REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES
DONALD TRUMP
Republican Primaries
Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with the current healthcare system, deeming it too costly for Americans. He suggested taking actions such as “replacing Obamacare with a system that's more efficient and cost-effective.” On the matter of abortion, Trump affirmed his pro-life stance, “I believe in the value of life, and I would support policies that restrict abortion.”
Donald Trump's position on LGBTQ+ rights is rooted in traditional conservative values. However, he stated that despite his personal beliefs, he believes “people should be treated with respect and dignity, [and] everyone has the right to live their life as they choose.” When it came to sexual and reproductive rights, Trump sought a balanced approach, stating that “We should protect the rights of the unborn, but also ensure that women have access to healthcare and contraception.”
On the topic of education, Trump advocated for improvements in the educational system, with a focus on investing in schools. He viewed education as a vital pathway to success for America's youth. Trump recognized affirmative action as a complex issue. He stated that the education system “should provide equal opportunities for everyone, but must also consider merit-based systems.”
RON DESANTIS
Republican Primaries
Healthcare & Abortion:
Ron DeSantis, a conservative Republican, advocated for market-driven solutions to healthcare issues. He expresses opposition to the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and support for state-level healthcare reforms, stating, “I believe in limited government intervention—Obamacare increases the role of the federal government in mandating health insurance coverage, which removes individual choice. We should have market-driven solutions in the healthcare sector.” DeSantis has endorsed measures that restrict abortion access in Florida: “I signed legislation requiring parental consent for minors seeking an abortion.”
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LGBTQ+ & Sexual Rights:
DeSantis restricted transgender individuals’ access to certain facilities and sports teams based on their gender identity, asserting that he “[does] not support LGBTQ rights.” On sexual and reproductive rights, he opposed comprehensive sex education and advocated for restrictions on abortion.
Education & Affirmative Action:
DeSantis championed school choice initiatives, including “voucher programs and charter schools, which offer alternatives to traditional public education.” His administration aims to focus on “raising educational standards and increasing accountability in public schools.”
In Florida long barring affirmative action in college and university admissions, DeSantis believes that the Supreme Court’s ruling will help the country remain just. He asserts, “It’’s not for the sake of diversity, equity, and inclusion, like they claim. They practice it like an ideology imposed on institutions.” He adds, “For the equality of Florida, I signed a law that prohibits schools from ‘advocating for diversity,’ because it’s not what they actually do.”
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VIVEK RAMASWAMY
Republican Primaries
Healthcare & Abortion:
Ramaswamy believes the government should not be involved in healthcare. He wants Obamacare to be repealed and for the people to choose their preferred medical treatment. He also believes that prescription drugs today are far more expensive than necessary. In a statement on his stance on prescription drugs, Ramaswamy says “We have to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, increase competition in the pharmaceutical industry, and allow people to import drugs from other countries.” Ramaswamy also supports the idea of meritocracy in the VA (the Department of Veteran Affairs), rewarding veterans for their services to this country. Ramaswamy sides with veterans and believes them to be highly mistreated. Ramaswamy is staunchly pro-life and supports abortion bans for women six weeks pregnant, however, he strongly opposes a federal ban, instead leaving it up to the states, and will give exceptions to cases such as rape, incest, and potential danger to the mother.
LGBTQ+ & Sexual Rights:
Vivek Ramaswamy supports the LGBTQ+ community but wants to ensure fairness for all Americans and not what he refers to as a “tyranny” of the minority. This means that Ramaswamy believes practices such as special training on sexual identity and transgenderism should not be implemented in workplaces and especially schools, which are filled with young people, and that similar ideologies should not be a focus in our country. One of his 10 Truths is ‘There are two genders,’ with his strong belief that anything else is some form of “gender dysphoria.” He views the transgenderism movement as a “mental health disorder” and will take swift action on it once in office. He will not however place a categorical ban on transgender individuals in the military, though he does support a limited ban in high-risk areas. In an interview with Vivek Ramaswamy on transgender rights, he explains, “I don’t think somebody who is a woman who’s worked really hard for her achievements should be forced to compete against a biological man in a swim competition” (Fox News).
Education & Affirmative Action:
Vivek Ramaswamy finds the current systems of education incredibly faulty. Ramaswamy labels government organizations such as the DOE (the Department of Education) as toxic. The funds of parents of American children towards the DOE he hopes to use towards a new education system. He wants to revamp the education system by giving the power of choice to the parents on how their children would be taught, and if in office will implement school choice programs (leading to a greater say of parents in their children’s education). This echoes one of Ramaswamy’s 10 truths: “Parents determine the education of their children.” As for affirmative action, Ramaswamy hopes to completely repeal it. In an interview with Ramaswamy, he said “We need to give children education based on their merit, not their race.” He sees affirmative action as an unjust form of racism that hinders the potential of advantaged children as well as disadvantaged children by placing them into schools that they would not be academically prepared for.
NIKKI HALEY
Republican Primaries
Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, is one of the 2024 Republican presidential hopefuls. As we learn more about Haley’s policies, below are her stances on healthcare & abortion, LGBTQ+ and sexual rights, as well as education & affirmative action.
Health Care & Abortion
Haley is pro-life and supports adoptions, and as she told Hawx News at the Election Simulation Kick-Off Rally, “My main goals are to limit abortion but make contraceptives more available.” She emphasizes the importance of “consensus” in regards to federal laws and policies about abortion. Haley does not believe in expanding Medicaid, and given a 2007 bill in South Carolina that she supported, Haley appears to be pro-vaccines in cases with minors, in essence overriding parents’ decision.
LGBTQ+ & Sexual Rights
Haley has stated that she would be opposed to allowing transgender athletes to participate in women’s sports. As she publicly stated in an Instagram post, Haley is of the opinion that “transgender people should not be allowed in the same facilities (ex: bathrooms) or compete in the same sports as cisgender people.” She has also stated that she supports the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, which restricts the instruction of gender identity and sexual orientation in classrooms.
Education & Affirmative Action
Haley believes that all citizens should have an opportunity to achieve the “American Dream” and she does not necessarily support affirmative action. Haley is a firm believer in education as well as having transparency in classrooms. As she shared in an Instagram post, Haley believes that “parents should have more of a say in the classroom, with increased transparency and school-choice.” She also does not believe in forgiving student loans, due to the fact that there are many students who already paid back their loans.
MIKE PENCE
Republican Primaries
Healthcare & Abortion:
Mike Pence plans to take aim at the Affordable Care Act, eliminating mandates and giving the states grants to replace federal insurance subsidies and health care for low-income Americans. If elected, Pence would embark on a significant effort to move more powers to the states, limiting the federal government's authority over health care programs. Pence plans to repel all Obamacare mandates, and states, “I support getting rid of Obamacare mandates to give people more choice in their care and giving states more power to lower insurance costs as well as giving states grants to replace federal government insurance subsidiaries.” He also plans to make federal healthcare into a voluntary program instead of a mandatory one.
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LGBTQ+ & Sexual Rights:
Pence became the first governor in Indiana to sign protections into law based on “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” Pence states, “Personally as a christian I believe abortion is an issue best handled by the states and that at a minimum we should have a 15 week ban on abortions with exeptions for rape, incest, and harm to the mother.” He believes that the federal government should not have overturned Roe v. Wade but rather, “the federal government should have limited intervention in abortion and only pass certain restrictions.” Pence plans to reduce the number of abortions needed in the U.S. by teaching abstinence and eliminating government fundings on abortions.
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Education & Affirmative Action
Pence wants to expand school choice by getting rid of the Federal Department of Education and returning funds to the states so each student gets to have a say where they want to go, whether it be private, public, or a charter school. Pence says, “as governor, I signed a law to make Pre-K available to everyone. I will continue to have limited intervention in education but firmly believe that education is up to the student and their parents and should be a state responsibility.” Pence also believes that affirmative action was always going to be temporary, and says, “we knew that when it was made it was to provide an equal opportunity to those who need it. But overtime programs need to be phased out so we can focus back on the work of each student and to cultivate a productive and prosperous society.”
CHRIS CHRISTIE
Republican Primaries
As we continue into week 3 of this year’s election sim, we will be covering the social issues of healthcare, LGBTQ rights, and education.
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Healthcare & Abortion:
Throughout American history there have been constant battles on how to deal with healthcare, and even more specifically, abortion. There has been a recent resurgence in the importance of this topic since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Chris Christie had this to say in an interview, “Roe v. Wade was wrong, there’s no federal constitutional right to an abortion and the states should decide. And I absolutely believe that each state should make their decision on this.” Although Chris Christie does not believe that women should have abortions as he is pro-life, he still believes that states’ rights trumps his personal belief. As president Chris Christie would not pass a federal abortion ban. Additionally, Chris Christie believes in cutting back spending on medicare, stating that “In 10 years, Medicare will be bankrupt”. He believes the government is spending too much money on free benefits. ​
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LGBTQ+ & Sexual Rights:
Recently, the topic of LGBTQ rights has become more of a contentious issue in the political sphere, with many states creating stricter legislation on trans healthcare and limiting the knowledge LGBTQ subjects in schools. When prompted with the idea of restricting transgender healthcare to kids and adolescents Christie stated “The parents are the people who are best positioned to make these judgments”, once again restating that he wants to limit the power of the federal government in any decisions Amercians make. Despite this Christie has supported many bills that opponents would argue are anti LGBTQ, vetoing legislation that would make changing gender on birth certificates easier to do, as well as supporting the Supreme Court ruling that sided with a Christian wedding website designer who rejected servicing a same-sex couple due to their personal religious reasons.
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Education & Affirmative Action
Since the global pandemic political leaders have made it their mission to get American education back on track. On education Christie has stated that education in America needs to improve. A key point that Christie mentioned in an interview is that teachers' unions are “putting themselves before our kids.” He believes that teachers unions should hold less power and be more focused on educating the future of America. Additionally, Christie wants to expand school choice in order to give parents more of an opportunity to choose where to send their kids to learn.
TIM SCOTT
Republican Primaries
Healthcare and Abortion
Tim Scott, Republican candidate running for Presidential nomination, and former US Senator, believes that the United States healthcare system needs to be reinvented. He mainly plans on doing this by reintroducing the Health Savings Act, which would expand flex and health savings accounts. With this, he believes that the government should not be intruding on the lives of patients, or influencing the careers and decisions of medical professionals. When asked about his stances on abortion in a recent interview, Scott states that he is strongly Pro-life, and also commented: “If the radical Left wins, abortions will be performed on minors without their parent’s consent. Babies old enough to feel pain will be aborted.” Scott has also previously shown support for the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act and the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which would remove tax-supported funding for abortion clinics, as well as prohibiting going out of state to provide abortions for minors.
LGBTQ+ and Sexual Rights
Scott has been vocally against LGBTQ+ rights. He has previously voted against acts that would allow transgender athletes from participating in sports as well as an act, Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013, that would prevent workplace discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity. Most notably, he voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, which recognizes same-sex and interracial marriages. Scott also claims that, in the classrooms, he will “fight to ensure that America’s kids are learning how to read and write, not about gender transition and sexual identity”.
Education and Affirmative Action
Tim Scott is not particularly for or against any specific type of educational environment (i.e. charter, private, public, etc.). Instead, he wants to focus on giving parents a say in their children’s education, including what they are taught. With this, Scott argues against teaching students Critical Race Theory and making education more accessible to all students: “enabling all kids to achieve the American Dream starts with giving all kids the education they deserve-no matter their zip code”. In regards to the repeal of affirmative action over the summer, Scott supports the Supreme Court’s ruling, and wants to ensure that all admissions are based on academic scores, not race.
DOUG BURGUM
Republican Primaries
Healthcare & Abortion
In modifying healthcare, Burgum believes in repelling Obamacare. Burgum wants private companies and interests to provide healthcare in this country. In an interview with the candidate, he said, “There needs to be competition in order for us to function as a capitalist society and when there is no competition, the prices become more expensive.” As governor of South Dakota, Burgum has signed a bill restricting abortion in the entire state. This ban excludes exceptions, such as saving the mother’s life or until six weeks of pregnancy in cases of rape and incest. If elected POTUS, he will not issue a nationwide abortion ban, instead preferring to let the states decide.
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LGBTQ & Sexual Rights
Burgum has signed many anti-LGBTQ bills in the past. One of these bills is HB 1254, which bans gender-affirming care for transgender youths in North Dakota. HB 1254 allows doctors to face legal repercussions for assisting transgender minors with their transition. He also signed two other bills that forbid transgender students from joining sports teams of the opposite gender. In an interview, he stated that these trans athletes have an “unfair (biological) advantage” over cis athletes.
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Education & Affirmative Action
Burgum wants to “eradicate” the Department of Education and critical race theory. In the interview, he added, “We want children to learn the actual history of the United States of America.” In 2023, he signed an executive order, the Teacher Retention and Recruitment Task Force, which works to recruit and retain teachers since he believes it is a massive issue in our country. Burgum supported affirmative action before it was banned by the Supreme Court.
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ASA HUTCHINSON
Republican Primaries
Healthcare & Abortion:
In terms of healthcare, Asa Hutchinson is in support of health coverage for lower income citizens. During his time as governor, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, “In 2018, he signed into law legislation to continue the state's Medicaid expansion, which imposed a work requirement on thousands of participants.” As for abortion, in a recent CNN interview Hutchinson stated that he would implement a federal ban on abortion if he became president. The only exceptions to this ban would be victims of rape and incest. ​
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LGBTQ+ & Sexual Rights:
Hutchinson has a history during his time as the Governor of Arkansas of opposing LGBTQ+ rights. He went against acts protecting rights of LGBTQ+ students and signed a bill allowing Arkansas medical professionals to refuse care for people belonging to the LGBTQ+ community. Hutchinson, however, did veto a law banning gender confirming treatments for youth stating in an interview with NPR, “It is compassionate to say we care for all our young people, whether they’re trans youth or otherwise, we care for them and that’s the message of compassion and conservatism that we need to have as a party.” This veto was later overturned by the state legislature shortly after.
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Education & Affirmative Action
One of Hutchinson’s main focuses on the education of Arkansas was increasing teachers’ pay. In the Arkansas state of the state address in 2021, he said, “When it comes to our public schools, I support another round of increased pay for teachers. My goal is to raise average teacher salaries by $2,000 over the next two years. You have already signaled your support to raise teacher pay. You've paved the way, you've led the way, and we can work together to accomplish this goal.” Though Hutchinson has not commented on affirmative action, he does support a merit based funding system for Arkansas colleges. Stating that funding should be given to the highest performing schools, incentivizing schools and students to produce good academic performance.
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CITY COUNCIL
MARILYN MILLER
NYC City Council, District 27
As we're approaching the third week of elections candidates will be discussing their perspectives on Healthcare, Sexual Rights, and Education. Hawx News spoke with the Republican City Council canidate Marilyn Miller for District 27 regarding her policies.
Healthcare & Abortion:
Marilyn Miller, the Republican candidate for District 27 city council, has a clear and consistent view on healthcare and abortion. She mentions the complexity, exorbitant expenses, and unnecessary government restrictions as some of the problems with our existing healthcare system. Miller is strongly interested in having market-based changes to increase competition and drive down costs as well as have minimal government action. Her approach stresses individual freedom and the sanctity of life. She states, “We need to ensure that those with pre-existing conditions have access to affordable coverage and that healthcare remains accessible to all Americans, but we should do so in a way that preserves individual freedom and minimizes the role of government in healthcare decisions.”​
Adding on, throughout Miller’s campaign she strongly advocates for the sanctity of life which strongly ties into her point of view about abortion. She is dedicated to defending the rights of the unborn and is an advocate for laws that will restrict and eventually outlaw abortion. Miller advocates for the repeal of Roe v. Wade, the restoration of abortion control to the states, and the promotion of alternatives such as adoption. Her stance is deeply based on the defense of unborn life while upholding the ability of states to make choices according to their moral and ideological principles. Miller mentions, “My goal is to protect the lives of the unborn while respecting the constitutional rights of states.”
LGBTQ+ & Sexual Rights:
Additionally, when it comes to LGBTQ+ and Sexual Rights Miller tends to hold an overall balanced position on that. She supports individuals having traditional values while also having respect for the rights which individuals have. In an interview, she says, “We must find a balance that respects the rights of LGBTQ individuals while ensuring that people with deeply held religious beliefs are not compelled to go against their conscience.” This remark illustrates her determination to navigate the complexity of this subject, searching for a solution that takes into account both traditional and modern perspectives.
Education & Affirmative Action
Miller's views on education are strongly grounded in her dedication to ensuring that children have access to high-quality education and opportunity. As Miller describes it on her campaign website, “Mentorship is so important to help them become effective leaders that can make a difference in the lives of others.” She appreciates the benefits of mentoring and after-school activities since they were essential to her own upbringing. Miller hopes to provide comparable chances for the youngsters in her district, highlighting the value of after-school activities in enhancing their lives with aspects of having purpose and hope. Along with that, Miller has vowed not to support any plan that plans on cutting the funding for education. It's important to note that although Miller has a distinct vision for children and education, she has not taken a stance on affirmative action.
ZHILE CAO
NYC City Council, District 25
As we approach the third week of the election, candidates are shifting their focuses to their policies on Healthcare, Sexual Rights, and Education. Hawx News spoke with Republican District 25 City Council candidate, Zhile Cao, regarding his policies.
Healthcare and Abortion
Zhile Cao supports accessible healthcare for all. “The current healthcare system in New York City is a mess and I do not support it. It enables companies to criminally overcharge its constituents and the public healthcare of New York City is laughable.” He advocates for comprehensive healthcare policies that will focus on affordability, equal access, and quality. On the topic of abortion, while he says that he cannot change anything federally, he also states, “I will not change the current abortion rights that are enjoyed in NYC.”
Education and Affirmative Action
“Education is universally important.” Cao’s main focus is to increase funding for public schools. He also wants to reduce class sizes and increase teachers’ salaries as means of creating more equality in schools. Additionally, he wants to protect children’s medical rights and keep specialized schools. When asked about his stance on AA, he said, “As an Asian immigrant I believe that affirmative action was a horrific attempt at encouraging diversity in colleges and universities. In fact the system in place without it is clearly more fair as taking into account one’s race only leads to more discrimination which in this case was usually aimed at reducing the number of Asians in higher education. In conclusion, I strongly support the Supreme Court’s ruling.”
Cao did not comment on LGBTQ+ or Sexual Rights. Further information can be found on Zhile Cao’s campaign website.
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DANIELLA MAY
NYC City Council, District 31
Hawx News spoke to district 31 city council candidate Daniella May regarding her policies on health care, abortion, LGBTQ+ & sexual rights, and education.
Healthcare
With experience as a nurse, Daniella May has firsthand experience with the healthcare system. She supports programs like medicare and believes in increased accessibility in district 31. According to her website, “A major focus of [Daniella’s] is to have a level-one trauma center placed strategically in Far Rockaway. Life-threatening injuries would force local residents to have to travel more than 10 miles away, creating a deadly situation.” In terms of abortion, she does not believe in late term abortion, setting the cutoff at 8 weeks.
LGBTQ+ & Sexual Rights
She told Hawx news that she “supports the gays, but she doesn’t want any media with gays in it exposed to children or in the classroom.” In other words, she wants a separation of LGBTQ+ topics from the school curriculum, leaving it up to parents to decide how they want their kids exposed to the topic of LGBTQ+ and sexual rights. She emphasized that she “still [wants] everyone to express themselves.”
Education
As for education, she wants to lift the cap on charter schools, supports private schools, catholic schools, vocational schools, and CTE (career in technical education) schools. She “wants students to be able to enter the workforce after highschool, since college is expensive.”
JONATHAN RINALDI
NYC City Council, District 24
Healthcare & Abortion
As a conservative running for city council, Rinaldi claims to be part of the medical freedom party, does not support pandemic mandates, and takes a pro-life stance. He has expressed concern for the effects of the covid vaccine, specifically the mRNA vaccine, on unborn children. Rinaldi has not yet expressed his stance on abortion.
LGBTQ+ & Sexual Rights
Rinaldi has not spoken much about sexual rights as a whole, however he does claim to want to create a better environment for kids in NYC to flourish and be successful. He claims he loves all his children regardless of race, color or religion. As an advocate of sperm donation, Rinaldi has also been known to support the LGBTQ community with his sperm donations.
Education & Affirmative Action
As a father, Rinaldi has a strong stance on bringing the parents of New York transparency on what their children are being taught in schools. He seems to be concerned about teaching children critical race theory as well as hypersexualization of content learned in the classroom. He also plans to bring back trade school instruction so students can build strong careers beyond graduation.