Scott Walker (9) Wisconsin WI Governor; Republican Presidential candidate
Ted Cruz (7) Republican 2016 Primary Challenger
OR click on an issue category below for a subset.
The Fox News/Facebook Republican presidential primary debate on August 6, 2015 in Cleveland was "two-tiered":
10 GOP candidates in the prime-time slot (9 PM EST)
The remaining 7 GOP candidates in an earlier slot (5 PM EST)
The top tier was determined by Aug. 4 averaged poll results prior to the debate:
According to Fox News, "They are the five most recent national polls from non-partisan, nationally-recognized organizations using standard methodological techniques."
The poll results were:
First Tier
CEO Donald Trump (23.4%)
Gov. Jeb Bush (12.0%)
Gov. Scott Walker (10.2%)
Gov. Mike Huckabee (6.6%)
Dr. Ben Carson (5.8%)
Sen. Ted Cruz (5.4%)
Sen. Marco Rubio (5.4%)
Sen. Rand Paul (4.8%)
Gov. Chris Christie (3.4%)
Gov. John Kasich (3.2%)
Second Tier
Gov. Rick Perry (1.8%)
Sen. Rick Santorum (1.4%)
Gov. Bobby Jindal (1.4%)
CEO Carly Fiorina (1.3%)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (0.7%)
Gov. George Pataki (0.6%)
Gov. Jim Gilmore (0.2%)
OnTheIssues.org excerpts: (click on issues for details)
Abortion Bobby Jindal: Defund and criminally investigate Planned Parenthood.
Donald Trump: I have evolved on abortion issue, like Reagan evolved.
George Pataki: Appalled by abortion, but stop trying to overturn Roe v.Wade.
George Pataki: Pro-choice, but ban abortion after 20 weeks.
Jim Gilmore: The only litmus test for Supreme Court is to follow the law.
Lindsey Graham: Defund Planned Parenthood: they harvest organs of the unborn.
Lindsey Graham: Reinforce Mexico City policy: defund overseas abortions.
Marco Rubio: Barbarians of our age have murdered millions of the unborn.
Mike Huckabee: Apply 5th and 14th amendments to unborn child.
Rick Santorum: Roe v. Wade was a rogue decision, not settled law.
Scott Walker: Use alternatives to protect life of mother; no exceptions.
Ted Cruz: Prosecute Planned Parenthood for criminal violations.
Budget & Economy Jeb Bush: They called me "Veto Corleone" because I vetoed so much.
Jeb Bush: We've achieved 4% growth 27 times; I will make it 28.
John Kasich: Lift everybody and build a stronger America.
Marco Rubio: Repeal and replace Dodd-Frank: it eviscerates banks.
Rand Paul: Borrowing a million a minute has gotta stop somewhere.
Rick Perry: I governed the 12th largest economy in the world.
Civil Rights Bobby Jindal: Protect first amendment rights for Christian business owners.
Donald Trump: Political correctness is country's problem, not my problem.
John Kasich: I attended a gay wedding; accept the Supreme Court ruling.
Rand Paul: Resist government imposing religious views of marriage.
Rick Santorum: Stop harassing and persecuting people of faith.
Scott Walker: If Black Lives Matter, then train cops better.
Corporations Donald Trump: I've used bankruptcy laws to do a great job for my companies.
Marco Rubio: Big companies influence government; small businesses can't.
Mike Huckabee: Fight the Wall-Street-to-Washington axis of power.
Drugs John Kasich: The tsunami of drugs threatens families.
Education Jeb Bush: Feds should not be involved with creation of content.
Jeb Bush: Allow opt-out of Common Core if states define standards.
Jeb Bush: I created the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd voucher program in America.
Marco Rubio: Common Core will convert from suggestions to mandate.
Energy & Oil Jeb Bush: Embrace the energy revolution and build the XL pipeline.
Lindsey Graham: Stop debating about climate science; debate about solutions.
Families & Children John Kasich: Nothing is more important to me than faith, family & friends.
Foreign Policy Carly Fiorina: I know more world leaders than any candidate except Hillary.
Chris Christie: Stop worrying about being loved; instead be respected.
Jim Gilmore: I have experience in domestic policy AND foreign policy.
Mike Huckabee: Reagan said "trust, but verify"; Obama: "trust, but vilify".
Rand Paul: Quit sending aid to countries who hate us.
Scott Walker: When America leads, we build alliances in Mideast.
Scott Walker: Every country Hillary Clinton touched has gotten worse.
Free Trade Donald Trump: We don't beat China or Japan or Mexico in trade.
Government Reform Donald Trump: I give to politicians; and they give back: that's broken!
Ted Cruz: If you like special interests, I ain't your guy.
Health Care Bobby Jindal: ObamaCare changes American dream into European nightmare.
Donald Trump: The insurance companies have total control over politicians.
George Pataki: Would have rejected Medicaid expansion for New York.
John Kasich: Expand Medicaid; everybody has a right to God-given purpose.
Rand Paul: GOP has been fighting single-payer for a decade.
Homeland Security Ben Carson: Don't tie military's hands in terrorism fight, even torture.
Ben Carson: Our armed forces are at smallest size in decades.
Bobby Jindal: Name the enemy: radical Islamic terrorism.
Carly Fiorina: We get warnings about terrorism, but we must connect dots.
Chris Christie: Balance privacy rights but more NSA tools to fight terrorism.
Chris Christie: I spent 7 years putting terrorists in jail.
Chris Christie: Modernize to have 350 ships and 2,600 aircraft.
George Pataki: Preaching jihad is not protected speech, even in mosques.
George Pataki: Freeze government hiring except military & defense.
Jim Gilmore: There will be further terror attacks; prepare for a long war.
Marco Rubio: Empower V.A. to care more about vets than bureaucrats.
Mike Huckabee: Military is not social experiment: no transgendered soldiers.
Mike Huckabee: Our B-52s are from 1962; that's pretty scary.
Rand Paul: Stop funding & arming allies of ISIS.
Rand Paul: American Revolution was fought over 4th Amendment rights.
Ted Cruz: Label the enemy that Obama won't: radical Islamic terrorists.
Immigration Bobby Jindal: Immigration without assimilation is an invasion.
Bobby Jindal: Prosecute and defund sanctuary cities for harboring illegals.
Donald Trump: We need wall on Mexican border, but ok to have a door in it.
Donald Trump: Mexican government is sending criminals across the border.
Jeb Bush: Eliminate sanctuary cities, plus more enforcement.
Jeb Bush: Earned legal status, not amnesty.
Jim Gilmore: Allowing illegal immigration makes contempt for rule of law.
Marco Rubio: Legal immigrants have been waiting in line for 15 years.
Rick Perry: We sent Texas rangers & National Guard to southern border.
Rick Perry: Aviation assets 24/7 all the way from Tijuana to Texas.
Rick Santorum: America is worth the wait, even if families are split up.
Rick Santorum: Reduce the level of legal immigration by 25%.
Scott Walker: I changed my view to anti-immigration because I listened.
Ted Cruz: Support Kate's Law: oppose our leaders who won't enforce.
Jobs Chris Christie: New Jersey had 0% job growth; then I created 192,000 jobs.
Rick Santorum: Look out for American workers, not for profits or votes.
Rick Santorum: Create a manufacturing job juggernaut by a 20% flat tax rate.
Scott Walker: Unemployment dropped in my term from 8% to 4%.
Principles & Values Ben Carson: Important experience is having a brain, not being politician.
Ben Carson: Secular progressives cause our problems; Hillary is epitome.
Ben Carson: Our brain makes us who we are, not our skin.
Ben Carson: I'm the only one on this stage who separated Siamese twins.
Bobby Jindal: I ran for office to make generational change, not popularity.
Carly Fiorina: I started as a secretary and became CEO.
Carly Fiorina: Conservatives see people as gifted by God;progressives don't.
Donald Trump: I want to win as a Republican, but might run as Independent.
Donald Trump: In NYC almost everyone is Democrat, but I'm Republican.
George Pataki: I've seen government from the outside as well as the inside.
Hillary Clinton: Obama calls her "likable enough"; GOP says "untrustworthy".
John Kasich: We turned Ohio around; people have hope again.
John Kasich: The Lord wants America to succeed and for America to lead.
Marco Rubio: This election needs to be about the future, not the past.
Marco Rubio: Expand American Dream to reach more people than ever before.
Marco Rubio: I believe God has blessed our country.
Mike Huckabee: America is in trouble, but it's not beyond repair.
Scott Walker: I ran for office because I was worried about my kids' future.
Ted Cruz: I'm a consistent conservative, not a campaign conservative.
Social Security Chris Christie: Raise retirement age 2 years, phased in over 25 years.
Chris Christie: The Trust Fund is filled with IOUs: we've been lied to.
Lindsey Graham: Half of seniors would be in poverty without Soc.Sec. check.
Mike Huckabee: Feds reached into your pocket for 51 years.
Tax Reform Ben Carson: God's a pretty fair guy, so tithing is better than FairTax.
Jim Gilmore: Income tax 25%; business tax 15%; death tax 0%.
Mike Huckabee: FairTax gets rid of IRS and sifts power back to the states.
Mike Huckabee: FairTax broadens tax base to include non-wage-earners.
Technology Carly Fiorina: Google should cooperate with FBI to fight cyberterrorism.
Carly Fiorina: China and Russia are using technology to attack us.
Lindsey Graham: If I have to monitor a mosque, I'll monitor a mosque.
Marco Rubio: Amazon, our largest retailer, doesn't own a single store.
Ted Cruz: Of course China & Russia have conducted cyberwarfare on US.
War & Peace Bobby Jindal: Don't change hearts & minds; kill the terrorists.
Carly Fiorina: Ok to deal with Iran, but with anytime/anywhere inspections.
Carly Fiorina: Provide materiel to Jordan, & intel to Egypt, to fight ISIL.
Donald Trump: Opposed Iraq war in 2004 & predicted Mideast destabilization.
Donald Trump: Disgraceful deal gives Iran a lot & gets nothing for us.
George Pataki: Risking American lives is necessary to destroy ISIS.
Jeb Bush: To honor those who died in Iraq, take out ISIS & stop Iran.
Jeb Bush: Iraq invasion was a mistake; but now we can't abandon them.
Jim Gilmore: Create a Middle East NATO to fight both Iran and ISIL.
Lindsey Graham: Whatever it takes, as long as it takes, to defeat ISIL.
Mike Huckabee: Iran threatens Israel & America; take them seriously.
Rand Paul: Negotiate with Iran, but from a position of strength.
Rick Perry: Not just no nuclear deal funding Iran, but "Hell no".
Rick Perry: Tear up Iranian nuclear deal on Day One, then use White-Out.
Scott Walker: Undo Iran nuclear deal on Day One; keep sanctions instead.
Scott Walker: Send weapons to Ukraine; & missile defense to Poland.
Ted Cruz: If you wage jihad on America, you sign your death warrant.
Welfare & Poverty Chris Christie: 12-point entitlement reform plan, including benefit cuts.
George Pataki: Mandatory workfare ends dependency, not cultural change.
Jim Gilmore: Grow economy so people have better opportunity than welfare.
Rick Santorum: I ended a federal entitlement; never done before or since.