Read more about the candidates:
Immigration
“If Congress refuses to act, as president I would do everything possible under the law to go even further [than President Obama]”
“We’re going to do a wall. We’re going to have a big, fat, beautiful door on the wall. We’re going to have people come in, but they’re going to come in legally. … Mexico’s going to pay for the wall.”
“If Congress refuses to act, as president I would do everything possible under the law to go even further [than President Obama]”
“We’re going to do a wall. We’re going to have a big, fat, beautiful door on the wall. We’re going to have people come in, but they’re going to come in legally. … Mexico’s going to pay for the wall.”
"I think we should make it as easy as possible for somebody who wants to come into this country and work to get a work visa."
"Our nation of immigrants needs a just immigration system that won't allow the ruling elite to divide working people."
Do you want to deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants?
Yes No
Yes No
Trump has said this numerous times in the past, but said in September he'd prioritize the deportation of 5 to 6.5 million people.
Yes No
Yes No
Trump has said this numerous times in the past, but said in September he'd prioritize the deportation of 5 to 6.5 million people.
Yes No
Yes No
Do you want to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Should “dreamers” have a clear path to citizenship?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Should Muslims face extra immigration hurdles?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Read more about immigration
Gun control
“33,000 Americans a year die [from guns]. It is time for us to say we are going to have comprehensive background checks, we are going to close the gun-show loopholes.”
“The right of self-defense doesn’t stop at the end of your driveway. That’s why I have a concealed-carry permit and why tens of millions of Americans do, too. That permit should be valid in all 50 states.”
“33,000 Americans a year die [from guns]. It is time for us to say we are going to have comprehensive background checks, we are going to close the gun-show loopholes.”
“The right of self-defense doesn’t stop at the end of your driveway. That’s why I have a concealed-carry permit and why tens of millions of Americans do, too. That permit should be valid in all 50 states.”
"In fact restricting guns makes things less safe, that's the camp that I'm in.”
“It is outrageous that politicians have refused to implement even small common sense steps such as comprehensive background checks for gun purchases due to fear of the NRA."
Do you support increased gun-control measures?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support increased background checks?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support an assault-weapons ban?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support expanding concealed-carry permits?
Unclear
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support allowing the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study gun violence?
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Unclear
Unclear
Yes No
Read more about gun control
The war on terror
“A more effective air campaign is necessary but not sufficient. We should be honest that to be successful, airstrikes will have to be combined with ground forces.”
“I would knock the hell out of ISIS in some form. I would rather not do it with our troops, you understand that.”
“A more effective air campaign is necessary but not sufficient. We should be honest that to be successful, airstrikes will have to be combined with ground forces.”
“I would knock the hell out of ISIS in some form. I would rather not do it with our troops, you understand that.”
"We must face the fact that ISIS is a murderous, violent movement driven by Sharia ideology, not by the religion of Islam."
"I would change our military so we get away from these catastrophic wars."
Do we need a significant increase in military spending?
Yes No
She has called for a commission to look at ways to “eliminate certain spending.”
Yes No
Yes No
She has called for a commission to look at ways to “eliminate certain spending.”
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Should we topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad?
Yes No
She has called for a political solution of the Syrians' own making.
Yes No
Yes No
She has called for a political solution of the Syrians' own making.
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Do we need a significantly increased military presence in Syria to battle the Islamic State?
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Yes No
Would you work with Russian President Vladimir Putin to battle the Islamic State?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support an increased military presence in other parts of the world that see increases in extremism?
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support greater domestic surveillance to identify extremists?
Yes No
Yes No
He has said certain mosques should be surveilled.
Yes No
Yes No
He has said certain mosques should be surveilled.
Yes No
Yes No
Read more about the war on terror
Trade
“Any trade deal has to produce jobs and raise wages and increase prosperity and protect our security.”
“I don’t mind free trade. I’m a free trader, I’m a very conservative person. They say: ‘He can’t be conservative, he doesn’t believe in free trade.’ I don’t believe in free trade. I believe in really, really smart trade, where we can come out on top — that’s what I believe in. All right?”
“Any trade deal has to produce jobs and raise wages and increase prosperity and protect our security.”
“I don’t mind free trade. I’m a free trader, I’m a very conservative person. They say: ‘He can’t be conservative, he doesn’t believe in free trade.’ I don’t believe in free trade. I believe in really, really smart trade, where we can come out on top — that’s what I believe in. All right?”
"We're the free-trade candidates here and we do support TPP."
"Replace corporate trade agreements with fair trade agreements."
Do you support the TPP?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support NAFTA and CAFTA?
Yes No
Wants to renegotiate NAFTA, does not support CAFTA.
Yes No
But he said in Mexico NAFTA must be "updated"
Yes No
Wants to renegotiate NAFTA, does not support CAFTA.
Yes No
But he said in Mexico NAFTA must be "updated"
Unclear
Has said NAFTA is good, now says he wouldn't have signed it.
Yes No
Do you support the idea of “free trade?”
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support increasing tariffs on trade partners?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Unclear
Read more about trade
Abortion
“I believe we need to protect access to safe and legal abortion, not just in principle but in practice.”
“Friends of mine years ago were going to have a child, and it was going to be aborted. And it wasn’t aborted. And that child today is a total superstar, a great, great child. And I saw that. And I saw other instances.”
“I believe we need to protect access to safe and legal abortion, not just in principle but in practice.”
“Friends of mine years ago were going to have a child, and it was going to be aborted. And it wasn’t aborted. And that child today is a total superstar, a great, great child. And I saw that. And I saw other instances.”
“Abortion is an unbelievably difficult decision that anyone should have to make. But only a woman should make it.”
"A woman's right to choose is a non-negotiable human right."
Do you support keeping abortion legal?
Yes No
Yes No
Except in the case of rape, incest and life of mother.
Yes No
Yes No
Except in the case of rape, incest and life of mother.
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support abortion if the life of the woman is at risk?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support abortion in the case of rape or incest?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support some restrictions on late-term abortions?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Read more about abortion
Entitlements
“I won't cut Social Security. ... I'll defend it, and I'll expand it.”
“I want to keep Social Security intact. ... I’m not going to cut it.”
“I won't cut Social Security. ... I'll defend it, and I'll expand it.”
“I want to keep Social Security intact. ... I’m not going to cut it.”
"And Social Security, I mean raising the retirement age for starters. Look, it's insolvent in the future.”
"Medicare for All is the only solution that will provide all Americans the comprehensive health care they need."
Should Social Security be cut?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Should Medicare be privatized?
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Yes No
Should the retirement age be raised?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Read more about entitlements
LGBT rights
“No future generation of LGBT Americans should live in a country that doesn’t embrace their full and equal rights.”
“I live in New York. I know many, many gay people. Tremendous people.”
“No future generation of LGBT Americans should live in a country that doesn’t embrace their full and equal rights.”
“I live in New York. I know many, many gay people. Tremendous people.”
"Fortunately, the Supreme Court finally confirmed that the Constitution protects Americans’ freedom to marry who they wish. That decision was long overdue."
"All women should have access to women's bathrooms."
Should transgender people be allowed to use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity?
Yes No
Yes No
If states allow and at Trump Tower.
Yes No
Yes No
If states allow and at Trump Tower.
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support same-sex marriage?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Read more about lgbt rights
Energy and the environment
“I won’t let anyone take us backward, deny our economy the benefits of harnessing a clean energy future, or force our children to endure the catastrophe that would result from unchecked climate change.”
“This very expensive global warming bullshit has to stop."
“I won’t let anyone take us backward, deny our economy the benefits of harnessing a clean energy future, or force our children to endure the catastrophe that would result from unchecked climate change.”
“This very expensive global warming bullshit has to stop."
"I do think that climate change is occurring, that it is man-caused."
"Climate change will cause more flooding and heat waves. We need to make it a priority while we have time to mitigate it."
Do you believe in climate change?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Should offshore drilling be banned?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Should the U.S. stay in the Paris climate accord?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Wants something totally different.
Should fracking be banned?
Yes No
Supports regulations on existing fracking sites, and opposes future drilling.
Yes No
Yes No
Supports regulations on existing fracking sites, and opposes future drilling.
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Should construction of the Keystone XL pipeline resume?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Read more about energy and the environment
The economy
“Throughout this campaign, I’ve said that creating good-paying jobs and raising incomes is the defining economic challenge of our time, and that in order to get where I want us to go, we need growth that is strong, fair and long-term.”
“I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created. I tell you that.”
“Throughout this campaign, I’ve said that creating good-paying jobs and raising incomes is the defining economic challenge of our time, and that in order to get where I want us to go, we need growth that is strong, fair and long-term.”
“I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created. I tell you that.”
"If I could wave a magic wand, I would eliminate income tax. I would eliminate corporate tax. And I would replace it with one federal consumption tax."
“We need an emergency jobs program, like the New Deal.”
Should the minimum wage be raised?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Wants to raise to $15 an hour.
Should taxes be raised on the wealthiest Americans?
Yes No
Unclear
Has said no, but plan has cuts across the board with benefits to the wealthy.
Yes No
Unclear
Has said no, but plan has cuts across the board with benefits to the wealthy.
Yes No
Wants to eliminate income tax.
Yes No
Should the U.S. tax corporate profits stashed overseas?
Yes No
Yes No
Supports a one-time repatriation, taxed at the reduced rate of 10 percent.
Yes No
Yes No
Supports a one-time repatriation, taxed at the reduced rate of 10 percent.
Unclear
Yes No
Read more about the economy
Health care
“Affordable health care is a basic human right.”
“We are going to repeal Obamacare. We are going to replace Obamacare with something so much better.”
“Affordable health care is a basic human right.”
“We are going to repeal Obamacare. We are going to replace Obamacare with something so much better.”
"The idea that government can require an individual to buy something simply because that individual exists and breathes in America is an incredible blow to the bedrock principles of freedom and liberty. "
"We pay twice as much for health care than most industrial nations, yet they get better care and cover everyone. We need single payer."
Should Obamacare be replaced?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
With her "Medicare for All" single-payer system.
Do you support the individual mandate?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Should Medicaid be expanded?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Read more about health care
Criminal justice
“There is something wrong when trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve breaks down as far as it has in many of our communities.”
“I have to say that the police are absolutely mistreated and misunderstood.”
“There is something wrong when trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve breaks down as far as it has in many of our communities.”
“I have to say that the police are absolutely mistreated and misunderstood.”
“If you are [black and] arrested in a drug-related crime, there is four times more likelihood of going to prison than if you are white.”
"The corporatization of our prisons has enabled systematic racism that must end."
Do you support the death penalty?
Yes No
But only for limited, heinous crimes.
Yes No
Yes No
But only for limited, heinous crimes.
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Should police body cameras be mandatory?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Unclear
Should mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenders be reformed?
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Yes No
Should prisons be privatized?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Should ex-felons be allowed to vote?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Read more about criminal justice
Education
"I want everyone to be able to refinance your student loans so you never have to pay more than you can afford."
"I’m a tremendous believer in education, but education has to be at a local level.”
"I want everyone to be able to refinance your student loans so you never have to pay more than you can afford."
"I’m a tremendous believer in education, but education has to be at a local level.”
"Students have been sold a bill of goods."
“I would cancel student debt like we did for the guys on Wall Street who crashed the economy.”
Do you support charter schools?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support Common Core?
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Should be there be some moratorium on student debt?
Yes No
Unclear
Said he is going to do "something with extensions and lower interest rates.”
Yes No
Unclear
Said he is going to do "something with extensions and lower interest rates.”
Yes No
Opposes student loans and wants to arrange lower interest rates for current loans.
Yes No
Wants to abolish student debt.
Read more about education
Campaign finance
“We need a Supreme Court that will . . . say no to Citizens United, a decision that has undermined the election system in our country.”
"These super PACs are a disaster, by the way, folks. Very corrupt. It’s going to lead to lots of disasters."
“We need a Supreme Court that will . . . say no to Citizens United, a decision that has undermined the election system in our country.”
"These super PACs are a disaster, by the way, folks. Very corrupt. It’s going to lead to lots of disasters."
"Any sort of public financing empowers incumbency."
“As the only candidate that is not poisoned by corporate money, lobbyists or super PACs, I can actually stand up for what it is that we need.”
Should the Citizens United decision be overturned?
Yes No
Unclear
But he has criticized the decision.
Yes No
Unclear
But he has criticized the decision.
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support more disclosure of political spending?
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Unclear
Yes No
Yes No
Do you support public financing?
Yes No
Candidates could get a certain amount of public matching funds.
Unclear
But he has said, "I think it’s fine."
Yes No
Candidates could get a certain amount of public matching funds.
Unclear
But he has said, "I think it’s fine."
Yes No
Yes No
Read more about campaign finance
Amber Phillips, Jenna Johnson, Abby Phillip, Sean Sullivan, John Wagner, David Weigel and Allison Michaels contributed to this graphic.
Candidate illustrations by Ben Kirchner for The Washington Post.
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