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Van Hollen vs. Floyd: On the Issues

By Jen Slingland
Maryland Newsline
Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004

Charles J. “Chuck” Floyd, 54, a retired Army major and former State Department employee, is challenging Rep. Chris Van Hollen, 45, in Maryland’s 8th District congressional race. Floyd and Van Hollen both support continuing a strong relationship with Israel, improving the quality of the Chesapeake Bay and fully funding the nation’s No Child Left Behind Act. But they differ on many issues.

Find out where the candidates stand and who you are most similar to by taking the following interactive quiz. Mark the response that best matches yours. If at any point you cannot choose, skip that question. At the end, click on the “get score” button to see what percentage of your responses align with each candidate’s.


    1. Do you support the speedy withdrawal of troops from Baghdad?
No, absolutely not. We need to support our Iraqi partners to make sure another dictatorship does not take over in Iraq. I support withdrawal of our forces as we train Iraqi forces to keep the peace and provide stability on the ground.

    2. Do you support a federal ban on assault weapons?
No. I don’t think the general population should have assault weapons, but I want to protect our Second Amendment rights, and I think responsible gun owners should be able to own guns. Yes, I support a federal ban on assault weapons. We should have expanded the 1994 ban instead of letting it expire.

    3. Are law enforcement agencies adequately staffed to handle potential terrorist strikes?
No. They need more funds for their cars, weapons and other necessities, and federal money for homeland security should be going to areas of higher priority. I think they are in very good shape but could use additional funding.

    4. Should we amend the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as something that can only happen between a man and a woman?
Yes, I support marriage as solely between a man and a woman because the purpose of that relationship is to produce and protect children to make our society to grow. No, I’m opposed to a constitutional amendment defining marriage and believe it is an issue that should be left to the states.

    5. Should the federal government outsource jobs to the private sector and overseas?
Yes, I support outsourcing because it’s good for our economy in the 8th District and in the global market. I don’t think the federal government should outsource jobs overseas, but I am not opposed to the idea of domestic competitive sourcing if it is done in a balanced manner.

    6. Should there be an economic cap on the amount of damages awarded in medical liability lawsuits?
Absolutely, I will vote for tort reform to place an economic cap on medical liability lawsuits. No, I do not think there should be an economic cap, but I support the three strikes rule that will sanction trial lawyers who file three frivolous law suits, thereby losing their license to practice law.

    7. Would you support legislation that advocates the exploration of energy sources within the United States, like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? Currently, drilling is prohibited in the refuge.
Yes I would. We need to explore more than just ANWR, and we need to do more research in nanotechnology and find alternative fuel sources. No, I’m definitely not in favor of drilling in ANWR or environmentally sensitive areas, but we should explore renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

    8. Should Social Security funds become privatized to fund retirement for seniors and for future generations? According to the Social Security Board of Trustees, the Social Security program is not sustainable over the long term, and by 2042, the trust funds will be exhausted if nothing is changed.
Yes, because we have a crisis in Social Security, and we know that in 20 to 25 years it will go broke if we don’t do something. No, I’m not in favor of privatizing Social Security because it costs trillions of dollars and would run up the deficit. Instead, we need to apply "fiscal discipline" by taking tax cuts and rolling them back into the fund in order to preserve its stability.




Your match with Chuck Floyd is:
Your match with Rep. Chris Van Hollen is:


Find elaboration on the candidates' positions.

Based on interviews with Rep. Chris Van Hollen and Chuck Floyd.

Copyright © 2004 University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism


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