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Ron DeSantis

Representative Ron DeSantis's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Ron DeSantis
Full Name: Ron DeSantis
Office: U.S. House (FL) - District 6, Republican
First Elected: 11/06/2012
Next Election: 2014
Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Casey
Birth Place: Jacksonville, FL
Home City: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Project Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.
Ron DeSantis refused to tell citizens where he stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2012 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.

What is the Political Courage Test?

Issue Positions

In response to the increasing unwillingness of candidates to answer issue questions, Project Vote Smart has researched Presidential and Congressional candidates' public ecords to determine candidates' likely responses on certain key issues. These issue positions, from the year 2012, are provided below as a courtesy to voters.

Pro-life Inferred Answer Abortion: Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Ron DeSantis. A Proven Leader We Can Trust. 2 October 2012. "Ron DeSantis is a Reagan conservative who will stand for limited government principles and traditional values. Ron represents a new generation of conservative leadership “ he is pro-life, strong on marriage issues and is committed to bold reforms. He will be a leader in Congress and will be an articulate defender of the Constitution." Phyllis Schlafly" (voteron2012.com)
  • Ron DeSantis. Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops: 2012 Candidate Questionnaire Project. Responded "SUPPORT" to the question: "Prohibiting the use of federal funds to pay for or provide insurance coverage for elective abortions?" (www.flaccb.org)
  • Eagle Forum. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Endorsements. 04/18/2012. Eagle Forum endorsed Ron DeSantis in the 2012 general election. (votesmart.org)
Unknown Position Unknown Answer Afghanistan: Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Despite exhaustive research, Project Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
No Inferred Answer Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Ron DeSantis. A Message From Ron. "If I'm elected to Congress, I will fight the prevailing culture of Washington and will work to restore limited government principles by, among other things: [¦] Rebuilding our military and defending American sovereignty." (voteron2012.com)
  • Ron DeSantis. Issue Position: National Security. 1 January 2012. "As a candidate for Congress, Ron will campaign on limited government principles, free market economics and a strong national defense." (votesmart.org)
No Inferred Answer Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Ron DeSantis signed Americans for Tax Reform: Taxpayer Protection Pledge. 14 August 2012. "I, Ron DeSantis, pledge to the taxpayers of the 6th district of the state of Florida and to the American people that I will: ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rate for individuals and business; and TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates." (www.atr.org)
No Inferred Answer Economy: Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Ron DeSantis. Issue Position: Economy. 1 January 2012. "Ron knows that we can start growing our economy if we stop growing government." (votesmart.org)
  • Ron DeSantis. A Message From Ron. "If I'm elected to Congress, I will fight the prevailing culture of Washington and will work to restore limited government principles by, among other things: [¦] Balancing the budget with spending cuts." (voteron2012.com)
Unknown Position Unknown Answer Economy: Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Despite exhaustive research, Project Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
No Inferred Answer Education: Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Ron DeSantis. Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops: 2012 Candidate Questionnaire Project. Responded "OPPOSE. I oppose the imposition of federal standards on local schools contained in this bill." to the question: "Reauthorizing the current provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to ensure that all public and nonpublic schoolchildren receive equitable services?" (www.flaccb.org)
  • Kenric Ward. Sunshine State News: Ron DeSantis: Lighting a Fire Under Congress From CD 6. 9 April 2012. "On education, DeSantis said, "We should at least repeal No Child Left Behind and Obama's Race to the Top."" (www.sunshinestatenews.com)
  • Ron DeSantis. Navy Veteran, Author, Candidate for Florida 6th Congressional District: No Federal Role for Education. 27 April 2012. "Mr. DeSantis believes that the Department of Education should be shut down because it is another example of regulatory overreach. He also believes that the Constitution does not enumerate any Federal role in education. He cautions that Congress must be careful not to close down the Department of Education, while allowing the functions to be transferred to another agency. He wants to return decisions and standards to the local level. He believes that the Federal government tends to like one-size-fits-all standards like "No Child Left Behind." I asked him if these functions should be terminated en bloc or one at a time. Mr. Desantis feels that terminating the Department of Education's functions should be one at a time to get a clear, clean vote." (education-curriculum-reform-government-schools.org)
Unknown Position Unknown Answer Energy: Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Despite exhaustive research, Project Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
Unknown Position Unknown Answer Environment: Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Kenric Ward. Sunshine State News: Ron DeSantis: Lighting a Fire Under Congress From CD 6. 9 April 2012. "And blasting the EPA for "running roughshod with fines and fiats," he believes "all regulations should be sunsetted, which would force Congress to reauthorize them. Let some of these regulations go the way of the buffalo."" (www.sunshinestatenews.com)
No Inferred Answer Guns: Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Marcia Lane. The St. Augustine Record: Candidates agree on most issues at forum. 31 July 2012. "Candidates for the newly drawn Sixth Congressional District worked to stand out during Monday's League of Women Voters forum but found themselves agreeing on a number of issues." [¦] "All agreed on tax cuts. All stood firm on no changes in gun control, including not banning 100-round drum style cartridges such as those used in the shootings at a Colorado movie theater." (staugustine.com)
Yes Inferred Answer Health Care: Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Ron DeSantis signed Independent Women's Voice: ObamaCare Repeal Pledge. "I pledge, if elected, to vote for all bills which seek to REPEAL the health care bill, HR 3590, signed into law on March 23, 2010.* To that end, I would now and will in the next Congress endorse and vote for all measures, including discharge petitions, leading to its defunding, deauthorization, and repeal. I shall do so whether those measures are taken for the whole of the bill or those component parts that impose mandates, restrict patient and doctor choice and access, violate individual freedom and privacy, reduce healthy competition, increase costs, or raise taxes. *The healthcare bill is defined as consisting of: 1) The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590), signed into law on March 23, 2010; and 2) The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (H.R. 4872), signed into law on March 30, 2010." (votesmart.org)
Yes Inferred Answer Immigration: Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Matt Dixon. PolitiJax: "America's toughest sheriff" backs Ron DeSantis. 2 August 2012. "I am pleased to be endorsed by Sheriff Joe Arpaio," DeSantis said. "Like Sheriff Joe, I believe that illegal immigration is a major problem that undermines the rule of law. We must enforce the laws we have on the books, secure our borders and deny special benefits to illegal immigrants such as in-state tuition rates. This approach is best for American citizens and is fair to those who have taken the time and effort to go through the legal immigration process." (jacksonville.com)
  • Ron DeSantis. Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops: 2012 Candidate Questionnaire Project. Responded "OPPOSE. I do not support citizenship for people who come to this country in violation of our laws, as I feel this is unfair to those who go through the painstakingly slow legal immigration process." to the question: "Legislation that ensures the integrity of our borders, fosters family reunification and provides a path to citizenship for the undocumented who have lived in the United States for a number of years, and do not have (www.flaccb.org)
No Inferred Answer Marriage: Do you support same-sex marriage? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Eagle Forum. Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Endorsements. 04/18/2012. Eagle Forum endorsed Ron DeSantis in the 2012 general election. (votesmart.org)
  • Ron DeSantis. Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops: 2012 Candidate Questionnaire Project. Responded "SUPPORT" to the question: "Defining marriage as the exclusive union of one man and one woman?" (www.flaccb.org)
Unknown Position Unknown Answer National Security: Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Despite exhaustive research, Project Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.
Unknown Position Unknown Answer Social Security: Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts? View Citations

Vote Smart's Research

  • Despite exhaustive research, Project Vote Smart was unable to find information about this candidate's position.

Key

Candidate Answer

Official Position: Candidate had the Political Courage to address this issue directly.

Inferred Answer

Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue directly, but Project Vote Smart inferred this issue position based on the candidate's public statements, voting record, and evaluations from special interest groups.

Unknown Answer

Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue.

Project Vote Smart's Research: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position.

Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as the candidate has submitted it. Project Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.

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