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Special Interest Groups

Rating Group: American Civil Liberties Union

2001 Positions

State Office District Name Party Rating
HI Governor Neil Abercrombie Democratic 100%
Gary Ackerman 77%
AL U.S. House 4 Robert Aderholt Republican 11%
Daniel Akaka, Sr. 50%
Todd Akin 0%
Wayne Allard 25%
George Allen 25%
Thomas Allen 88%
NJ U.S. House 1 Rob Andrews Democratic 66%
Richard Armey 0%
Joe Baca, Sr. 66%
AL U.S. House 6 Spencer Bachus Republican 0%
Brian Baird 66%
Richard Hugh Baker 0%
John Baldacci 77%
WI U.S. Senate Jr Tammy Baldwin Democratic 100%
Cass Ballenger 0%
James Barcia 55%
Robert Barr, Jr. 0%
WI Mayor At-Large Tom Barrett Democratic 100%
Roscoe Bartlett 0%
TX U.S. House 6 Joe Barton Republican 0%
Charlie Bass 44%
MT U.S. Senate Sr Max Baucus Democratic 50%
Evan Bayh 50%
CA U.S. House 34 Xavier Becerra Democratic 88%
Bob Bennett 25%
Kenneth Bentsen, Jr. 77%
Douglas Bereuter 22%
Shelley Berkley 66%
Howard Berman 88%
Marion Berry 44%
NA Vice President Joe Biden, Jr. Democratic 50%
Judy Biggert 55%
Michael Bilirakis 0%
Jeff Bingaman 50%
GA U.S. House 2 Sanford Bishop, Jr. Democratic 75%
Rod Blagojevich 66%
OR U.S. House 3 Earl Blumenauer Democratic 100%
MO U.S. Senate Jr Roy Blunt Republican 11%
Sherwood Boehlert 55%
OH U.S. House 8 John Boehner Republican 0%
Kit Bond 50%
Henry Bonilla 0%
David Edward Bonior 88%
Mary Bono Mack 33%
AR U.S. Senate Jr John Boozman Republican 0%
Robert Borski, Jr. 66%
Leonard Boswell 77%
Rick Boucher 100%
CA U.S. Senate Jr Barbara Boxer Democratic 50%
Allen Boyd, Jr. 66%
TX U.S. House 8 Kevin Brady Republican 11%
PA U.S. House 1 Bob Brady Democratic 88%
John Breaux 50%
FL U.S. House 5 Corrine Brown Democratic 77%
Henry Brown, Jr. 11%
OH U.S. Senate Sr Sherrod Brown Democratic 88%
KS Governor Sam Brownback Republican 25%
Ed Bryant 0%
Jim Bunning 25%
Conrad Burns 50%
NC U.S. Senate Sr Richard Burr Republican 11%
Dan Burton 0%
Steve Buyer 0%
Robert Byrd 0%
Herbert Callahan 0%
CA U.S. House 42 Ken Calvert Republican 0%
MI U.S. House 4 Dave Camp Republican 11%
Ben Campbell 25%
Chris Cannon 0%
VA U.S. House 7 Eric Cantor Republican 0%
WA U.S. Senate Jr Maria Cantwell Democratic 50%
CA U.S. House 24 Lois Capps Democratic 75%
MA U.S. House 7 Mike Capuano Democratic 100%
MD U.S. Senate Jr Ben Cardin Democratic 88%
Jean Carnahan 25%
DE U.S. Senate Sr Tom Carper Democratic 25%
Brad Carson 77%
Julia Carson 88%
Mike Castle 44%
OH U.S. House 1 Steve Chabot Republican 0%
RI Governor Linc Chafee Independent 50%
GA U.S. Senate Sr Saxby Chambliss Republican 0%
MO U.S. House 1 Lacy Clay, Jr. Democratic 100%
Eva Clayton 100%
Joseph Maxwell Cleland 50%
Robert Clement 44%
Hillary Clinton 50%
SC U.S. House 6 Jim Clyburn Democratic 66%
NC U.S. House 6 Howard Coble Republican 0%
MS U.S. Senate Sr Thad Cochran Republican 0%
Michael Collins 11%
ME U.S. Senate Sr Susan Collins Republican 25%
Larry Combest 11%
Gary Condit 66%
Kent Conrad 25%
MI U.S. House 13 John Conyers, Jr. Democratic 100%
John Cooksey 0%
Jon Corzine 50%
Jerry Costello 44%
Christopher Cox 0%
William Coyne 100%
Larry Craig 25%
Robert Cramer 33%
Philip Crane 0%
ID U.S. Senate Sr Mike Crapo Republican 50%
FL U.S. House 4 Ander Crenshaw Republican 0%
NY U.S. House 14 Joe Crowley Democratic 55%
Barbara Cubin 0%
TX U.S. House 7 John Culberson Republican 0%
MD U.S. House 7 Elijah Cummings Democratic 88%
Randall Cunningham 0%
Thomas Daschle 50%
IL U.S. House 7 Danny Davis Democratic 100%
James Davis 66%
Jo Ann Davis 0%
CA U.S. House 53 Susan Davis Democratic 88%
Thomas Davis III 33%
MN Governor Mark Dayton Democratic/Farmer/Labor 50%
GA Governor Nathan Deal Republican 0%
OR U.S. House 4 Peter DeFazio Democratic 100%
CO U.S. House 1 Diana DeGette Democratic 100%
Bill Delahunt 85%
CT U.S. House 3 Rosa DeLauro Democratic 88%
Thomas DeLay 0%
James DeMint 0%
Peter Deutsch 66%
OH Attorney General Michael DeWine Republican 50%
Lincoln Diaz-Balart 0%
Norm Dicks 88%
MI U.S. House 12 John Dingell Democratic 88%
Chris Dodd 50%
TX U.S. House 35 Lloyd Doggett Democratic 88%
Pete Domenici, Jr. 0%
Calvin Dooley 75%
John Doolittle 0%
Byron Dorgan 25%
PA U.S. House 14 Mike Doyle, Jr. Democratic 55%
David Dreier 22%
TN U.S. House 2 John Duncan, Jr. Republican 0%
Jennifer Dunn 11%
IL U.S. Senate Sr Dick Durbin Democratic 50%
John Edwards 50%
Chet Edwards 77%
Vern Ehlers 22%
Bob Ehrlich, Jr. 12%
Jo Ann Emerson 22%
NY U.S. House 16 Eliot Engel Democratic 75%
Philip English 22%
John Ensign 25%
WY U.S. Senate Sr Mike Enzi Republican 50%
CA U.S. House 18 Anna Eshoo Democratic 88%
Bob Etheridge 77%
Lane Evans 87%
Terry Everett 0%
CA U.S. House 20 Sam Farr Democratic 100%
PA U.S. House 2 Chaka Fattah, Sr. Democratic 88%
Russ Feingold 75%
CA U.S. Senate Sr Dianne Feinstein Democratic 50%
Michael Ferguson 11%
CA Mayor At-Large Bob Filner Democratic 100%
Peter Fitzgerald 0%
AZ U.S. Senate Jr Jeff Flake Republican 33%
Ernest Fletcher 11%
Mark Foley 33%
VA U.S. House 4 Randy Forbes Republican 0%
Harold Ford, Jr. 77%
Vito Fossella, Jr. 0%
Barney Frank 100%
NJ U.S. House 11 Rodney Frelinghuysen Republican 33%
William Frist 25%
Jonas Frost III 66%
Elton Gallegly 11%
John Ganske 22%
George Gekas 11%
Richard Andrew Gephardt 75%
Jim Gibbons 0%
Wayne Gilchrest 44%
Paul Gillmor 11%
Benjamin Gilman 44%
Charlie Gonzalez 87%
Virgil Goode, Jr. 0%
VA U.S. House 6 Bob Goodlatte Republican 0%
Bart Gordon 55%
Porter Goss 0%
Daniel Graham 50%
SC U.S. Senate Sr Lindsey Graham Republican 0%
William Phillip Gramm 25%
TX U.S. House 12 Kay Granger Republican 12%
IA U.S. Senate Sr Chuck Grassley Republican 25%
MO U.S. House 6 Sam Graves Republican 22%
Mark Green 0%
TX U.S. House 29 Gene Green Democratic 66%
James Greenwood 55%
Judd Gregg 25%
Felix Grucci, Jr. 0%
IL U.S. House 4 Luis Gutierrez Democratic 77%
Gilbert Gutknecht 0%
NA U.S. Secretary of Defense Charles Hagel Republican 75%
TX U.S. House 4 Ralph Hall Republican 0%
Tony Hall 33%
James Hansen 0%
IA U.S. Senate Jr Tom Harkin Democratic 50%
Jane Harman 77%
Melissa Hart 0%
J. Dennis Hastert 0%
FL U.S. House 20 Alcee Hastings, Sr. Democratic 88%
WA U.S. House 4 Doc Hastings Republican 0%
UT U.S. Senate Sr Orrin Hatch Republican 25%
Robert Hayes 0%
J.D. Hayworth, Jr. 0%
Joel Hefley 0%
Jesse Helms 25%
Wally Herger, Jr. 11%
Baron Hill 87%
Van Hilleary 11%
Earl Hilliard, Jr. 88%
Maurice Hinchey 88%
TX U.S. House 15 Rubén Hinojosa, Sr. Democratic 77%
David Lee Hobson 11%
PA Commissioner At-Large Joseph Hoeffel 88%
Pete Hoekstra 33%
Thomas Holden 44%
Ernest Hollings 50%
NJ U.S. House 12 Rush Holt, Jr. Democratic 88%
CA U.S. House 17 Mike Honda Democratic 100%
Darlene Hooley 87%
Stephen Horn 55%
John Nathan Hostettler 25%
Amory Houghton, Jr. 55%
MD U.S. House 5 Steny Hoyer Democratic 88%
Kenny Hulshof 11%
Duncan Hunter 0%
Y. Tim Hutchinson 25%
Kay Hutchison 25%
Henry Hyde 0%
OK U.S. Senate Sr Jim Inhofe Republican 25%
Daniel Inouye 33%
WA Governor Jay Inslee Democratic 88%
GA U.S. Senate Jr Johnny Isakson Republican 22%
NY U.S. House 3 Steve Israel Democratic 77%
CA U.S. House 49 Darrell Issa Republican 22%
Ernest Istook, Jr. 0%
Jesse Jackson, Jr. 100%
TX U.S. House 18 Sheila Jackson Lee Democratic 100%
William Jefferson 87%
James Merrill Jeffords 50%
William Lewis Jenkins 0%
Christopher John 44%
TX U.S. House 30 Eddie Johnson Democratic 100%
Nancy Johnson 55%
TX U.S. House 3 Sam Johnson Republican 0%
Tim Johnson 22%
SD U.S. Senate Sr Timothy Johnson Democratic 25%
NC U.S. House 3 Walter Jones, Jr. Republican 0%
Paul Kanjorski 55%
OH U.S. House 9 Marcy Kaptur Democratic 66%
Ric Keller 0%
Sue Kelly 33%
Edward Kennedy, Sr. 50%
Mark Kennedy 0%
Patrick Kennedy 75%
Brian Kerns 0%
NA U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Democratic 50%
Dale Kildee 55%
Carolyn Kilpatrick 100%
WI U.S. House 3 Ron Kind Democratic 77%
NY U.S. House 2 Pete King Republican 0%
GA U.S. House 1 Jack Kingston Republican 0%
IL U.S. Senate Jr Mark Kirk Republican 44%
Gerald Kleczka 88%
Joseph Knollenberg 0%
Herb Kohl 50%
James Kolbe 50%
Dennis Kucinich 66%
Jon Kyl 25%
John LaFalce 55%
Ray LaHood 11%
Nicholas Lampson 77%
LA U.S. Senate Sr Mary Landrieu Democratic 66%
RI U.S. House 2 Jim Langevin Democratic 55%
Tom Lantos 75%
WA U.S. House 2 Rick Larsen Democratic 88%
CT U.S. House 1 John Larson Democratic 77%
IA U.S. House 3 Tom Latham Republican 11%
Steve LaTourette 11%
James Leach 62%
VT U.S. Senate Sr Patrick Leahy Democratic 50%
CA U.S. House 13 Barbara Lee Democratic 100%
MI U.S. Senate Sr Carl Levin Democratic 50%
MI U.S. House 9 Sandy Levin Democratic 88%
Jerry Lewis 11%
GA U.S. House 5 John Lewis Democratic 100%
Ron Lewis 0%
Joe Lieberman 25%
Blanche Lincoln 50%
John Linder 0%
William Lipinski 12%
NJ U.S. House 2 Frank LoBiondo Republican 11%
CA U.S. House 19 Zoe Lofgren Democratic 88%
Trent Lott, Sr. 25%
NY U.S. House 17 Nita Lowey Democratic 88%
OK U.S. House 3 Frank Lucas Republican 0%
KY Commissioner of the Department of Veterans' Affairs Kenneth Lucas Democratic 11%
Dick Lugar 0%
William Luther 75%
MA U.S. House 8 Stephen Lynch Democratic 50%
NY U.S. House 12 Carolyn Maloney Democratic 88%
James Maloney 77%
Don Manzullo 22%
MA U.S. House 5 Ed Markey Democratic 88%
Frank Mascara 44%
UT U.S. House 4 Jim Matheson Democratic 77%
Robert Matsui 88%
AZ U.S. Senate Sr John McCain III Republican 0%
NY U.S. House 4 Carolyn McCarthy Democratic 66%
Karen McCarthy 88%
MN U.S. House 4 Betty McCollum Democratic/Farmer/Labor 88%
KY U.S. Senate Sr Mitch McConnell Republican 25%
James McCrery III 11%
WA U.S. House 7 Jim McDermott Democratic 100%
MA U.S. House 2 Jim McGovern Democratic 88%
John McHugh 11%
Scott McInnis 0%
NC U.S. House 7 Mike McIntyre Democratic 33%
CA U.S. House 25 Buck McKeon Republican 0%
Cynthia Ann McKinney 100%
Michael McNulty 66%
Martin Meehan 88%
Carrie Meek 87%
NY U.S. House 5 Gregory Meeks Democratic 85%
NJ U.S. Senate Jr Bob Menendez Democratic 66%
FL U.S. House 7 John Mica Republican 0%
MD U.S. Senate Sr Barbara Mikulski Democratic 50%
Juanita Millender-McDonald 77%
Dan Miller 22%
CA U.S. House 31 Gary Miller Republican 0%
CA U.S. House 11 George Miller Democratic 100%
FL U.S. House 1 Jefferson Miller Republican 0%
Zell Bryan Miller 25%
Patsy Takemoto Mink 100%
Alan Mollohan 33%
Dennis Moore 88%
WV U.S. House 2 Shelley Moore Capito Republican 11%
VA U.S. House 8 Jim Moran, Jr. Democratic 88%
KS U.S. Senate Jr Jerry Moran Republican 22%
Constance Morella 66%
Frank Murkowski 25%
WA U.S. Senate Sr Patty Murray Democratic 50%
Jack Murtha 55%
Sue Myrick 0%
NY U.S. House 10 Jerry Nadler Democratic 100%
CA U.S. House 32 Grace Napolitano Democratic 77%
MA U.S. House 1 Richard Neal Democratic 66%
Ben Nelson 75%
FL U.S. Senate Sr William Nelson, Sr. Democratic 50%
George Nethercutt, Jr. 11%
Robert William Ney 33%
Don Nickles 25%
Anne Northup 0%
Charles Norwood, Jr. 0%
James Nussle 11%
Jim Oberstar 77%
Dave Obey 77%
John Olver 100%
Solomon Ortiz, Sr. 44%
Thomas William Osborne 22%
Doug Ose 33%
ID Governor Butch Otter Republican 22%
Major Owens 100%
Michael Oxley 0%
NJ U.S. House 6 Frank Pallone, Jr. Democratic 66%
NJ U.S. House 9 Bill Pascrell, Jr. Democratic 66%
AZ U.S. House 7 Ed Pastor Democratic 100%
Ron Paul 66%
Donald Payne 100%
CA U.S. House 12 Nancy Pelosi Democratic 88%
IN Governor Mike Pence Republican 0%
MN U.S. House 7 Collin Peterson Democratic/Farmer/Labor 75%
John Peterson 11%
WI U.S. House 6 Tom Petri Republican 11%
David Phelps 33%
Charles Pickering, Jr. 11%
PA U.S. House 16 Joe Pitts Republican 0%
Todd Platts 22%
Richard Pombo 0%
Earl Pomeroy 66%
OH U.S. Senate Jr Rob Portman Republican 0%
NC U.S. House 4 David Price Democratic 88%
Deborah Pryce 22%
FL Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Adam Putnam Republican 0%
Jack Quinn 11%
George Radanovich 0%
WV U.S. House 3 Nick Rahall II Democratic 66%
James Ramstad 33%
NY U.S. House 13 Charlie Rangel Democratic 77%
RI U.S. Senate Sr Jack Reed Democratic 50%
Ralph Regula 11%
Denny Rehberg 25%
NV U.S. Senate Sr Harry Reid Democratic 50%
Silvestre Reyes 75%
Thomas Reynolds 0%
Bob Riley 0%
Lynn Nancy Rivers 100%
KS U.S. Senate Sr Pat Roberts Republican 25%
WV U.S. Senate Sr Jay Rockefeller IV Democratic 50%
Ciro Rodriguez 77%
Timothy Roemer 55%
KY U.S. House 5 Hal Rogers Republican 0%
MI U.S. House 8 Mike Rogers Republican 11%
CA U.S. House 48 Dana Rohrabacher Republican 11%
FL U.S. House 27 Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Republican 12%
Mike Ross 66%
Steve Rothman 66%
Marge Roukema 33%
CA U.S. House 40 Lucille Roybal-Allard Democratic 87%
CA U.S. House 39 Ed Royce Republican 0%
IL U.S. House 1 Bobby Rush Democratic 75%
WI U.S. House 1 Paul Ryan Republican 11%
Jim Ryun 0%
Martin Olav Sabo 100%
CA U.S. House 46 Loretta Sanchez Democratic 88%
VT U.S. Senate Jr Bernie Sanders Independent 100%
Max Sandlin, Jr. 77%
Rick Santorum 25%
Paul Sarbanes 50%
OH State Senate 28 Thomas Sawyer Democratic 88%
Jim Saxton 0%
CO State Board of Education 4 Robert Schaffer Republican 0%
IL U.S. House 9 Jan Schakowsky Democratic 100%
CA U.S. House 28 Adam Schiff Democratic 87%
Edward Schrock 0%
NY U.S. Senate Sr Chuck Schumer Democratic 50%
VA U.S. House 3 Bobby Scott Democratic 100%
WI U.S. House 5 Jim Sensenbrenner, Jr. Republican 0%
NY U.S. House 15 José Serrano Democratic 100%
AL U.S. Senate Jr Jeff Sessions III Republican 25%
TX U.S. House 32 Pete Sessions Republican 0%
John Shadegg 11%
E. Clay Shaw, Jr. 11%
Christopher Shays 66%
AL U.S. Senate Sr Richard Shelby Republican 25%
CA U.S. House 30 Brad Sherman Democratic 66%
Donald Sherwood 11%
IL U.S. House 15 John Shimkus Republican 11%
Ronnie Shows 33%
PA U.S. House 9 Bill Shuster Republican 14%
Robert Ruhl Simmons 44%
ID U.S. House 2 Mike Simpson Republican 11%
Joseph Skeen 11%
Ike Skelton 22%
NY U.S. House 25 Louise Slaughter Democratic 88%
WA U.S. House 9 Adam Smith Democratic 66%
NJ U.S. House 4 Chris Smith Republican 0%
Gordon Smith 50%
TX U.S. House 21 Lamar Smith Republican 0%
Nick Smith 11%
Bob Smith 25%
Olympia Snowe 50%
Vic Snyder 87%
Hilda Solis 88%
Mark Souder 0%
Arlen Specter 50%
John Spratt, Jr. 66%
MI U.S. Senate Jr Debbie Stabenow Democratic 50%
Pete Stark 100%
Cliff Stearns 0%
Charles Stenholm 33%
Ted Stevens 0%
Ted Strickland 77%
Bob Stump 11%
Bart Stupak 55%
John Sununu 11%
John Sweeney 22%
Tom Tancredo 0%
John Tanner 50%
Ellen Tauscher 88%
William Tauzin 0%
Charles Taylor 0%
Gene Taylor 33%
NE U.S. House 2 Lee Terry Republican 0%
Craig Thomas 50%
William Thomas 33%
MS U.S. House 2 Bennie Thompson Democratic 88%
Fred Thompson 0%
CA U.S. House 5 Mike Thompson Democratic 88%
TX U.S. House 13 Mac Thornberry Republican 0%
SD U.S. Senate Jr John Thune Republican 22%
Karen Thurman 77%
Strom Thurmond 25%
Todd Tiahrt 11%
OH U.S. House 12 Pat Tiberi Republican 11%
MA U.S. House 6 John Tierney Democratic 100%
PA U.S. Senate Jr Pat Toomey Republican 11%
Robert Torricelli 50%
Ed Towns 75%
James Traficant, Jr. 0%
Stephanie Tubbs Jones 100%
James Turner 66%
CO U.S. Senate Sr Mark Udall Democratic 100%
NM U.S. Senate Sr Thomas Udall Democratic 100%
MI U.S. House 6 Fred Upton Republican 22%
NY U.S. House 7 Nydia Velázquez Democratic 100%
IN U.S. House 1 Pete Visclosky Democratic 87%
LA U.S. Senate Jr David Vitter Republican 0%
George Voinovich 50%
OR U.S. House 2 Greg Walden Republican 11%
James Walsh 0%
Zach Wamp 11%
John Warner 25%
CA U.S. House 43 Maxine Waters Democratic 100%
Wesley Watkins 0%
Diane Watson 100%
NC U.S. House 12 Mel Watt Democratic 100%
Julius Caesar Watts, Jr. 0%
CA U.S. House 33 Henry Waxman Democratic 88%
Anthony Weiner 88%
David Weldon 0%
W. Curtis Weldon 11%
Gerald Weller 0%
Paul Wellstone 50%
Robert Wexler 77%
KY U.S. House 1 Ed Whitfield Republican 11%
MS U.S. Senate Jr Roger Wicker Republican 0%
Heather Wilson 0%
VA U.S. House 10 Frank Wolf Republican 0%
Lynn Woolsey 100%
David Wu 88%
OR U.S. Senate Sr Ron Wyden Democratic 50%
Albert Wynn 77%
FL U.S. House 13 Bill Young Republican 0%
AK U.S. House At-Large Don Young Republican 0%

How to Interpret these Evaluations

Keep in mind that ratings done by special interest groups often do not represent a non-partisan stance. In addition, some groups select votes that tend to favor members of one political party over another, rather than choosing votes based solely on issues concerns. Nevertheless, they can be invaluable in showing where an incumbent has stood on a series of votes in the past one or two years, especially when ratings by groups on all sides of an issue are compared. Website links, if available, and descriptions of the organizations offering performance evaluations are accessible by clicking on the name of the group.

Most performance evaluations are displayed in a percentage format. However, some organizations present their ratings in the form of a letter grade or endorsement based on voting records, interviews, survey results and/or sources of campaign funding. For consistency and ease in understanding, Project Vote Smart converts all scores into a percentage when possible. Please visit the group's website or call 1-888-VOTESMART for more specific information.

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