ABC News' Guidebook to Tea Party Candidates
ABC News' comprehensive look at Tea Party-backed candidates on ballots in Nov.
Sept. 27, 2010— -- The Tea Party movement has shaken up the political landscape in 2010, taking down incumbents in Utah and Alaska and defeating the Republican-establishment favorites in Nevada and Delaware during the primary campaign. Now its favored candidates with their fiscally conservative ideals are poised to be a formidable force in the November general elections.
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ABC News has compiled a comprehensive guidebook to all the Tea Party-backed U.S. Senate, House and gubernatorial candidates and where they stand on key issues. All the candidates are running on the Republican ticket, unless otherwise noted.
U.S. Senate Candidates
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Angle supports gun rights, expanded veterans' benefits, tighter border security, cuts to government spending and making the Bush-era tax cuts permanent. She opposes the new health care law and abortion. She has said she wants to shut down the Department of Education to help balance the budget and make education a local responsibility.
WATCH Angle on "Top Line."
Ken Buck, Colorado
Opponent: Sen. Michael Bennet (D - incumbent)
Buck opposes the Recovery Act, tax increases, "big government," a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants, and abortion. He supports a strong national defense, gun rights and expanded veterans benefits.
WATCH Buck on "Top Line."
Jim DeMint, South Carolina
Opponent: Alvin Greene, unemployed military veteran (D)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Leader in Tea Party movement who has endorsed conservative Republican candidates in races nationwide
DeMint supports expanded veterans' benefits, returning education policymaking to state and local levels, and reductions in taxation and government spending. He opposes abortion and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants.
WATCH DeMint's interview with ABC's Jonathan Karl.
Ron Johnson, Wisconsin
Opponent: Sen. Russ Feingold (D - incumbent)
Johnson supports cutting taxes and government spending, elimination of the estate tax, cracking down on illegal immigration through employer sanctions and tighter border security, repealing the health care law, and expanded veterans' benefits. He opposes abortion and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants. He has called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme."
WATCH Johnson announce his candidacy.
Mike Lee, Utah
Opponent: Sam Granato, businessman (D)
Lee supports balancing the federal budget by cutting spending, repealing the health care reform law, a flat tax rate, congressional term limits and gun rights. He opposes guest-worker programs and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants and is against legalized abortion.
WATCH Lee's Tax Day speech.
Joe Miller, Alaska
Opponent: Scott McAdams, mayor of Sitka, Alaska (D); Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R - write-in, incumbent)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Miller supports limited government spending and a repeal of the new health care law. He opposes abortion and environmental "cap and trade" proposals. Miller has said the Social Security program violates the "mandates of the Constitution."
WATCH Miller on "Top Line."
Christine O'Donnell, Delaware
Opponent: Chris Coons, county executive (D)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
O'Donnell supports cuts to government spending, lower taxes and a repeal of the health care reform law. She opposes the Recovery Act and abortion.
WATCH O'Donnell on "Good Morning America."
WATCH O'Donnell at the Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit.
Rand Paul, Kentucky
Opponent: Jack Conway, state attorney general (D)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Paul opposes government bailouts of private businesses, a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants, legalized abortion and the new health care law. He supports lower taxes and a dramatic reduction in government spending.
WATCH Paul on "Good Morning America."
Dino Rossi, Washington
Opponent: Sen. Patty Murray (D - incumbent)
Endorsed by Freedomworks, although many Tea Party groups supported his opponent, Republican Clint Didier, in the primary Rossi supports repealing the health care reform law, lowering taxes and a passing balanced-budget Constitutional amendment. He opposes environmental "cap and trade" policy and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants.
WATCH Rossi on "Top Line."
Marco Rubio, Florida
Opponents: Rep. Kendrick Meek (D), Gov. Charlie Crist (I)
Rubio supports a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution, gun rights and a repeal of the health care reform law. He opposes abortion rights and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants. The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio initially opposed Arizona's controversial immigration law, but now supports it since it was changed to narrow the circumstances under which people could be asked for their papers.
WATCH Rubio on "Nightline."
Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania
Opponent: Rep. Joe Sestak (D)
Toomey supports the reduction and elimination of taxes for individuals and small businesses and Second Amendment rights. He opposes the stimulus, abortion rights, and same-sex marriage. When it became apparent that incumbent moderate Republican Sen. Arlen Specter would lose to Toomey in a primary, Specter ran as a Democrat and lost the Democratic primary to Sestak.
WATCH Toomey explains his platform.
2010 Election Maps: Follow the Senate, House and Governors' Races
Gubernatorial Candidates
U.S. Senate Candidates
Sharron Angle, Nevada
Opponent: Sen. Harry Reid (D - incumbent)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Angle supports gun rights, expanded veterans' benefits, tighter border security, cuts to government spending and making the Bush-era tax cuts permanent. She opposes the new health care law and abortion. She has said she wants to shut down the Department of Education to help balance the budget and make education a local responsibility.
WATCH Angle on "Top Line."
Ken Buck, Colorado
Opponent: Sen. Michael Bennet (D - incumbent)
Buck opposes the Recovery Act, tax increases, "big government," a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants, and abortion. He supports a strong national defense, gun rights and expanded veterans benefits.
WATCH Buck on "Top Line."
Jim DeMint, South Carolina
Opponent: Alvin Greene, unemployed military veteran (D)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Leader in Tea Party movement who has endorsed conservative Republican candidates in races nationwide
DeMint supports expanded veterans' benefits, returning education policymaking to state and local levels, and reductions in taxation and government spending. He opposes abortion and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants.
WATCH DeMint's interview with ABC's Jonathan Karl.
Ron Johnson, Wisconsin
Opponent: Sen. Russ Feingold (D - incumbent)
Johnson supports cutting taxes and government spending, elimination of the estate tax, cracking down on illegal immigration through employer sanctions and tighter border security, repealing the health care law, and expanded veterans' benefits. He opposes abortion and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants. He has called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme."
WATCH Johnson announce his candidacy.
Mike Lee, Utah
Opponent: Sam Granato, businessman (D)
Lee supports balancing the federal budget by cutting spending, repealing the health care reform law, a flat tax rate, congressional term limits and gun rights. He opposes guest-worker programs and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants and is against legalized abortion.
WATCH Lee's Tax Day speech.
Joe Miller, Alaska
Opponent: Scott McAdams, mayor of Sitka, Alaska (D); Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R - write-in, incumbent)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Miller supports limited government spending and a repeal of the new health care law. He opposes abortion and environmental "cap and trade" proposals. Miller has said the Social Security program violates the "mandates of the Constitution."
WATCH Miller on "Top Line."
Christine O'Donnell, Delaware
Opponent: Chris Coons, county executive (D)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
O'Donnell supports cuts to government spending, lower taxes and a repeal of the health care reform law. She opposes the Recovery Act and abortion.
WATCH O'Donnell on "Good Morning America."
WATCH O'Donnell at the Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit.
Rand Paul, Kentucky
Opponent: Jack Conway, state attorney general (D)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Paul opposes government bailouts of private businesses, a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants, legalized abortion and the new health care law. He supports lower taxes and a dramatic reduction in government spending.
WATCH Paul on "Good Morning America."
Dino Rossi, Washington
Opponent: Sen. Patty Murray (D - incumbent)
Endorsed by Freedomworks, although many Tea Party groups supported his opponent, Republican Clint Didier, in the primary Rossi supports repealing the health care reform law, lowering taxes and a passing balanced-budget Constitutional amendment. He opposes environmental "cap and trade" policy and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants.
WATCH Rossi on "Top Line."
Marco Rubio, Florida
Opponents: Rep. Kendrick Meek (D), Gov. Charlie Crist (I)
Rubio supports a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution, gun rights and a repeal of the health care reform law. He opposes abortion rights and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants. The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio initially opposed Arizona's controversial immigration law, but now supports it since it was changed to narrow the circumstances under which people could be asked for their papers.
WATCH Rubio on "Nightline."
Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania
Opponent: Rep. Joe Sestak (D)
Toomey supports the reduction and elimination of taxes for individuals and small businesses and Second Amendment rights. He opposes the stimulus, abortion rights, and same-sex marriage. When it became apparent that incumbent moderate Republican Sen. Arlen Specter would lose to Toomey in a primary, Specter ran as a Democrat and lost the Democratic primary to Sestak.
WATCH Toomey explains his platform.
2010 Election Maps: Follow the Senate, House and Governors' Races
Gubernatorial Candidates
Ken Buck, Colorado
Opponent: Sen. Michael Bennet (D - incumbent)
Buck opposes the Recovery Act, tax increases, "big government," a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants, and abortion. He supports a strong national defense, gun rights and expanded veterans benefits.
WATCH Buck on "Top Line."
Jim DeMint, South Carolina
Opponent: Alvin Greene, unemployed military veteran (D)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Leader in Tea Party movement who has endorsed conservative Republican candidates in races nationwide
DeMint supports expanded veterans' benefits, returning education policymaking to state and local levels, and reductions in taxation and government spending. He opposes abortion and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants.
WATCH DeMint's interview with ABC's Jonathan Karl.
Ron Johnson, Wisconsin
Opponent: Sen. Russ Feingold (D - incumbent)
Johnson supports cutting taxes and government spending, elimination of the estate tax, cracking down on illegal immigration through employer sanctions and tighter border security, repealing the health care law, and expanded veterans' benefits. He opposes abortion and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants. He has called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme."
WATCH Johnson announce his candidacy.
Mike Lee, Utah
Opponent: Sam Granato, businessman (D)
Lee supports balancing the federal budget by cutting spending, repealing the health care reform law, a flat tax rate, congressional term limits and gun rights. He opposes guest-worker programs and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants and is against legalized abortion.
WATCH Lee's Tax Day speech.
Joe Miller, Alaska
Opponent: Scott McAdams, mayor of Sitka, Alaska (D); Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R - write-in, incumbent)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Miller supports limited government spending and a repeal of the new health care law. He opposes abortion and environmental "cap and trade" proposals. Miller has said the Social Security program violates the "mandates of the Constitution."
WATCH Miller on "Top Line."
Christine O'Donnell, Delaware
Opponent: Chris Coons, county executive (D)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
O'Donnell supports cuts to government spending, lower taxes and a repeal of the health care reform law. She opposes the Recovery Act and abortion.
WATCH O'Donnell on "Good Morning America."
WATCH O'Donnell at the Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit.
Rand Paul, Kentucky
Opponent: Jack Conway, state attorney general (D)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Paul opposes government bailouts of private businesses, a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants, legalized abortion and the new health care law. He supports lower taxes and a dramatic reduction in government spending.
WATCH Paul on "Good Morning America."
Dino Rossi, Washington
Opponent: Sen. Patty Murray (D - incumbent)
Endorsed by Freedomworks, although many Tea Party groups supported his opponent, Republican Clint Didier, in the primary Rossi supports repealing the health care reform law, lowering taxes and a passing balanced-budget Constitutional amendment. He opposes environmental "cap and trade" policy and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants.
WATCH Rossi on "Top Line."
Marco Rubio, Florida
Opponents: Rep. Kendrick Meek (D), Gov. Charlie Crist (I)
Rubio supports a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution, gun rights and a repeal of the health care reform law. He opposes abortion rights and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants. The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio initially opposed Arizona's controversial immigration law, but now supports it since it was changed to narrow the circumstances under which people could be asked for their papers.
WATCH Rubio on "Nightline."
Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania
Opponent: Rep. Joe Sestak (D)
Toomey supports the reduction and elimination of taxes for individuals and small businesses and Second Amendment rights. He opposes the stimulus, abortion rights, and same-sex marriage. When it became apparent that incumbent moderate Republican Sen. Arlen Specter would lose to Toomey in a primary, Specter ran as a Democrat and lost the Democratic primary to Sestak.
WATCH Toomey explains his platform.
2010 Election Maps: Follow the Senate, House and Governors' Races
Gubernatorial Candidates
Opponent: Alvin Greene, unemployed military veteran (D)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Leader in Tea Party movement who has endorsed conservative Republican candidates in races nationwide
DeMint supports expanded veterans' benefits, returning education policymaking to state and local levels, and reductions in taxation and government spending. He opposes abortion and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants.
WATCH DeMint's interview with ABC's Jonathan Karl.
Ron Johnson, Wisconsin
Opponent: Sen. Russ Feingold (D - incumbent)
Johnson supports cutting taxes and government spending, elimination of the estate tax, cracking down on illegal immigration through employer sanctions and tighter border security, repealing the health care law, and expanded veterans' benefits. He opposes abortion and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants. He has called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme."
WATCH Johnson announce his candidacy.
Mike Lee, Utah
Opponent: Sam Granato, businessman (D)
Lee supports balancing the federal budget by cutting spending, repealing the health care reform law, a flat tax rate, congressional term limits and gun rights. He opposes guest-worker programs and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants and is against legalized abortion.
WATCH Lee's Tax Day speech.
Joe Miller, Alaska
Opponent: Scott McAdams, mayor of Sitka, Alaska (D); Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R - write-in, incumbent)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Miller supports limited government spending and a repeal of the new health care law. He opposes abortion and environmental "cap and trade" proposals. Miller has said the Social Security program violates the "mandates of the Constitution."
WATCH Miller on "Top Line."
Christine O'Donnell, Delaware
Opponent: Chris Coons, county executive (D)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
O'Donnell supports cuts to government spending, lower taxes and a repeal of the health care reform law. She opposes the Recovery Act and abortion.
WATCH O'Donnell on "Good Morning America."
WATCH O'Donnell at the Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit.
Rand Paul, Kentucky
Opponent: Jack Conway, state attorney general (D)
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Paul opposes government bailouts of private businesses, a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants, legalized abortion and the new health care law. He supports lower taxes and a dramatic reduction in government spending.
WATCH Paul on "Good Morning America."
Dino Rossi, Washington
Opponent: Sen. Patty Murray (D - incumbent)
Endorsed by Freedomworks, although many Tea Party groups supported his opponent, Republican Clint Didier, in the primary Rossi supports repealing the health care reform law, lowering taxes and a passing balanced-budget Constitutional amendment. He opposes environmental "cap and trade" policy and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants.
WATCH Rossi on "Top Line."
Marco Rubio, Florida
Opponents: Rep. Kendrick Meek (D), Gov. Charlie Crist (I)
Rubio supports a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution, gun rights and a repeal of the health care reform law. He opposes abortion rights and a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants. The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio initially opposed Arizona's controversial immigration law, but now supports it since it was changed to narrow the circumstances under which people could be asked for their papers.
WATCH Rubio on "Nightline."
Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania
Opponent: Rep. Joe Sestak (D)
Toomey supports the reduction and elimination of taxes for individuals and small businesses and Second Amendment rights. He opposes the stimulus, abortion rights, and same-sex marriage. When it became apparent that incumbent moderate Republican Sen. Arlen Specter would lose to Toomey in a primary, Specter ran as a Democrat and lost the Democratic primary to Sestak.
WATCH Toomey explains his platform.
2010 Election Maps: Follow the Senate, House and Governors' Races
Gubernatorial Candidates
Maes supports reducing or eliminating Colorado's income tax, requiring businesses to use E-verify to check job applicants' immigration status, tort reform and gun rights. He opposes legalized abortion and same-sex marriage.
WATCH Maes discusses his candidacy.
Carl Paladino, New York
Opponent: Andrew Cuomo, New York Attorney General (D)
Paladino supports cutting taxes and spending by 10 percent, cutting the state's income tax on manufacturing, cutting optional Medicaid benefits by $20 billion and imposing term limits on state legislators.
WATCH Paladino's victory speech in GOP gubernatorial primary.
Rick Perry, Texas
Opponent: Bill White, former Mayor of Houston, Texas
Endorsed by Sarah Palin
Perry supports cutting taxes on individuals and businesses, cutting state spending, enhancing border security operations, tort reform and increasing enrollment in universities. He opposes legal abortion and the health care reform law, and says Texas should not take stimulus money from Washington.
WATCH Perry's victory speech in GOP gubernatorial primary.
2010 Election Maps: Follow the Senate, House and Governors' Races