Campaign Trail Results: Game #1316986
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 2012
 - Player Candidate: Mitt Romney
 - Running Mate: Rob Portman
 - Difficulty Level: Normal
 - Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
 - Game Played:
 
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View overall results, or a specific state: 
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % | 
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Mitt Romney | 275 | 63,548,688 | 49.48 | 
| ---- Barack Obama | 263 | 63,691,016 | 49.59 | 
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 886,346 | 0.69 | 
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 314,818 | 0.25 | 
Visits:
- Virginia:3
 - Florida:2
 - New Hampshire:2
 - Ohio:2
 - Iowa:1
 - Pennsylvania:1
 - Wisconsin:1
 
Answers:
- Do you believe the federal government is doing enough to enforce laws against employing illegal immigrants?E-Verify is a good start, but too many companies don't use it. It should be mandatory for any employer hiring more than a few employees.
 - A recent Supreme Court decision affirmed an Arizona law allowing officers to check suspected illegal immigrants for proof of immigration status. Do you think this law is a good idea?I don't want to comment on an issue that is best left to the voters of Arizona.
 - Should the United States have been so quick to drop its support for Hosni Mubarak in 2011, given recent events in Egypt?We have allowed one of the last moderate regimes in the Middle East to be replaced by Muslim fundamentalists. This is an unconscionable betrayal of our ally Israel and will harm American security.
 - How do you view the practice of hydraulic fracturing (aka 'fracking') in the Dakotas and elsewhere?This is a generational shift in the world energy game in the favor of the United States. There are plenty of regulations in place to protect our drinking water, and we simply cannot afford to miss out on the benefits of shale oil.
 - Should the United States contribute funds to help stabilize the European Union's sovereign debt problems, in order to prevent a possible debt contagion?I trust that the European Union will find a way to resolve this issue.
 - Would you support posting active U.S. Army troops on the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigration and drug smuggling?I don't agree with that course of action. The Border Patrol is in place to do just that job.
 - What is your position on gay marriage?Under no circumstances should the sacred institution of marriage be undermined. The Defense of Marriage Act was passed specifially to address this issue.
 - Do you support allowing the Bush Tax Cuts to expire for high-income households at the end of 2012?We should keep the tax cuts as is for the foreseeable future. I don't think it's sound economics to rise taxes on this group.
 - What do you think we should do next in regards to Social Security?You know, the projected shortfall that people talk of, we're not even talking about the Trust Fund making a net payout until 2033. Maybe there are some tweaks we can make to the program, but it is fundamentally sound.
 - What is your opinion on directing some Department of Education funding towards a school voucher program?This has the potential to develop into another out-of-control federal program. It's best not to go down that road.
 - Would it help our economy if government employment was increased? Or would this divert valuable resources from the private sector?It's dangerous to rely too much on government as opposed to the private sector. We shouldn't be looking at government spending and employment to resolve these issues.
 - The Affordable Care Act (i.e. 'Obamacare') will cap annual premiums, require minimum coverage levels, and outlaw discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions. What do you think?This is the wrong way to reform the American health care system. We should be focusing on malpractice reform and on cutting red tape for private insurers.
 - Would you support a Constitutional Amendment to overturn some provisions of the Citizens United ruling, affecting campaign finance by PAC's?Absolutely not. The right to disseminate one's political viewpoints freely is central to American democracy.
 - Should the DEA prosecute medicinal marijuana growers in states where that practice has been legalized?Absolutely. Marijuana is a dangerous controlled substance, and the federal government has a responsibility to enforce all laws that are currently on the books.
 - The maximum duration of unemployment insurance, with all extensions factored in, has been reduced from 99 weeks. Do you think this is appropriate in the current economic climate?Some economists estimate that the unemployment rate would be 1-2% lower if unemployment benefits were not so long in duration.
 - What is your opinion on the Tea Party movement?Conservatives operate under the "big tent" philosophy. This is just one of many valued groups within the conservative umbrella.
 - Should large banks like Chase, Citibank, and Bank of America be broken up to reduce the risk of another financial crisis?That's not the best solution for us to take. The last thing we need right now in the financial sector is some kind of arbitrary, destabilizing government action.
 - Without divulging a preference for any particular religious group, do you believe that America was founded as a Christian nation?This is an arcane debate. The First Amendment guarantees religious freedom in the U.S., and the personal beliefs of the founders are not a relevant policy issue.
 - Federal funding for Community Health Centers has more than doubled in the past ten years to over $2 billion annually. Is this an example of out of control government spending?Some money for these programs is fine. This particular one is definitely too large and should not continue to increase in size while the rest of our economy is struggling.
 - What is the best way to make college more affordable for young people?Student loans should be disbursed with regard to a student's major and grade point average. This would encourage students to choose productive majors and would decrease the debt burden for graduates later in life.
 - Tell us how you feel about the Keystone Pipeline.It's shameful that we're even having a debate on this. It just goes to show how much influence environmentalist groups have at the highest levels of government.
 - If elected, what will you do to repeal Obamacare?I will offer an alternative health care reform plan which doesn't regulate private insurers to such an unrealistic extreme. I will work for malpractice reform as well, so that unnecessary litigation does not continue to drive up the cost of health care.
 - What will be the overriding theme of your nomination speech at the Republican Convention?I will emphasize the point that the Republican Party has a big tent. We are the party for anyone who tries to work hard and get ahead in America.
 - What is your guiding foreign policy philosophy?American Exceptionalism -- Providence has given America to the world as an inspiration, and we must vigorously defend the ideals of peace and freedom wherever they may be threatened.
 - In the most general terms, what will be your overall campaign strategy against Obama?My surrogates have plenty of points to make about the failure of the Obama Administration. As the nominee, I will take the high road and stick to a message of optimism and American renewal.