James E. Risch
Bio |
James Risch is serving as the U.S. Senator from Idaho since 2009. His previous offices include serving as lieutenant governor and governor of Idaho. He earned his J.D. from the University of Idaho College of Law and taught undergraduate classes in criminal justice at Boise State College. |
Status and Position |
Current US Senator of Idaho |
Political Party and Jurisdiction |
Republican, Idaho |
Elections |
Election Jurisdiction |
Started Campaign |
Campaign Status |
Poll Rankings (of the vote) |
| 2020 Senate Election Idaho 1 | Idaho 1 | Yes | Running | 53.0% |
Campaign Financing |
Risch's major funding is from leadership PACs, security investment, electric utilities, oil and gas and banking. Top contributors are Delta Airlines, General Atomics, Seacoast commerce and the sinclair companies. |
Voting Rights |
Risch has made no clear stance on this issue. |
Opinions on Issues
Issues |
Stance |
Summary |
| Universal Healthcare | Against | Risch does not support Universal healthcare Has called the Affordable Care Act a "quagmire." |
| Socialized Healthcare | Against | Has stated that private healthcare is suited for our current situation, but medicare would be fine for those of an elderly age. |
| Private Healthcare | For | Has stated that the private sector is the best suited to take care of health programs. |
| LGBT Rights | Against | Risch opposes same sex marriage and many other LGBT issues. Risch co-sponsored a bill called the religious freedom bill, which would give people protection for opposing gay marriage on moral ground. Also voted for bill to ban same sex marriage. |
| Taxes | Against | Has followed the Trump mentality on taxes. Voted no on bipartisan budget act of 2018, voted yes for the Tax cut and Jobs act and voted but has voted not to many other opportunities to cut taxes for middle class and students. |
| Flat Tax Rate | Unknown | Risch has made no clear stance on this issue. Voted no on bipartisan budget act of 2018, voted yes for the Tax cut and Jobs act and voted but has voted not to many other opportunities to cut taxes for middle class and students. |
| Abortion | Against | Risch is pro-life. Voted yes to the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act of 2015, voted to prohibit abortions for federal funding such as planned parenthoods program. |
| Gun Control | Against | Risch does not support gun control. Voted against the ban for high capacity magazines, voted yes to allow guns on checked luggage for amtrak trains, and is vote A+ on the NRA website for gun support. |
| Assisted Suicide | Unknown | Risch has made no clear stance on this issue. Voted against the ban for high capacity magazines, voted yes to allow guns on checked luggage for amtrak trains, and is vote A+ on the NRA website for gun support. |
| Government Interference | Unknown | has made no clear stance on this issue. |
| Planned Parenthood | Against | Has backed an tried to pass bills to defund planned parenthood to abortion. |
| Welfare | Nuance | Has made no clear stance on welfare generally, has pushed back on helping lower income brackets and people. Claims that churches should provide welfare, but has made no other clear stance on this issue. Has voted no to many bills and acts like the minimum wage fairness act, Paycheck fairness act and Legislation to Allow Americans to Earn Paid Sick Time |
| Welfare | Unknown | Risch has made no clear stance on this issue. |
| Death Penalty | Nuance | Has voted for acts that enact death penalty for certain crimes, but has not spoken openly about this issue. Voted yes for the Blue Line Act which would give death penalty to those who harmed or were going to harm law enforcement officials. |
| Mandatory Prison Sentence | For | Voted no to the First Steps Act which would reduce prison time for those who crimes where not so serious. |
| Military Spending | For | Has voted no to many bills that would stop support of military funds going to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. |
| War on Terrorism | Unknown | Has made no clear stance on this issue. |
| Foreign Policy International Interaction | For | Risch is for international interaction. Has voted no to the Bring Jobs Home act, yes to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act, and yes to the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act |
| United Nations power | Unknown | Has made no clear stance on this issue. |
| Nationalism | Unknown | Has made clear stance on this issue. |
| Free Markets | Unknown | Has made no clear stance on this issue N/A |
| Brexit | Unknown | Has made no clear stance on this issue |
| Affirmative Action | Against | Is against affirmative action. Voted no to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013. |
| Government Spending | Unknown | Has not made a clear stance on this issue. |
| Charter Schools | Unknown | Has made no clear stance on this issue. |
| Common Core | Unknown | Has made No clear Stance on this issue. N/A |
| Clean Energy | Unknown | Has made no clear stance on this issue N/A |
| Religious Freedom | For | Has voted for but not made clear what religious stance he approves of, but voted to pass bills protecting religious views Voted for to Exempt Religiously Affiliated Employers from the Prohibition on Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. Has helped back the Commission on International Religious Freedom as well. |
| Separation of Church and State | Unknown | Has made no clear stance on this issue |
| Slavery Reparations | Unknown | Has made no clear stance on this issue. |
| Border Control | For | Risch is for border control. Has voted no to the Immigration and Security act in 2018 but has recently sponsored the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019. Believe illegal immigrants should never earn a visa. Opposes Amnesty. |
| Passenger Profiling | Unknown | Has made no clear stance on this issue. |
| DACA | Against | Has openly stated that illegal Immigrants should not earn visas. Has not made any open or clear comment on this issue. |
| Sanctuary Cities | Against | Sullivan says that he approves of the idea of DACA. |
| Legalizing Marijuana | Against | Has openly opposed the use of marijuana and cannabis in every aspect. |