Republican Candidate

Hot Button Issues

Democrat Candidate

Joe Courtney (Incumbent)

https://courtney.house.gov

Congressman Joe Courtney was elected in 2006 to represent the Second Congressional District of Connecticut in the House of Representatives. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee, and House Education and Labor Committee.

As a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, Congressman Courtney has worked to strengthen our nation’s defense by leading the call for increased submarine production. When Courtney arrived in Congress, Electric Boat was facing significant workforce reductions, and, for the first time in 50 years, was not actively designing the next generation of submarine. Because of funding secured by Courtney through his committee work, the men and women of Electric Boat have been building two submarines per year since 2011.

Dedicated to protecting the environment, Courtney introduced and won passage of a law that designated the Eightmile River in Connecticut as a part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Thanks to his efforts, this pristine and scenic watershed will be preserved for generations to come.

Before serving in Congress, Courtney represented the citizens of Vernon in the Connecticut General Assembly from 1987 to 1994.

Platforms

Joe Courtney has had a number of interviews. We captured the transcript from these interviews, and used chatGPT to assess Joe’s platform positions.

Importance of Social Security

He stresses that Social Security is not just for the elderly but also benefits young people and those with disabilities. He argues that the program is fundamental to economic security across different life events, including disability and the loss of a family provider

Industrial and Defense Policy

Joe Courtney emphasizes the importance of maintaining a steady procurement of submarines to support the industrial base and employment in the defense sector. He highlights that a consistent order of two submarines per year since 2011 has been crucial for rebuilding the industrial base, providing job security and encouraging investment.

Defense Spending

Courtney touches on the fiscal responsibility act that limits growth in defense spending to 1%

Workplace Safety

Joe Courtney is deeply committed to enhancing workplace safety, particularly for healthcare workers who face increased risks from assaultive behavior.

Legislation Against Junk Fees

Courtney supports legislative efforts to combat deceptive business practices related to junk fees. He played a role in passing the TICKET Act, which mandates companies to advertise the complete price of a ticket upfront, thereby preventing surprise fees during the purchasing process. He has brought this up in multiple interviews.

International Relations

Courtney discusses the importance of international alliances, specifically highlighting the AUKUS agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He emphasizes the strategic benefits of this partnership, particularly in enhancing Australia’s submarine capabilities, which aligns with U.S. interests in maintaining a strong presence in the Pacific against rising challenges.

Economic Measures and Legislation

He discusses his legislative efforts and their impact on his district, including economic measures that support local businesses and healthcare services. Courtney also mentions his support for broader economic reforms and trade policies that consider the interests of local industries and workers.

Voting Record

We can tell a lot from a candidate about their voting record.

HeathCare / Veterans

Reproductive Rights

Business

LGBTQ+

2nd Amendment

Defense

News Articles

About Joe Courtney

Congressman Joe Courtney was elected in 2006 to represent the Second Congressional District of Connecticut in the House of Representatives. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee, and House Education and Labor Committee.

Congressman Courtney is the Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces. According to a review by House Historians Office, Courtney is the first known member from Connecticut to lead a naval oversight panel in the House of Representatives since 1873, when Stephen W. Kellogg of Waterbury served as Chair of the Committee on Expenditures in the Navy Department in the 42nd Congress (1871-1873). Prior to that, Samuel Ingham, a two-term Congressman with connections to Hebron, Jewett City (Griswold) and Essex, served as chair of the Committee on Navy Affairs in the 25th Congress (1837-1839).

In addition, he co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus along with Rep. Rob Wittman of Virginia.

Mike France

https://votemikefrance.com/

Mike France is a career Naval Officer who has dedicated his entire adult life to the service of our nation. Growing up in Southern California, Mike graduated from high school and enlisted in the United States Navy, completing one deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. During his first enlistment, Mike was awarded an ROTC scholarship and attended the University of Southern California earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. Following his commissioning, Mike would go on to complete another three deployments in support of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Southern Watch.

“My family instilled in me the value of hard work, service and above all responsibility for our ourselves, our community and our future.”

Platforms

Mike France has had a number of interviews. We captured the transcript from these interviews, and used chatGPT to assess Mike’s platform positions.

Budget and Fiscal Responsibility

Mike France advocates for clear legislative definitions of budget cuts and allocations to prevent executive overreach. He opposes cuts to education that affect municipal aid, emphasizing the negative impacts on local communities, and supports policies that ensure stable fiscal management. He is critical of passing unresolved budget issues onto towns, advocating for fiscal governance that stabilizes community funding.

Taxation and Revenue

France supports a more practical approach to lowering income tax rates to make the state more competitive, emphasizing a gradual reduction rather than immediate cuts. He criticizes the practice of setting sunset clauses on taxes, arguing it creates uncertainty for businesses and individuals.

Labor and Employment

He opposes a $15 minimum wage, arguing that the market should dictate wages and expressing concern about potential increased automation and job loss due to higher mandated wages. On paid family and medical leave, he cautions against mandates that could lead employers to hire more part-time workers to avoid costs, suggesting it could stunt business growth

Education

France proposes improvements to technical education accessibility, suggesting a bridge program for students to enter technical schools after starting in traditional settings. He advocates for consistent and fair funding formulas that reflect actual student numbers and needs, supporting phased approaches to prevent sudden financial impacts on municipalities.

Transportation

He questions the necessity of tolls, advocating for using existing revenues more efficiently before imposing new tolls, and stresses the need for federal consultation before implementing toll systems that could affect federal funding.

Energy Policy

France acknowledges the importance of green energy sources while emphasizing the need to consider the economic implications and energy security, particularly regarding nuclear energy. He stresses the importance of maintaining energy independence and criticizes recent shifts away from fossil fuel use without adequate replacements

Healthcare and Public Welfare

He expresses concern about the implications of healthcare mandates on small businesses, suggesting that too aggressive mandates could harm economic growth and business sustainability. France argues that government intervention in sectors like healthcare has led to increased costs. He advocates for less government involvement and more free-market solutions.

Death Penalty

Mike France seems to support the death penalty and suggests that if a statewide referendum were possible, the death penalty might be reinstated based on public support.

Reproductive Rights

France states that while he listens to pro-choice constituents who generally oppose late-term abortions and believe in reasonable limits, he supports setting a federal standard, suggesting that a 15-week limit aligns with what he sees as a reasonable consensus among his constituents and international standards. In 2022 France suggested it should be primarily a state issue rather than federal. He opposes late-term abortions and supports “reasonable limits” on abortion

Defense and Military Strategy

France strongly highlights the importance of national security, particularly through strengthening the U.S. submarine fleet and naval capabilities. He criticizes current strategies and suggests that the U.S. needs to enhance its military readiness, especially in response to global threats from nations like China and Russia

Voting Record

We can tell a lot from a candidate about their voting record. The names of bills do not necessarily reflect what’s inside them. Someone might be for Mandatory Childhood Vaccines but vote against the bill due the way that they believe it was implemented. 

HeathCare

Business

Law and Order

Discrimination

Environment

Voting

Education

About Mike

Mike France is currently serving his fourth term as State Representative representing the 42nd District, which includes most of Ledyard, all of Preston and a portion of the Uncasville and Oakdale sections of Montville. For the 2021-2022 session, Representative France was appointed to serve as Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee by House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora. He will continue to serve on the General Administration and Elections Committee. Ranking members serve as a liaison to caucus members regarding the important issues from each individual committee.

Previously, he served as Ranking Member of the General Administration and Elections Committee, and as a member of the Planning & Development Committee. Representative France also serves as Chairman of the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA) Conservative Caucus.

The son of a career Naval officer, Mike resided in several locations before settling in Southern California in 1971.  After graduating from Herbert Hoover High School in San Diego, he enlisted in the Navy in 1981 and served as an Interior Communications Electrician in USS GUITARRO (SSN 665), completing one Western Pacific and Indian Ocean deployment.  After being awarded an ROTC scholarship, Mike attended the University of Southern California, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1987.  Following graduation, he served as the Damage Control Assistant in USS MARS (AFS 1) and the Combat System Officer/Navigator in USS REEVES (CG 24), completing three Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf deployments in support of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Southern Watch.

In 1993, Mike was selected to become an Engineering Duty Officer and attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, earning two degrees:  a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and the Degree of Electrical Engineer, completing a thesis titled, “Design of an Algorithm for Minimizing LORAN-C Time Difference Error”.  Upon graduation, he transferred to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, serving in several supervisory positions, ultimately as the Project Superintendent for the $18 million overhaul of USS DOLPHIN (AGSS 555).  In 2002, Mike transferred to Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Groton, Connecticut, serving as the Program Manager’s Representative (PMR) for the VIRGINIA (SSN 774) Class Submarine Non-Propulsion Electronics System (NPES) Assistant Program Manager (APM).  Mike retired from the Navy in 2005 after serving 20 years on active duty.

Following retirement from the Navy, Mike was hired by Progeny Systems Corporation as a Senior Systems Engineer.  In August 2005, he earned a Master of Science degree in Organizational Management from Eastern Connecticut State University.  Mike was promoted to Engineering Manager in 2008 and served as the Joint Interoperability certification lead for Program Executive Officer, Submarines (PEO Sub) through 2018, responsible for certification for joint interoperability of the submarine fleet. He currently serves as the Joint Interoperability lead for the VIRGINIA (SSN 774) Class Submarine program and also supports the Integrated Combat System (ICS) Test and Evaluation (T&E) Team.

In November 2011, Mike was elected to the Ledyard Town Council and assigned to serve as the Chair of the Finance Committee.  During his tenure, he also served the residents of Ledyard as the Town Council Liaison to the Permanent Municipal Building Committee, Historic District Commission, Conservation Commission and Pension Board.  In May 2013, Mike was elected to the Republican State Central Committee, representing the 19th District. He is a member of Somerset-St. James Lodge No. 34 in Preston.

Mike lives in Gales Ferry with his wife, Heather. They have six children: Brandon, Annemarie, Laurel, Marguerite, Brittney and Frederick; and four grandchildren.  His interests include tennis, golf and genealogy.

Hot Button Issues

A list of definitions for each issue can be found here.

Reproductive RightsGun RightsCivil RightsLaw and OrderTerm LimitsCRT
Joe CourtneyPro ChoiceSome RegulationFull SupportNo ReplyNo ReplyTeach History,
Not CRT
Mike FrancePro LifeLess RegulationsMixed SupportIncreased Police ProtectionNo ReplyStrongly Against
2nd Congressional