CSE Candidate Survey Emerging as Key Tool in 2004 Elections

The Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE) Candidate Survey is a key tool for voters and the media in Election 2004, providing clear, useful information about candidates on key economic issues. To date, already 146 candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have returned completed surveys, which are now posted at www.cse.org and are being distributed to CSE members, allies, and the media.

The eight question survey highlights the five CSE Freedom Agenda issues:

1. Social Security reform to include Personal Retirement Accounts;

2. Tax Reform to make the tax code fairer, flatter, and simpler;

3. Tort Reform to end lawsuit abuse;

4. Welfare Reform to include strengthening work and job training requirements; and

5. D.C. School Choice to expand parental control over their children’s education.

Among the 146 responders, candidates in 25 states have committed to crucial reforms like Personal Retirement Accounts (PRAs) and School Choice. In tight Senate races in Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, for example, all of the major Republican contenders have promised to support Social Security reform with PRAs, fundamental tax reform, and an end lawsuit abuse.

Candidates know that their Survey responses carry the weight of 360,000 CSE activists across the nation. Members will use the Survey results in CSE’s Get Out the Vote (GOTV) campaign in order to educate voters through rallies, literature drops, phone tree call-downs, and door to door efforts. With the force of CSE’s grassroots base, the Survey will make the CSE Freedom Agenda issues critical in the upcoming elections, and will result in more support for tax cuts, Social Security and tort reform, as well as other critical issues in the 109th Congress.

Current surveys responses are updated daily and available by state at http://www.cse.org/capitol_watch/candidate/