Category: Republicans

Oregon’s Bud Pierce Responds to #PwDsVote Gubernatorial Campaign Questionnaire

Bud Pierce standing outside in front of cherry blossoms

Oregon’s Bud Pierce Responds to #PwDsVote Gubernatorial Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 28, 2016

Bud Pierce

Washington, Sept. 28 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked gubernatorial candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Dr. Bud Pierce, a Republican challenging incumbent Gov. Kate Brown for the office of governor in Oregon, responded to the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

While Pierce did not answer each question individually, he sent a statement addressing several of the issues brought up in the questionnaire including the “dignity of work for all Oregonians.”

Washington’s Bill Bryant Responds to #PwDsVote Gubernatorial Campaign Questionnaire

Bill Bryant standing in a field outside wearing a blue sweater

Washington’s Bill Bryant Responds to #PwDsVote Gubernatorial Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 28, 2016

Bill Bryant

Washington, Sept. 28 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked gubernatorial candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Bill Bryant, a Republican challenging incumbent Gov. Jay Inslee for the office of governor in Washington state, responded to the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

While Bryant did not answer each question individually, he sent a letter addressing several of the issues brought up in the questionnaire including employment. He also talked about how his nephew’s disability influences his views.

22 Candidates Respond to #PwDsVote Down Ballot Campaign Questionnaire

Text in image: #PwDsVote 2016 Senate and Gubernatorial Disability Questionnaire, mage in background - two individuals at voting booths, one in a wheelchair and one using a white cane

22 Candidates Respond to #PwDsVote Down Ballot Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 23, 2016

22 Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates, as well as Hillary Clinton, Respond to #PwDsVote Campaign Questionnaire

Washington, Sept. 23 – As more candidates begin to understand the importance of including people with disabilities within their campaigns, they begin to think about issues of critical importance to the disability community.

A just-released Pew poll shows that voters with disabilities span the political and demographic spectrum and can determine who wins the elections.

Political campaigns know that this is a swing vote and Sec. Hillary Clinton has made this a new centerpiece of her campaign. Likewise, Republican Sen. Richard Burr in North Carolina has made it central to his re-election effort.

To date, 22 down ballot candidates have responded to the #PwDsVote 2016 Senate & Gubernatorial Disability Questionnaire, devoting time and energy to addressing disability issues. Since the first release earlier this month, seven additional politicians have submitted their responses – making a total of 22 candidates for Senate or Governor to have provided detailed answers about their views on these issues for people with disabilities.

This is the first time down-ballot candidates have been asked to complete a questionnaire about disability-related issues on such a wide scale.

Montana’s Greg Gianforte Responds to #PwDsVote Governor Campaign Questionnaire

Greg Gianforte standing outside in a blue collared shirt and jeans with mountains in the background

Montana’s Greg Gianforte Responds to #PwDsVote Governor Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 17, 2016

Greg Gianforte

Washington, Sept. 17 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked gubernatorial candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Greg Gianforte, a Republican seeking the governorship of Montana, responded to the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

Montana currently has the twelfth highest percentage of employed people of disabilities (40.5 percent), compared with 77.7 percent of people without disabilities. View the rankings of all 50 states and compare.

Geographically, Montana is in an employment hotspot for people with disabilities. It is bordered by Wyoming and the Dakotas, three states who have some of the highest rates of employment in the country for people with disabilities. This gives Montana the opportunity to closely communicate and collaborate with its neighbors to identify and employ best practices and improve outcomes for people with disabilities.

Illinois’ Mark Kirk Responds to #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Mark Kirk seated behind table with a microphone

Illinois’ Mark Kirk Responds to #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 15, 2016

Head shot of Mark Kirk with Capitol in background — Mark Kirk

Washington, Sept. 15 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked senate candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Incumbent Sen. Mark Kirk, a Republican running for re-election for the U.S. Senate in Illinois, responded to the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

Only 36 percent of Illinois’ more than 450,000 working-age people with disabilities are employed. This lack of opportunity creates poverty, powerlessness and even can increase the likelihood of developing a mental health condition.

While Kirk did not answer each question individually, he sent a statement addressing several of the issues brought up in the questionnaire including his own personal experience with disability and his record on improving lives for people with disabilities, as well as specific plans for students and veterans with disabilities.

Burr Campaign Launches Television Ad Touting Work on ABLE Act

Published by Philip Pauli on September 12, 2016

screenshot of Burr ad showing picture of the D'Amelios family — Screenshot of Burr’s Ad

Washington, Sept. 12 – One week after incumbent Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) completed RespectAbility’s #PwDsVote candidate questionnaire on disability issues, the campaign supporting his reelection efforts launched a new television ad focused on disability.

This new statewide political ad describes how the North Carolina Republican worked to get the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act passed and how this law empowers people with disabilities to save money without fearing the loss of essential benefits. The ad features a North Carolina family with two children on the Autism Spectrum and discusses how the entire family benefits from these new 529 savings accounts.

“Without Richard Burr, our children and other people’s children would not have the benefit of saving for their future,” Christie D’Amelio of Charlotte, North Carolina, says in the ad.

The YouTube version of the ad, which is the version embedded on the campaign’s website, and the Facebook upload, both include captioning, which is important for the 37.5 million American adults aged 18 and over who report some trouble hearing.

First Ever Senate / Governor Disability Vote Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 6, 2016

Washington, Sept. 6 – Employment. Stigma. Education. Criminal Justice. Independent Living. Sexual Assault. Housing. Transportation. Adaptive Technology. Fifteen candidates for Senate or Governor have given detailed answers about their views on these issues for people with disabilities.

The more than 56 million people with disabilities in the U.S. have a long list of policy concerns for the candidates running for governor and the U.S. Senate in 2016. Only one-in-three working-age Americans with a disability has a job, despite the fact that studies show that 70 percent want to work. Moreover, according to Disability & Criminal Justice Reform: Keys to Success, more than 750,000 people with disabilities are behind bars in our nation. Disability is the only minority group that people can join at any time due to accident, illness or aging.

RespectAbility, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization advancing opportunities for people with disabilities, asked candidates on both sides of the aisle to complete a 16 (for gubernatorial) or 17 (for Senate) question survey. The questionnaire asked for their positions on a range of issues important to the disability community, a group that makes up fully one-in-five Americans. Their answers are posted verbatim and in full here on The RespectAbility Report, a publication that covers the intersection of disability and politics.

This is the first time down-ballot candidates have been asked to complete a questionnaire about disability-related issues on such a wide scale.

How do Convention Goers at the RNC with Disabilities Feel about Trump and Republican Party?

crowd shot of RNC with sign in back saying "Make America Great Again"

How do Convention Goers at the RNC with Disabilities Feel about Trump and Republican Party?

Published by Annie Tohill on July 22, 2016

Note: RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit, is attending both conventions. We sought out attendees with disabilities to hear their thoughts about the convention. In this piece, we take a look at their opinions about Republican nominee Donald Trump, the Republican Party as a whole and the policies they would like to…

Who is Brock Mealer, the Motivational Speaker with a Disability, who Spoke Thursday Night at the RNC?

Brock Mealer walks onto the RNC stage using two canes

Who is Brock Mealer, the Motivational Speaker with a Disability, who Spoke Thursday Night at the RNC?

Published by Charles Butler on July 22, 2016

Cleveland, July 22 – “Mr. Trump, welcome to the club,” Brock Mealer said excitedly while standing at the podium of the Republican National Convention on Thursday night. The club he is referring to is the group of people who can say they overcame one percent odds and achieved success. According…

RNC Delegates with Disabilities Talk Accessibility

Image shows people in wheelchairs and with other disabilities seated at an ADA section at the RNC

RNC Delegates with Disabilities Talk Accessibility

Published by Annie Tohill on July 22, 2016

Note: RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit, is attending both conventions. We sought out attendees with disabilities to hear their thoughts about the convention. In this piece, we take a look at physical accessibility concerns. Cleveland, July 22 – While disability rights have not been discussed during the Republican National Convention, delegates…

Eric Trump Says Father is Running for Families with Special Needs Children: Voters Waiting on Plan Details

Eric Trump speaking at RNC wearing dark grey suit and pink tie, pointing to the crowd

Eric Trump Says Father is Running for Families with Special Needs Children: Voters Waiting on Plan Details

Published by Ben Spangenberg on July 21, 2016

Cleveland, July 21 – Eric Trump had one message to the Republican National Convention last night – his father is “running for you” – and, for the first time since the convention began Monday afternoon, his speech included America’s largest minority group – people with disabilities. “To single mothers, to…

Who is Margo Hudson, the Woman who Recited the Pledge of Allegiance at the RNC?

Margo Hudson, graduate of Seeds of Liberty delivers the Pledge of Allegiance as Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, stands in the background during the third day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Wednesday, July 20, 2016. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Who is Margo Hudson, the Woman who Recited the Pledge of Allegiance at the RNC?

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on July 20, 2016

Cleveland, July 20 – Margo Hudson passed the GED test in 2012 on her sixth try after deciding to start studying for her degree when she was 45 years old. Four years later, Hudson delivered the Pledge of Allegiance during the third evening of the Republican National Convention. While Hudson…

Second Night of RNC Elects to Make Only Some of America Work Again

Interior shot of the RNC showing the stage and arena full of people for the speeches

Second Night of RNC Elects to Make Only Some of America Work Again

Published by Nathan Shearer on July 20, 2016

Cleveland, July 20 – Following Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” last night’s theme of the Republican National Convention was “Make America Work Again.” A more appropriate title might have been “Make Some of America Work Again,” as the employment of people with disabilities was…

First Night of RNC Neglected Disability, Missing Opportunity for Voter Outreach

Donald Trump giving a thumbs up while standing with his wife Melania. Donald is in a black suit with white shirt and blue tie. Melania is in a white flowy dress.

First Night of RNC Neglected Disability, Missing Opportunity for Voter Outreach

Published by Nicole Rakusin on July 19, 2016

Cleveland, July 19 – The first night’s theme of the Republican National Convention was “Make America Safe Again,” but all of the speakers neglected to talk about the safety of America’s largest minority – people with disabilities. This was especially evident in Melania Trump’s speech when she said her husband…

Blind Singer Marlana VanHoose Blows Away Republican Convention with National Anthem

Published by James Trout on July 18, 2016

Cleveland, July 18 – The first night of the Republican National Convention opened with a moving performance of the Star Spangled Banner by Marlana VanHoose, a young woman who has been blind from birth and diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of two. “I love this country. It is…

Kasich Boycotts RNC, Signs Two Bills Addressing Developmental Disabilities

John Kasich standing in collared shirt and blazer behind a podium

Kasich Boycotts RNC, Signs Two Bills Addressing Developmental Disabilities

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on July 18, 2016

Cleveland, July 18 – Ohio Gov. John Kasich is not attending the Republican National Convention, even though it’s taking place in his state. The former Republican presidential hopeful, who has not endorsed presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, says he is focusing on his state instead. Kasich often talked about disability…

Clinton SuperPAC Continues to Target Trump on his Treatment of People with Disabilities

Clinton SuperPAC Continues to Target Trump on his Treatment of People with Disabilities

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on June 27, 2016

Washington, June 27 – The television ads attacking Donald Trump for his treatment of people with disabilities continue as Priorities USA, a pro-Clinton superPAC, released another ad targeting Trump’s treatment of people with disabilities. Like the superPAC’s previous ad Grace, this ad focuses on Trump apparently mocking a New York…

New Clinton SuperPAC Ad Attacks Trump on Disability Issues

Screenshot of Grace with arms stretch out smiling broadly with a guitar on her lap, seated in a wheelchair

New Clinton SuperPAC Ad Attacks Trump on Disability Issues

Published by Charles Butler on June 8, 2016

Washington, June 8 – The newest ad by Priorities USA, a pro-Clinton superPAC, puts disability front and center in swing states. As Clinton became the presumptive Democratic nominee with her wins on Tuesday, Priorities USA is attacking Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s character. Featuring the Chris and Lauren Glaros of…

Clinton: It Matters When Trump Makes Fun of Disabled People

Close-up of Hillary Clinton talking behind a podium in front of a large American flag

Clinton: It Matters When Trump Makes Fun of Disabled People

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on June 3, 2016

Washington, June 3 – In a speech outlining reasons Hillary Clinton finds Donald Trump to be unqualified for president, the likely Democratic nominee included Trump’s assumed mocking of a journalist with disability as one such reason among her lambasting of the presumptive Republican nominee on his foreign policies. “And it also matters…

Will Bernie, Hillary or Trump Win the California Disability Vote?

Text in Image: #PwDsVote 2016 Presidential Questionnaire: California Voter Guide, with headshots of three presidential candidates: Clinton, Sanders, Trump

Will Bernie, Hillary or Trump Win the California Disability Vote?

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on June 2, 2016

5.9 Million Eligible Voters with a Disability in California Washington, June 2 – Next week’s California primary is being called the final battleground for the Democratic primary. While Hillary Clinton is expected to secure the nomination in New Jersey, which also goes to the polls on June 7, California has become an…