Card image cap

John Rutherford's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Office:

On The Ballot: Running, Republican for U.S. House (FL) - District 5

Key

Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.
What is the Political Courage Test?

Issue Positions

For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2024.

  • "Two years ago today, SCOTUS returned the decision of abortion to the voters by overturning Roe v. Wade. I’m encouraged by the progress we've made to defederalize this horrific act that has robbed millions of unborn children of their God-given right to life." (x.com)
  • "Unborn babies are living beings, made in God's image. They deserve our protection. I am praying for the Supreme Court's discernment during today's hearing on the future of abortion in the U.S." (x.com)
  • Rated 100% by National Right to Life Committee (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted for "H.R. 26 "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of "H.R. 26 "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "All Americans benefit from a strong economy. The Limit, Save, Grow Act will stop out-of-control federal spending, grow the economy, & protect Medicare & Social Security. It's time for @POTUS to respond to @HouseGOP's good-faith effort to avoid default." (x.com)
  • Rated 0% by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 13% by the Alliance for Retired Americans (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against S. 610 "Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "I was proud to support the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which has unleashed unprecedented economic growth in the United States. In the last six years we have seen historically low unemployment rates, record-breaking investment in American companies, and economic expansion throughout the United States." (rutherford.house.gov)
  • "Keeping tax rates low for Americans at every income level allows more households to invest their hard-earned dollars, increase business investments, create jobs, raise wages, and grow our recovering economy." (x.com)
  • "Voted to support President Trump’s tax cuts for families and small businesses, putting more money in your pocket and creating more jobs in our communities. Supported hundreds of millions of dollars of our tax money coming back to Northeast Florida to fund transportation and logistics projects that support tens of thousands of jobs" (johnrutherfordforcongress.com)
  • Rated 68% by the National Tax Limitation Committee (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by the National Association of Police Organizations (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Democrats are pushing a "police reform" bill to eliminate qualified immunity. Qualified immunity only applies to officers who follow the law, their training, and their department policy. It must be protected. Without it, there is no law enforcement." (x.com)
  • Voted against H.R. 7120 "George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ".@HouseGOP's FY24 NDAA protects U.S. interests, bolsters our national security, & holds China accountable. I am proud to restore the focus of our military on warfighting and not on President Biden’s misguided woke policies." (x.com)
  • "Through the FY24 NDAA, @HouseGOP is protecting American interests, holding China accountable, and curbing the spread of malign influence at home and abroad. Our bill sends a clear message to the CCP and our adversaries that the United States will never back down." (x.com)
  • "If we want to keep America safe, we must provide for our military and their families. That is why I was proud to vote in favor of this year’s NDAA and hope to see it signed into law." (rutherford.house.gov)
  • Voted for H.R. 3746 "Limit, Save, Grow Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 3746 "Limit, Save, Grow Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ".@POTUS' record high spending is threatening the financial stability of generations to come. @HouseGOP passed a plan to limit spending, grow the economy & save $4.8 trillion. Democrats need to prioritize our country & negotiate responsibly." (x.com)
  • "I will not ask my constituents in Northeast Florida to pay for YEARS of fiscal mismanagement by cities like San Francisco. Speaker Pelosi is playing dirty politics by tying covid relief to absurd bailouts for her cronies, hoping the taxpayer won’t notice." (x.com)
  • "Inflation has skyrocketed under President Biden due to reckless spending & executive overreach. In just two years, President Biden has signed over 100 executive orders, only further adding to the inflationary burden all Americans are forced to bear." (x.com)
  • Rated 84% by Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 8294 "Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related agencies Appropriations Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted for HR 5735 "THRIVE Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Older public housing units are often not up to code, leaving residents exposed to potential hazards," said Congressman Rutherford. "I am proud to join Congresswoman Watson Coleman to reintroduce the bipartisan Public Housing Fire Safety Act to provide grants to public housing authorities as they update older facilities with sprinkler systems. This simple change can prevent unnecessary disasters and ensure residents, their belongings, and our fire rescue teams are kept safe." (rutherford.house.gov)
  • "It is inexcusable that some living in public housing have experienced dangerous levels of lead exposure, threatening their health and safety. I am proud to join @RepAlLawsonJr & a bipartisan coalition working to hold HUD accountable for any lead-based hazards in their facilities." (x.com)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5735 "THRIVE Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Prices on everyday items, like eggs, bread, & gas, rose by 5.4% from last June. American families are seeing the highest level of inflation in 13 years thanks to the radical agenda of the Biden Admin. Remember, #bidenflation is a hidden tax on low & middle-income Americans." (x.com)
  • Rated 84% by Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against H.R. 4521 "America COMPETES Act of 2022" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against H.R. 5376 "Build Back Better Act (Inflation Reduction Act of 2022)" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "@POTUS's student loan forgiveness plan undermines the effectiveness of offering an education benefit as a recruiting tool for our military at a time when recruitment levels are already dangerously low. I have joined my colleagues in addressing the harm these handouts will cause." (x.com)
  • "Last summer, President Biden announced a plan to cancel student loan debt for borrowers making less than $125k a year. This plan bypasses Congress's authority & exploits language in the 2003 HEROES Act to shift the obligation to repay these loans from borrowers to every American." (x.com)
  • "Today, I voted to overturn the Biden Administration’s unlawful student loan bailout. The president's loan forgiveness plan shifts the responsibility of paying student loans from borrowers to all taxpayers & sets a dangerous precedent that encourages irresponsible borrowing." (x.com)
  • Voted against H.R. 2547 "Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Florida's environment is a central part of our state's economy and way of life. I take seriously the responsibility to be a good steward of our environment, so that it can be there for generations to come. That is why I have worked to protect our environment through prudent regulation that prevents unnecessary harm. This includes my work to ban offshore drilling off the coast of Florida, reduce the impact of flooding, protect the North Atlantic right whale, and better manage our fisheries." (rutherford.house.gov)
  • "Supported protecting our coastal waters and banning oil drilling off the coast of Florida" (johnrutherfordforcongress.com)
  • "Worked to protect our beaches, ocean, and waterways from offshore drilling" (johnrutherfordforcongress.com)
  • Rated 92% by the American Energy Alliance (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "After seven years of broken promises, it is clear that Obamacare is on the path to collapse and the American people are paying the price. Just this week, we saw two more announcements of insurance carriers leaving the marketplace, leaving consumers with few or even no choices for coverage. Obamacare has given us fewer choices, skyrocketing premiums, higher deductibles, and higher taxes. It is not working and we must act. I promised the people of Northeast Florida that we would protect them from this misguided law, and today we have voted to do just that." (rutherford.house.gov)
  • "Unfortunately, since the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), we have seen higher premiums, larger deductibles, and fewer choices for patients." (rutherford.house.gov)
  • Voted against H.R. 1425 "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against H.R. 3 "Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against H.R. 6833 "The Affordable Insulin Now Act" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Americans deserve a path forward that makes the highest quality healthcare affordable to all Americans. This includes making prescription drugs more affordable, covering those with pre-existing conditions, giving families greater choice and flexibility in purchasing coverage that best fits their need, and supporting research and development of treatments and cures." (rutherford.house.gov)
  • "Lower prescription drug costs for everyone. Supported President Trump’s efforts to lower prescription drug prices for seniors" (johnrutherfordforcongress.com)
  • "The #BuildBackBlunder is NOT infrastructure - it's a tax and spend government expansion that doubles the size of the IRS, gives 8+ million illegals amnesty, and gives tax subsidies to rich blue state elites, paid for by Floridians." (x.com)
  • Rated 92% by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted for HR 2 "Secure the Border Act of 2023" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted for HR 2494 - "POLICE Act of 2023" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2 "Secure the Border Act of 2023" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 2494 - "POLICE Act of 2023" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "What we’re seeing in Ukraine is the tragic consequence of an evil & aggressive dictatorship. Putin invaded a sovereign nation for no legitimate reason, & he must be held accountable. The U.S. and our allies must impose the maximum possible sanctions & leave nothing off the table." (x.com)
  • "Yesterday, I joined my colleagues to pass H.R. 5961 to freeze Iranian funds & impose sanctions on foreign financial institutions that facilitate transactions using the $6 billion in Iranian oil revenue the Biden Admin released through a prisoner exchange earlier this year." (x.com)
  • Voted for HR 5692: "Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted for H.R. 7691 "Making emergency supplemental appropriations for assistance for the situation in Ukraine for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5692: "Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 7691 "Making emergency supplemental appropriations for assistance for the situation in Ukraine for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The bill also mandates that the Biden Administration provide Congress an end-game strategy for involvement in Ukraine, including metrics and specific achievable objectives, that prioritizes U.S. national interests. Additionally, it includes cost-matching for economic aid to Ukraine to ensure other countries do their part. If we fail to support our allies and friends now, the cost of American national security will be paid in more American blood." (rutherford.house.gov)
  • "What we’re seeing in Ukraine is the tragic consequence of an evil & aggressive dictatorship. Putin invaded a sovereign nation for no legitimate reason, & he must be held accountable. The U.S. and our allies must impose the maximum possible sanctions & leave nothing off the table." (x.com)
  • Voted for HR 5692: "Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted for S. 3522 "Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5692: "Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S. 3522 "Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Our national security and data security are at risk as long as TikTok is sharing our private data with ByteDance and the Chinese Communist Party." (x.com)
  • "Today, the House passed H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. I voted yes to protect 170 million Americans from Chinese Communist Party surveillance and propaganda by requiring TikTok to divest themselves from CCP ownership." (x.com)
  • Voted for HR 7521: "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act " (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 7521: "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act " (justfacts.votesmart.org)

Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.

arrow_upward