2014 Mid-term Election Issues
Social Issues/Women’s Rights Issues
Female Voters – both Democratic and GOP candidates struggle to gain women voters
Colorado – over the counter birth control
Kentucky – Alison Grimes is trying to defeat incumbent Mitch McConnell, she’s pushing the fact that McConnell did not vote for equal pay or the Violence Against Women Act
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/213769-grimes-hits-mcconnell-on-womens-issues
North Carolina – Kay Hagan’s is accusing Thom Tillis of blocking Planned Parenthood funding and limiting access to abortions. Tillis recently decided he’s OK with over-the-counter birth control, which Hagan says is just “politicking.”
If you have questions about what Women’s Health is and why it is separate from Men’s Health, check out this interesting TED talk by Paula Johnson.
https://www.ted.com/talks/paula_johnson_his_and_hers_healthcare
Minimum Wage
Illinois - debate over raising it
Environment Issues
Colorado – controversy over the use of natural gas, “fracking”
Iowa – ethanol production is a huge part of the state’s economy, the state wants to protect a rule that requires a certain amount of ethanol (corn) to be in fuel
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/07/ethanol-fuels-iowa-109557.html
Kentucky - Kentucky is a big coal-mining state, people are unhappy about Obama’s plan to cut carbon emissions by 30% over the coming years
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2014/oct/13/previewing-kentucky-us-senate-debate/
Immigration
Arizona – changes to immigration laws, voters are zeroing in on the issue
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/court-tosses-arizonas-bail-law-immigrants-26217591
Texas - thousands of unaccompanied children have crossed the US-Mexico border into Texas, debate over how to handle the situation
Virginia –differing opinions over immigration reforms
Washington State Initiatives
Initiative 1351 - establishes smaller class sizes
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2024758146_electclasscostsxml.html
http://www.tvw.org/2014-video-voters-guide video
Initiative 594 - background checks before gun purchases
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2024836193_591explainerxml.html
http://www.tvw.org/2014-video-voters-guide video
Washington State Offices
13. US House of Representatives – Rick Larsen vs BJ Gillot
14. Washington State Senator: Doug Ericksen vs Seth Fleetwood
15. Washington State Representative: (any race- you pick: Kristine Lytton v. Daniel Miller, or Satpal Sidhu v. Luanne Van Werven, or Vincent Buys v. Joy Monjure