Where do U.S. Senate candidates Michelle Nunn, a Democrat, and David Perdue, a Republican, stand on issues that are important to Georgians?
The Affordable Care Act
Nunn: Keep it, but with some changes. Wants to add a lower-cost, bare-bones tier of insurance to the health care exchanges, which is currently not permitted by the law's minimum benefit requirements. Wants to delay the mandate that all companies with 50 or more employees provide health insurance. Wants Georgia to expand Medicaid under the law.
Perdue: Repeal it, replace it with a comprehensive bill by Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Price of Roswell. The Price bill would provide tax credits for low-income people to buy insurance on the individual market while creating state-administered high-risk insurance pools and overhauling the medical malpractice system.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
Nunn: Wants Congress to vote on war authorization for an extended engagement with ISIS.
Perdue: Wants to see a clearer mission from President Barack Obama before committing ground troops.
Entitlement programs
Nunn: Supports "bipartisan entitlement reform," without endorsing any specific plans. Backs a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget that would exempt the Social Security trust fund from the requirement.
Perdue: Has said the national debt and unfunded liabilities from entitlement programs are the reason he got into the race, but also has been vague on specific changes. On Social Security, he wants to examine alternatives to the current system for younger workers.
Immigration
Nunn: Supports the Senate-passed comprehensive immigration bill that includes a 13-year path to citizenship for people here illegally who pay a fine and back taxes, among other hurdles. The bill also includes $46 billion for more border security and would overhaul the visa programs.
Perdue: Opposes the Senate bill. Wants to more strictly enforce current law until the border is deemed secure before any additional action is taken. Opposes "amnesty" in any form for immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally. Wants to overhaul the visa system for high-skilled immigrants.
Gay marriage
Nunn: Supports gay marriage personally but believes it should be left up to voters in individual states to decide whether it should be legal.
Perdue: Opposes gay marriage personally and supports the constitutional ban on it in Georgia.
Abortion
Nunn: Supports abortion rights, says the practice should be "safe, legal and rare."
Perdue: Opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest and to save the life of the mother. Wants to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Minimum wage
Nunn: Supports raising the wage from the current $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour.
Perdue: Opposes raising the minimum wage, an act that he says would kill jobs, citing studies by the National Restaurant Association and others.
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