. Hodge in 2015, continued to vocalize his disapproval for gay marriage.[19]
Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis is the current governor of Florida, elected for the first time in 2018. Prior to that he was a Congressman, U.S. Attorney, and Naval Officer.
- Abortion: Two months prior to the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022, Governor DeSantis signed HB 5, the Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality Act to prohibit all abortions in Florida after 15 weeks of gestation.
- One year later, in April 2023, DeSantis increased abortion restrictions by signing SB 300, the Heartbeat Protection Act. This act prohibits abortion once an unborn child has a heartbeat, usually around five to six weeks of pregnancy. [20]
- One year later, in April 2023, DeSantis increased abortion restrictions by signing SB 300, the Heartbeat Protection Act. This act prohibits abortion once an unborn child has a heartbeat, usually around five to six weeks of pregnancy. [20]
- Paid Leave: Under Governor DeSantis, the Federal Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) remains intact. Employees with at least twelve months accrued with the state are entitled to up to 12 weeks of paid leave in any 12 month period, and up to 26 weeks to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness.[21]
- Childcare: Governor DeSantis’s 2023-2024 Framework for Freedom Budget seeks to provide childcare to Floridians via tax exemptions and generalized funding. The budget features permanent sales tax exemptions for baby and toddler necessities, cribs and strollers, and nearly $143 million directed to enhancing services for pregnant and postpartum women and children.
- Furthermore, the budget includes 1.6 billion of funding for early childhood education, including more than $451 million for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten.[22]
- However, it should be noted that DeSantis’s Parental Rights in Education Act is restricting the content that can be discussed within said programs.
- However, it should be noted that DeSantis’s Parental Rights in Education Act is restricting the content that can be discussed within said programs.
- Furthermore, the budget includes 1.6 billion of funding for early childhood education, including more than $451 million for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten.[22]
- Equal Pay: Ron DeSantis has made no explicit effort to resolve the gender wage gap in Florida: the National Partnership for Women and Families reports that the annual gender wage gap in Florida is $9,420.[23]
- However, in the 2023-2024 Framework for Freedom Budget, DeSantis allocates $1 billion, an increase of $200 million, in funding to provide salary increases for new and veteran teachers.[24] Because only 23.7% of public school teachers in the United States are male (NEA),[25] this funding will increase the salaries of Florida’s female educators.[26]
- However, in the 2023-2024 Framework for Freedom Budget, DeSantis allocates $1 billion, an increase of $200 million, in funding to provide salary increases for new and veteran teachers.[24] Because only 23.7% of public school teachers in the United States are male (NEA),[25] this funding will increase the salaries of Florida’s female educators.[26]
- Gun Control: In April 2023, Gov. Ron DeSantis passed a measure allowing Florida residents to carry concealed guns without a state permit. Additionally, DeSantis’ commitment to second amendment rights lowered the statewide age requirement to purchase rifles and shotguns. Florida is currently ranked 3rd in the United States for the greatest amount of mass shootings, at 147.[27]
- LGBTQ + Issues: Governor DeSantis’s Parental Rights in Education Act, colloquially known as the “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through 3rd grade.
- Prior to this bill, DeSantis signed the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act ” to preserve “fair opportunities” for female athletes by restricting athletes with a male biological sex listed on their official birth certificate from playing on women’s sports teams.
- Prior to this bill, DeSantis signed the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act ” to preserve “fair opportunities” for female athletes by restricting athletes with a male biological sex listed on their official birth certificate from playing on women’s sports teams.
Nikki Haley
Nikki Haley was the UN Ambassador to the United States during the Trump Administration and served as the governor of South Carolina from 2011-2017. Prior to that she was a state representative from South Carolina.
- Abortion: As Governor in 2016, Haley signed a law banning abortions in South Carolina after 20 weeks.
- However, in her presidential campaign, Haley dismissed the possibility of a federal abortion ban materializing. Despite her support of the reversal of Roe v. Wade, she believes that “no one has been honest” about how difficult a ban on a federal level would be to achieve.[28]
- While Haley does not support abortion, she created the Pay for Success project, which aims to improve health outcomes for mothers and children living in poverty. Pay for Success allocated $30 million of funds to reduce preterm births, decrease child hospitalization, improve healthy spacing between births, and increase the number of first-time mothers served in the lowest-income communities.[29]
- Paid Leave: No publicly stated opinion.
- Childcare: In 2011, Haley founded the Original Six Foundation, a free afterschool program that serves students in grades two through eight to provide a safe place to learn. The program has 210 teachers and so far, has reached over 1,903 students.[30]
- Equal Pay: Although Haley has not made any explicit comments on policy prescriptions towards equal pay, in her book, “Can’t is Not an Option,” Haley wrote that she refused to sign a pledge that committed to appointing women to high-level positions in her administration because she “didn’t want to appoint a woman because she was a woman.”[31]
- Gun Control: Haley opposes gun reform. As Governor, Haley signed a law allowing guns in bars and restaurants. Following the Nashville school shooting in March 2023, she called for schools to mitigate the risk of shootings through implementing metal detectors and one entrance.
- Most recently, on the presidential circuit, Haley opposed red flag laws, because she thinks the government would take “[guns] from people who rightfully deserve to have them.”[32]
- Most recently, on the presidential circuit, Haley opposed red flag laws, because she thinks the government would take “[guns] from people who rightfully deserve to have them.”[32]
- LGBTQ+ Issues: On June 4th, 2023 Haley tweeted that “the most important women’s rights issues of our times” is that “across the sporting world, the game is being rigged against women and in favor of biological men.”[33]
- Additionally, two days after announcing her presidential bid, Haley stated that DeSantis’s Parental Rights in Education Act “doesn’t go far enough” and suggested that decisions about sex education should be left up to parents.[34]
- These recent positions match the track record of Haley’s political career; she opposed marriage equality as both South Carolina state representative and governor.
Vivek Ramaswamy
Vivek Ramaswamy is an activist and entrepreneur in the biotech industry and asset management industries.
- Abortion: “Unapologetically pro-life,” Ramaswamy supports abortion only in the cases for life of the mother and the rape and incest of individuals under 18. In an interview with NewsMax, he noted “there should be real penalties and consequences for [getting an abortion] if you take that law seriously.”
- Paid Leave: No publicly stated position
- Childcare: Although Ramaswamy has no publicly stated position on child care, he intends to shut down the Department of Education. The Department of Education provides numerous grants and funding for states in the implementation of early childhood programs, specifically the support of low-cost childcare for qualifying families.[35]
- Equal Pay: No publicly stated opinon
- Gun Control: If elected, Ramaswamy promises to shut down the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in order to perform the function of background checks without creating a gun registry or shadow database. Further, Ramaswamy supports a national constitutional carry law that will allow Americans to carry their firearms across state borders.[36]
- LGBTQ+ Issues: Steadfast in his belief that there are two genders, Ramaswamy is coined the “CEO of anti-woke.”[37] Ramaswamy proposes eliminating Executive Order 11246 that “requires affirmative action and prohibits federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.”[38][39]
Tim Scott
Tim Scott is serving as the junior Senator from South Carolina. Prior to that he served as a Congressman and State Representative.
- Abortion: At an Axios News Shapers Event on May 31st, 2023, Tim Scott stated that, said if elected, his first objective “is to cultivate a culture that protects life.”[40]
- As senator, Scott supported the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, and the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.
- Additionally, Scott supports a federal abortion ban after 20 weeks of pregnancy and would sign such legislation into law if he became president.[41]
- Paid Leave: Sen. Scott serves on the Senate Finance Committee Paid Leave Working Group. On this committee Scott seeks to “enhance access to paid family leave” and engage in “dialogue on the federal government’s role in facilitating efforts to close access gaps.”[42]
- Child Care: Sen. Tim Scott reintroduced The Child Care for Working Families Act to the Senate floor alongside Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Patty Murray, and Representative Robert Scott in 2023.
- If passed, this act would make child care affordable for working families, improve the quality and supply of child care, support higher wages for child care workers, dramatically expand access to high quality pre-K, and support HeadStart programs.[43]
- If passed, this act would make child care affordable for working families, improve the quality and supply of child care, support higher wages for child care workers, dramatically expand access to high quality pre-K, and support HeadStart programs.[43]
- Equal Pay: In 2014, Sen. Scott, alongside other Senate Republicans, blocked the Paycheck Fairness Act, which attempted to close the pay gap between men and women in order to strengthen workplace protections for women.[44]
- Gun Control: Sen. Tim Scott believes that “Americans have a constitutional right to protect themselves and their families.” Therefore, alongside 44 other Senators, Scott introduced the Constitutional Conceal Carry Reciprocity Act to the Senate floor.
- If passed, this bill would allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state that allows concealed carry, while still abiding by that state’s laws.
- Further, Sen. Scott and GOP colleagues introduced the RESPONSE Act. Intended to reduce mass shootings and enhance community safety, the RESPONSE Act expands resources for mental health treatment, “bolsters school safety” by identifying students whose behavior indicates a threat of violence, and “giving new tools to law enforcement officers.”[45]
- LGBTQ+ Issues: Scott voted against both the Respect for Marriage Act and the Employment Nondiscrimination Act.
- Moreover, Scott proposed the Parental Rights Over the Education and Care of Their Kids Act (PROTECT), which, if passed, would cut federal funding from any elementary or middle school in the U.S. that allows students to change their pronouns or gender markers on school forms without permission from their parents, in addition to preventing young transgender students from using school facilities consistent with their gender identity if their use of those accommodations is not first approved by their parents.[46]
- Moreover, Scott proposed the Parental Rights Over the Education and Care of Their Kids Act (PROTECT), which, if passed, would cut federal funding from any elementary or middle school in the U.S. that allows students to change their pronouns or gender markers on school forms without permission from their parents, in addition to preventing young transgender students from using school facilities consistent with their gender identity if their use of those accommodations is not first approved by their parents.[46]
Donald Trump
Donald Trump was the 45th President of the United States. Prior to his election in 2016, he was a business owner and television personality.
- Abortion: During his presidential term, Donald Trump’s administration rolled back abortion rights. In 2019, the Trump Administration passed a “domestic gag rule” that prohibited providers receiving Title X funding from referring patients for abortion services or providing information or counseling related to abortion.
- Furthermore, the infrastructure for women’s health was dismantled by expanding religious and moral exemptions for employers, universities, and insurers opposed to providing contraceptive coverage and billing consumers separately for insurance premiums that cover abortion services under the Affordable Care Act.
- Furthermore, the infrastructure for women’s health was dismantled by expanding religious and moral exemptions for employers, universities, and insurers opposed to providing contraceptive coverage and billing consumers separately for insurance premiums that cover abortion services under the Affordable Care Act.
- Paid Leave: Donald Trump was the first Republican President to call for paid family leave. Under Trump’s expansion of FMLA, federal employees are eligible to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child after birth, adoption, or start of foster care. Previously, FMLA only guaranteed unpaid leave for new parents.
- However, those taking leave are denied the guarantee of the protection of their job.[47]
- However, those taking leave are denied the guarantee of the protection of their job.[47]
- Childcare: In 2020, the Center for American Progress reported that 80% of childcare providers in the United States will be forced to close permanently without additional federal funding.[48] The lack of childcare funding is a consequence of the White House and Congress’s inability to agree on a pandemic relief bill that allocated significant funds for childcare.
- While Congress approved a $2.4 billion increase for childcare services, the Trump administration proposed an increase of only $169 million—just 7 percent of the increase supported by Congress.[49]
- While Congress approved a $2.4 billion increase for childcare services, the Trump administration proposed an increase of only $169 million—just 7 percent of the increase supported by Congress.[49]
- Equal Pay: The Trump Administration repealed the Obama Administration’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission initiative that required companies with more than 100 employees, and federal contractors with more than 50, to categorize their employees by gender, race, type of work, and place them into one of 12 wage bands.
- Without wage data stratified along these categorical groups, it is more difficult for women and people of color to identify if they are being paid equally as their white male counterparts.[50]
- Without wage data stratified along these categorical groups, it is more difficult for women and people of color to identify if they are being paid equally as their white male counterparts.[50]
- Gun Control: At the 2023 National Rifle Association annual meeting, Donald Trump told his audience, “I was proud to be the most pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment president you’ve ever had in the White House.”[51]
- In office, Trump threatened to veto legislation requiring universal background checks and urged arming teachers or school personnel to deter mass shootings.[52]
- Trump supported the implementation of red flag laws, which gives family members, and in some cases police officers, the power to obtain a swift court order from a judge to confiscate firearms from someone deemed a danger to themselves or others.[53]
- LGBTQ+ Issues: Within hours of Trump’s swearing in, website pages on LGBTQ rights and recognition were removed from all government platforms.
- In office, Trump opposed The Equality Act, a bill passed by the House of Representatives that amended existing civil rights law to provide consistent and explicit non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people in key fields: employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces, public services, federally funded programs, and jury service.
- Additionally, Trump banned transgender service members from the military and claimed that school policies allowing trans youth to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity violated federal law.[54]
Other Notable Candidates
Asa Hutchinson
Asa Hutchinson was the Governor of Arkansas from 2015 – 2023. He previously served as a U.S. Attorney, Congressman, and a member of the George W. Bush Administration.
- Abortion: As Governor of Arkansas, Hutchinson signed a near total abortion ban into law in 2021. Passed prior to the Dobbs decision, this law did not include exceptions for rape and incest.
- If elected President, Hutchinson said he would sign a federal abortion ban, however, he “would advocate for the exceptions of the life of the mother and the cases of rape and incest.”[55]
- If elected President, Hutchinson said he would sign a federal abortion ban, however, he “would advocate for the exceptions of the life of the mother and the cases of rape and incest.”[55]
- Paid Leave: Throughout his political career, Hutchinson’s support for paid leave has varied.
- As a Congressmen, Hutchinson voted against H.R.3915 – Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2002; an act that sought to give 12 weeks of leave available to Federal employees following the birth, placement, or adoption of a child, with up to one-half of that time with pay.
- However, as Governor, Hutchinson signed a bill to provide for four weeks of paid maternity leave for state agency employees in 2017.[56]
- Childcare: In 2018, the state of Arkansas received $26 million in federal funds to expand the state’s child care assistance program. In a press release, Hutchinson stated that around 10% of the funds will be allocated for improving childcare in the state and infant/toddler initiatives; the rest of the remaining money will go to the Child Care Assistance Program.[57] This will allow for the DHS Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education to increase the number of children they serve by 70% and provide child care assistance for up to 3,800 additional children from low-income families.[58]
- Equal Pay: On February 17, 2022, Gov. Hutchinson signed an executive order forming the Arkansas Commission on the Status of Women to analyze the barriers to entry for women in the Arkansas workforce, with a specific focus on single mothers, women entrepreneurs, and the child care economy in the State. The committee launched its first report this past December.[59]
- Gun Control: Throughout his tenure as Governor, Hutchinson expanded second amendment freedoms for the state of Arkansas.
- In 2017, Hutchinson signed into law a bill allowing Arkansans with concealed-carry permits to take firearms on public college campuses and other public spaces, including the state Capitol if they complete eight hours of training.
- Continually, in March 2021, Hutchinson vetoed legislation that would prohibit local police from enforcing federal gun laws.[60]
- However, on his presidential campaign, Hutchinson expressed a willingness for “conversation” on raising the minimum age to purchase semiautomatic and AR-15 rifles from 18 to 21.[61]
- LGBTQ+ Issues: Gov. Hutchinson signed bills that banned transgender women athletes from participating on women’s sports teams and prohibited physicians from providing gender-affirming treatment for trans people under the age 18.[62]
- In addition to these policies, Hutchinson restricted conversation on sexual identity and orientation within state agencies via a law prohibiting state agencies from teaching employees, contractors, or others to believe “divisive concepts;” defined as anything that is fundamentally racist or sexist.
- In addition to these policies, Hutchinson restricted conversation on sexual identity and orientation within state agencies via a law prohibiting state agencies from teaching employees, contractors, or others to believe “divisive concepts;” defined as anything that is fundamentally racist or sexist.
Mike Pence
Mike Pence was the 45th Vice President of the United States. Prior to serving as Vice President he was the Governor of Indiana and a member of Congress
- Abortion: In addition to backing the Trump Administration’s restrictive abortion policies as Vice President, Mike Pence is centering his own platform around eliminating abortion access and reproductive freedoms.
- In an interview in April 2023, Pence stated that “defending the unborn first and foremost is more important than politics.”[63]
- He is critical of the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, an abortion pill, and at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition proposed a federal ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy as an idea “that ought to be a part and parcel of debate.”[64]
- Paid Leave: During his time in Congress, Pence voted against House Democrats proposals for a national paid leave law in both 2008 and 2009.[65]
- Childcare: Prior to his position of Vice President in the Trump Administration, as Governor of Indiana, Pence centered his agenda around implementing a pre-K program for the state.
- Ultimately, his advocacy for early childhood education led to the creation of On My Way Pre-K in 2014, a program that serves low-income four-year-olds.
- However, Pence refused to submit an application for a federal education grant that could have brought up to $80 million to expand the program to serve up to 2,000 additional low-income children.[66]
- Gun Control: As a member of the House of Representatives, Pence co-sponsored the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act, which proposed authorizing “a person who is carrying a valid, government-issued identification document containing that person’s photograph and a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm in one state… to possess or carry a concealed handgun in another state in accordance with the restrictions of that state.”
- Pence’s position on gun control carried over to his policy as governor of Indiana where, in 2014, he signed a bill that allows individuals with a concealed carry permit to keep a gun in their car while in school parking lots.[67]
- However, in the run up to the 2024 presidential election, Mike Pence is moving farther right on gun control policy to distance himself from Donald Trump.
- Pence vocally opposes both red flag laws and banning bump stocks; policy measures Trump enacted while in office.
- Now, Pence centers his gun control policy on advocating for institutionalizing people with mental illness and instituting a federal death penalty that expedites the appeal process for mass shooters.[68]
- LGBTQ+ Issues: In 2015, Gov. Mike Pence signed Senate Bill 101: the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). This act holds that the government cannot infringe on a person’s ability to practice his or her religion unless the government can prove it has a compelling reason for doing so. In practice, this law allows for business owners to refuse services to the queer community on the grounds of “religious freedom.”[69]
- Prior to Senate Bill 101, as a House Representative, Pence voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which, if passed, would have banned discrimination against people based on sexual orientation, in addition to opposing the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
- Prior to Senate Bill 101, as a House Representative, Pence voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which, if passed, would have banned discrimination against people based on sexual orientation, in addition to opposing the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
[1]https://apnews.com/article/abortion-north-dakota-six-week-ban-2bccde2925d30dd4772aaed84f3c2d98
[2] https://www.kfyrtv.com/2023/02/03/nd-house-votes-down-paid-family-leave/
[3]https://www.governor.nd.gov/news/burgum-signs-66m-child-care-package-addressing-major-barrier-workforce-participation
[4]https://www.governor.nd.gov/sites/www/files/documents/proclamations/Equal-Pay-Day.pdf
[5]https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/68-2023/regular/documents/23-1130-08000.pdf
[6]https://www.governor.nd.gov/news/burgum-designates-north-dakota-second-amendment-sanctuary-state-signs-bills-protecting-gun
[7] https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/11/north-dakota-governor-trans-athlete-bans-00091558
[8] https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/03/veto-transgender-pronouns-north-dakota-schools-00090255
[9]https://www.semafor.com/article/04/18/2023/semafor-live-chris-christie-on-trump-abortion-laws-2024-election
[10]https://www.nj.com/politics/2017/07/christie_vetoes_paid_family_leave_expansion.html
[11]https://www.nj.com/news/2011/06/subsidized_childcare_centers_t.html
[12]https://dspace.njstatelib.org/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10929/44964/GovernorNewsroom20131122b.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
[13]https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/news/press/2017/approved/20171218.html
[14]https://riker.com/publications/governor-christie-conditionally-vetoes-equal-pay-bill/
[15]https://www.nj.com/politics/2017/03/how_christie_went_from_gun_control_advocate_to_opp.html
[16]https://nj1015.com/former-nj-gov-suggests-mental-health-not-guns-to-blame-for-latest-massacre/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
[17]https://www.businessinsider.com/chris-christie-signs-bill-giving-protections-to-transgender-citizens-2017-7
[18]https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/feb/18/chris-christie-veto-new-jersey-bill
[19]https://www.hrc.org/resources/2016republicanfacts-chris-christie
[20] www.hmsreview.org/issue-7/texas-heartbeat-bill
[21]https://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/work_and_life/additional_benefits/leaves_of_absence/family_and_medical_leave_act_fmla#:~:text=Up%20to%2012%20weeks%20of,a%20serious%20injury%20or%20illness.
[22] https://www.flgov.com/2023/02/01/governor-ron-desantis-announces-framework-for-freedom-budget/
[23] https://nationalpartnership.org/report/wage-gap/
[24] https://www.flgov.com/2023/02/01/governor-ron-desantis-announces-framework-for-freedom-budget/
[25]https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1048&context=cup_commons_grad_edd
[26]https://www.wmfe.org/economy/2023-03-14/economist-sean-snaith-says-education-continues-to-impact-wage-gap-in-florida
[27] https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/mass-shootings-by-state
[28] www.axios.com/2023/05/15/nikki-haley-federal-abortion-ban-pledge-not-honest.
[29]https://www.scdhhs.gov/press-release/gov-nikki-haley-announces-landmark-%E2%80%9Cpay-success%E2%80%9D-project-improve-maternal-and-child
[30]https://www.originalsixfoundation.org/afterschool
[31]https://www.passblue.com/2017/08/10/nikki-haleys-record-on-promoting-womens-rights-slim-to-nonexistent/
[32]https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2023/03/27/nikki-haley-husband-new-hampshire-nashville/11552954002/
[33]https://newrepublic.com/post/173232/nikki-haley-says-trans-kids-playing-sports-womens-issue-time
[34]https://www.nationalreview.com/news/nikki-haley-says-floridas-parental-rights-law-doesnt-go-far-enough/
[35] https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-vivek-ramaswamy-new-fbi-education/43878673
[36]https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-hopeful-vivek-ramaswamy-shut-down-atf-second-amendment-rights-nra-convention-speech
[37] https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/12/19/the-ceo-of-anti-woke-inc
[38] https://www.cfr.org/blog/meet-vivek-ramaswamy-republican-presidential-candidate
[39]https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vivek-ramaswamy-torches-target-ceos-woke-capitalism-comments-put-target-on-its-back
[40]https://apnews.com/article/tim-scott-republican-president-new-hampshire-abortion-fe4edf79d4a1aa0dc77b8625e8e14135
[41]https://apnews.com/article/tim-scott-republican-president-new-hampshire-abortion-fe4edf79d4a1aa0dc77b8625e8e14135
[42]https://www.finance.senate.gov/download/paid-leave-update
[43]https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-murray-scott-reintroduce-child-care-for-working-families-act-to-tackle-child-care-crisis-and-get-families-the-child-care-and-pre-k-they-need
[44]https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/10/us/politics/senate-republicans-block-bill-on-equal-pay.html
[45]https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-gop-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-help-prevent-mass-shootings
[46]https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/3653864-tim-scott-introduces-legislation-to-pull-funding-from-schools-with-transgender-support-policies/
[47] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/upshot/paid-leave-trump.html
[48] https://www.americanprogress.org/article/truth-president-trumps-track-record-child-care/
[49] https://www.americanprogress.org/article/truth-president-trumps-track-record-child-care/
[50]https://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2017/08/30/trump-halting-equal-pay-measure-a-blatant-attack-on-women-activists-say/?sh=da15425395b1
[51]https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-says-mass-shootings-arent-gun-problem-nra-convention-rcna79775
[52] https://www.factcheck.org/2019/08/trumps-mixed-record-on-gun-control/
[53]https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-quietly-abandons-proposing-ideas-to-curb-gun-violence-after-saying-he-would-following-mass-shootings/2019/10/31/8bca030c-fa6e-11e9-9534-e0dbcc9f5683_story.html
[54]https://www.hrc.org/news/the-list-of-trumps-unprecedented-steps-for-the-lgbtq-community
[55]https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/30/politics/asa-hutchinson-federal-abortion-ban-cnntv/index.html
[56]https://armoneyandpolitics.com/governor-asa-hutchinson-signs-maternity-leave-bill-law/
[57]https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/2018/05/18/governor-announces-26-million-in/12193931007/
[58]https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/divisions-shared-services/child-care-early-childhood-education/child-care-assistance/
[59]https://women.arkansas.gov/
[60]https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/apr/04/what-has-asa-hutchinson-as-arkansas-governor-for-8-years/
[61] https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/apr/04/what-has-asa-hutchinson-as-arkansas-governor-for-8-years/
[62]https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/breaking-arkansas-gov-asa-hutchinson-signs-anti-trans-sports-bill
[63]https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/3969138-pence-says-ending-abortion-more-important-than-politics/
[64]https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/23/pence-trump-abortion-2024-iowa/
[65] https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-pence-unpaid-leave_n_57d86264e4b0aa4b722d20e0
[66]https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/edcentral/mike-pences-mixed-record-early-education/
[67]https://ballotpedia.org/Mike_Pence_vice_presidential_campaign,_2016/Gun_control#:~:text=guns%20and%20firearms.-,Pence%20on%20laws%20governing%20guns%20and%20firearms,while%20in%20school%20parking%20lots
[68]https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/trump-pence-lapierre-gop-opposition-gun-control-at-nra-conference
[69]https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2018/04/25/rfra-indiana-why-law-signed-mike-pence-so-controversial/546411002/
