2012 SelectSmart.com Presidential Candidate Selector Positions Charlie Crist (born July 24, 1956), is an American politician of the Republican Party and the current Governor of Florida.

Foreign policy and war issues: Statements on a two-state solution to Israeli/Palestinian conflict not found. However the GOP platform "support the vision of two democratic states". Source

Security/liberties: Views unknown at this time.

Social Security: Views unknown at this time.

Stem cell research: Last week, he said he supported legislation passed by Congress to expand embryonic stem cell research, and he disagreed with President Bush's decision to veto the stem cell bill.

Budget issues: Florida Gov. Charlie Crist worked the phones last week with members of his state's congressional delegation, including House Republicans. Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, the Republican vice chairman of the National Governors Association, planned to be in Washington on Monday to urge the Senate to approve the [Stimulus] plan. Source Video: Crist defends stimulus on Morning Joe Source Crist supports replacing the U.S. income tax structure with a flat income tax. Crist supports eliminating the Internal Revenue Service. Crist supports instituting a national sales tax. Source Source

Abortion issues: In a 1998 questionnaire for the St. Petersburg Times, Crist wrote: "I am pro-choice, but not pro-abortion. I believe that a woman has the right to choose, but would prefer only after careful consideration and consultation with her family, her physician and her clergy; not her government." Debating his Democratic opponent, then-Sen. Bob Graham, on statewide TV that fall, Crist was asked if he would support a constitutional amendment banning abortion. "No, I would not," Crist said. "I think this is a very personal decision." Source Prohibit the late-term abortion procedure known as "partial-birth" abortion. Source

Same sex issues: Crist said on the radio that civil unions between gays are "fine, but I support marriage between a man and a woman." Source

Trade issues: Views unknown at this time.

Business & labor issues: Governor Crist supported the interests of the Florida Chamber of Commerce 96 percent in 1997. Source

Capital punishment: Believes in broader use of the death penalty for federal crimes. Source

Marijuana: Favors increased penalties for selling illegal drugs. Opposes the decriminalization of the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.Source Despite a growing prison population and a shrinking budget, Gov. Charlie Crist said he doesn't support [lessening] Florida's drug laws...Some lawmakers are questioning the state's strategy toward nonviolent drug offenders, who have been convicted of crimes ranging from possession to drug trafficking. But they're not likely to gain Crist's support, who acknowledges he smoked marijuana when he was younger. "I feel that our laws are good in Florida. They were thoughtfully put in place. And I know there is a budget crunch. But I don't want to sacrifice public safety," Crist said. Source

Gun control: Favors repealing federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms by law-abiding citizens. Favors allowing citizens to carry concealed firearms. Source

Minimum Wage: Does not favor increasing minimum wage. Source

Health care: Does not favor implementing a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all Americans regardless of income. Does not favor implementing a government-financed, single-payer national health care system similar to that of Canada. Source

Environmental issues: In July 2007, Crist hosted his first climate change summit in Florida. Crist announced plans to sign executive orders that would impose strict air-pollution standards in the state, with aims to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 80 percent of the 1990 levels by 2050. Source "Crist was among the Republicans expressing support for Sen. John McCain's call for lifting the federal moratorium along the Outer Continental Shelf and giving states a share of petroleum revenues as an incentive for them to allow oil and gas drilling off their coasts." Source

Immigration issues: Crist's platform as a gubernatorial candidate included "support for closed borders with promotion of legal immigration". Source

Education issues: Favors vouchers to send children to any participating school: public, private or religious. Source

Campaign website