With the election just more than a month away, the nation has turned its attention to the final two presidential candidates. Their running mates’ views, however, often go overlooked. The nation’s first head-to-head encounter between vice presidential candidates Republican Mike Pence and Democrat Tim Kaine will take place at Tuesday night’s debate. Some, however, may not know where the two stand on topics across the board.
Women’s rights
Pence:
He’s pro-life.
He voted against paid parental leave for federal employees while in the United States House of Representatives.
He sponsored a bill to prohibit federal funding of Planned Parenthood.
He supports legislation protecting women from violence.
Kaine:
He’s pro-choice, although he opposes the act on a personal basis.
He supports equal pay.
He supports public funding of abortion.
He supports services and funding for domestic violence.
LGBT rights
Pence:
He believes marriage should be defined as between one man and one woman.
He voted against creating special legal classification for hate crimes against LGBT individuals.
He believes whether or not transgender individuals are allowed to use the bathroom of their choice should be decided at a state level.
Kaine:
He’s against the 2012 GOP Defense of Marriage Act.
He’s against creating a definition of traditional marriage.
He supports legislation banning discrimination against LGBT individuals.
Taxes
Pence:
He’s strongly in favor of tax cuts.
Kaine:
He supports higher taxes for the wealthy.
Gun control
Pence:
He’s against allowing makers and sellers of guns to be sued for damage caused by their models.
He favors loosening interstate gun-purchasing regulations.
Kaine:
He supports background checks for gun purchases.
He supports Second Amendment with restrictions.
Immigration
Pence:
He strongly opposes opportunity for undocumented immigrants to earn citizenship.
He favors ending birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants.
He favors building a border between the U.S. and Mexico.
Kaine:
He supports path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
He’s in favor of DREAM act.
He favors making path to green cards easier for foreign students.
Sources: ontheissues.org, in.gov, kaine.senate.gov
