Heidi Heitkamp vs Rick Berg

Heidi Heitkamp is the Democratic candidate for US Senator in North Dakota in the 2012 elections for the Senate. Rick Berg is the Republican candidate.

Comparison chart

 
Improve this chart Heidi Heitkamp

Rating: 3.5/5 (67 votes)

Rick Berg

Rating: 3.1/5 (60 votes)

Rick Berg
Political Party: Democrat Republican
Budget: Supports Balanced Budget Amendment but wants exemptions for programs like Medicare Supports Balanced Budget Amendment
Tax Policy: Wants to increase taxes on those who earn over $1 million a year Wants to extend tax cuts and eliminate estate tax
Social Security: Opposes any cuts Opposed privatization and believes should be funded through oil drilling on federal lands
“Obamacare”: Initially supported, but has since distanced herself from the bill. Opposes Obamacare reform
Medicare: Supports Medicare Supports, but has proposed cuts to the program.
Abortion: No public stance Opposes Abortion
Gay Rights: Believes gay marriage is an issue for the states. Opposes gay marriage
Immigration: No clearly stated policies. Opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants and wants to tighten up the borders.
Education: Opposes centralized control No clearly stated policies
Women’s Rights: Supports access to contraceptives Opposes mandates that insurers cover contraceptives.
Gun Control: No public stance Opposes gun control
Energy Independence: Supports Supports
Energy Policy: Wants to invest in sustainable, renewable power sources. Wants to increase offshore drilling and drilling on federal lands.
Environmental Policy: Supports cuts to the farm bill, but wants to protect crop insurance. Supports cuts to the farm bill, including crop insurance.
Iran: No public stance Supports economic sanctions.
Afghanistan: Supported removal of troops Opposed removal of troops
Date of Birth: October 30th 1955 August 15th 1959
Logo of Republican and Democratic parties
Logo of Republican and Democratic parties

Contents

edit Early Life and Career

Heidi Heitkamp grew up in Mantador, North Dakota, in a family of 9. She attended the University of North Dakota for her BA and got her JD from Lewis and Clark. She worked as the state tax commissioner from 1988 to 1992 and served as state attorney general from 1993 to 2001. She is currently a director of the Dakota Gasification Company,

Rick Berg grew up in Maddock, North Dakota, and studied Agricultural Studies at North Dakota State University. After graduation, he co-founded Goldmark Commercial Corporation, a real-estate firm. He has served in the North Dakota House of Representatives since 1984 and has been the U.S. Representative for North Dakota since January 2011.

edit Differences in Economic Policy

edit Tax Policy

Heidi Heitkamp supports a minimum 30% tax rate for those who earn over $1 million a year. [1]

Rick Berg wants to extend the tax cuts passed by George W. Bush and repeal estate tax and the death tax. [2]

edit Regulation

Heidi Heitkamp supports a Balanced Budget Amendment, but wants exemptions for programs like Medicare that provide services to the poor and the elderly. [3]

Rick Berg supports the Balanced Budget Amendment, a law that would prevent the US government from spending more than its income. [4]

edit Social Security

Heidi Heitkamp believes in protecting Medicare and Social Security, as workers have contributed to these schemes with expectations of returns in the future. [5]

Rick Berg opposes privatizing Social Security and believes money should be raised for the program through oil drilling on federally-owned land. [6]

edit Healthcare Policy

Heidi Heitkamp is extremely supportive of Critical Access Hospitals. She supported Obama's healthcare reform in 2010, but she has since criticized parts of the program for its federal mandate to purchase insurance and the amount of red tape involved. [7]

Rick Berg supports the critical access hospital program, which provides assistance to rural hospitals. He wants to repeal Obama’s health care bill. [8]

edit Social Issues

edit Abortion

Heidi Heitkamp has not made her stance on abortion public.

Rick Berg opposes legal abortion. [9]

edit Immigration

Heidi Heitkamp has yet to speak about immigration.

Rick Berg opposed amnesty for illegal immigrants. He wants immigration reform to focus on securing the borders of the US. [10]

edit Gay rights

Heidi Heitkamp believes gay marriage is an issue that should be decided by individual states. [11]

Rick Berg opposes gay marriage. [12]

edit Women’s Rights

Heidi Heitkamp has accused Republican candidates of an “assault on women’s health and freedom.” She supports access to contraception. [13]

Rick Berg opposes laws that require healthcare plans to cover contraceptives. [14]

edit Education Policy

Heidi Heitkamp is against centralized control over education. [15]

Rick Berg has not spoken about education policy.

edit Gun Control

Heidi Heitkamp has not made her stance on gun control clear.

Rick Berg received A and A+ ratings from the National Rifle Association for his stance on gun rights. [16]

edit Energy Policy

Heidi Heitkamp aims to reduce North Dakota’s dependence on oil from the Mideast and to invest in sustainable, renewable power sources, such as wind and solar power. [17]

Rick Berg wants to curtail EPA regulations and supports drilling for oil in federal lands, such as the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, to provide funding for social security. He supports an increase in offshore oil and gas sales and supports energy independence. [18]

edit Environmental Policy

Heidi Heitkamp supports a cut in the farm bill, but wants to protect crop insurance. [19]

Rick Berg supports funding agricultural reform and reducing restrictions on the industry. [20]

edit Differences in Foreign Policy

edit Position on Iran

Heidi Heitkamp has not spoken about her stance on Iran.

Rick Berg supports economic sanctions against Iran until Iran stops pursuing nuclear weapons and supporting terrorist groups. [21]

edit Position of Afghanistan

Heidi Heitkamp supported the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. [22]

Rick Berg voted against removing US armed forces from Afghanistan. [23]

edit Debates

edit First Debate

The first debate between Heitkamp and Berg was Sept. 5 in Bismarck and sponsored by the North Dakota Broadcasters Association. Among the topics debated were Social Security, taxes and the state’s oil boom. The audio for the full debate is included below:

edit Second Debate

The second debate was held at Prairie Public Broadcasting in Fargo. The full video is presented below:

edit Recent News

edit Heitkamp vs Berg in Opinion Polls

This is an extremely tight race with Rick Berg and Heidi Heitkamp both running neck and neck in the opinion polls.

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Heidi Heitkamp (D) Rick Berg (R)
Mason-Dixon October 3-5, 2012 47% 47%
Rasmussen Reports July 10–11, 2012 40% 49%
Mason Dixon June 4–6, 2012 47% 46%
Forum Communications Co. May 3-8, 2012 44% 51%

edit See Also

edit References

Comments: Heidi Heitkamp vs Rick Berg

Comment anonymously

Anonymous comments

There are no anonymous comments yet for Heidi Heitkamp vs. Rick Berg.

Search for a comparison
Mail