[1]The excuse most commonly given for refusing to answer was fear of
opposition research

76% of Congressional Candidates

FLUNK POLITICAL COURAGE TEST

Afraid of opposition research, 76% of all 2020 congressional candidates
have failed Vote Smart’s National Political Courage Test. The test,
conducted every election since 1992, evaluates each candidate’s willingness
to provide positions on the key issues they most likely will face if
elected. The 2020 Political Courage Test results released today show a
dramatic 24-year decline in the response rates from 72% in 1996 to only 24%
this election. “This demonstration of political cowardice by candidates of
both major parties is unparalleled in history,” said Vote Smart President
Richard Kimball.

Every candidate, including third party, was tested over a 10-month
period. Candidates were contacted up to 14 different times asking them to
respond to voters on the issues voters consider most important. Contacts
were made by phone, email and by written letters.

The excuse most commonly given for refusing to answer was fear of
opposition research and that their opponents might use their answers in
attack ads against them.

As a result of this refusal, Vote Smart used the efforts of thousands of
student interns and volunteers culling through millions of public records
on the candidates to divine what their positions would be had they shown
the courage to answer the questions on their own. All of the results are
available at [2]VoteSmart.org.

In addition, the results of this research can be seen on a powerful tool
called VoteEasy at [3]VoteEasy.VoteSmart.org. This tool enables citizens to
compare candidates with their own positions on key issues and see the
public records that expose their positions.

Gubernatorial and state legislative candidates were also tested, and their
Political Courage Test results are available at [4]VoteSmart.org, along
with all candidates’ voting records, special interest groups’ ratings and
endorsements, public statements, backgrounds, campaign contributions and
contact information.

Results of the test, ranking the states by the best performers to the
worst, can be seen below:

[5]

[6]Vote Smart is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that provides
accurate information about candidates, elected officials, and key pieces of
legislation. By providing information in an easy and accessible manner,
Vote Smart believes that citizens can better defend themselves from the
questionable rhetoric and misrepresentation that characterizes present-day
political campaigns.

References

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