“Gabriel Gomez joining John McCain in Washington would mean one more Republican vote against an assault weapons ban, limits on high-capacity magazines and a woman’s right to choose. Gomez would vote with McCain against asking the super-wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes, while rolling back rules on Wall Street and enacting devastating cuts to Social Security,” said Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair John Walsh. “It comes as no surprise for national GOP leaders like John McCain to flock to Massachusetts to stump for Gabriel Gomez because he’d bring the Republicans one step closer to taking control of the Senate and enacting a radical agenda that’s bad for Massachusetts.”

BACKGROUND

MCCAIN OPPOSES ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN, HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES BAN

Sen. McCain Voted Nay On The Amendment Put Forth By Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), To Re-Establish A Federal Ban On Certain Assault Weapons. “Democrats helped Senate Republicans defeat major reforms to reduce gun violence Wednesday, including bans on certain assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. An amendment, put forth by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), to re-establish a federal ban on certain assault weapons was defeated by a vote of 40-60. A near-united Republican conference voted against the measure, with just one GOP senator, Mark Kirk (Ill.), voting in its favor. [Huffington Post, 04/17/13; S.AMDT.711 to S.649, Vote 101, 04/16/13]

Sen. McCain Voted Nay On The Amendment Introduced By Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) And Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) To Limit The Size Of Magazines To 10 Rounds. “A separate amendment introduced by Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to limit the size of magazines to 10 rounds failed with a vote of 46-54. Kirk was again the only Republican to vote for the measure. [Huffington Post, 04/17/13; S.AMDT.714 to S.649, Vote 103, 04/17/13]

MCCAIN OPPOSED THE ‘DODD-FRANK’ WALL STREET REFORM BILL

McCain Opposed “the most ambitious overhaul of financial regulation in generations.” The Washington Post reported in 2010 that Congress “gave final approval Thursday to the most ambitious overhaul of financial regulation in generations, ending more than a year of wrangling over the shape of the new rules and shifting the government’s focus to the monumental task of implementing them.” John McCain voted “no.” [Washington Post, 7/16/10; Senate Vote 208, 7/15/10]

MCCAIN SUPPORTED THE RYAN BUDGET THAT TURNS MEDICARE INTO A VOUCHER SYSTEM

McCain Voted For The Ryan Budget. In March 2013, the Senate “rejected House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) budget.” The Hill reported “Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) forced Senate Republicans to vote on Paul’s plan through an amendment she offered, which failed on a 40-59 vote… Ryan balances the budget over 10 years with $5.7 trillion in projected spending cuts. Democrats have criticized his plan for ‘gutting’ programs that benefit the middle class and turn Medicare into a voucher system.” [The Hill, 3/21/13; Senate Vote #46, 3/21/13]

McCain on Social Security and Medicare Reform In Ryan Budget: “Paul Ryan Has Taken Courageous Steps To Bring Issue To The Forefront.” Speaking on “Fox NewsSunday,” Sen. John McCain spoke on Democrats criticism of Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget, “They have not had a plan yet to save Social Security and Medicare, and they’ve had nearly four years to do it,” Sen. McCain said. “Paul Ryan has taken the courageous steps to bring this issue to the forefront. And under a Romney-Ryan administration, you will see it addressed. Not like this last administration – which has done nothing. They haven’t even passed a budget through the Senate of the United States of America in three years.” [The Christian Science Monitor, 8/12/12]

MCCAIN IS PRO-LIFE, HAS A PRO-LIFE VOTING RECORD, SUPPORTED THE BLUNT AMENDMENT

McCain Supported (And Cosponsored) Infamous Blunt Amendment. Planned Parenthood reported that “the two Republican Arizona senators — Jon Kyl (of “not intended to be a factual statement” fame) and John McCain — released a joint statement announcing their support (and co-sponsorship) of the Blunt amendment.” [Planned Parenthood, 3/19/12]

MCCAIN SUPPORTED THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S PUSH TO PRIVATIZE SOCIAL SECURITY

March 2008: McCain Said He Believes Private Savings Accounts Are A Part of Social Security Reform- Along Lines That President Bush Proposed.  The NY Times reported: “When Mr. Bush proposed partly privatizing Social Security in 2005, Mr. McCain supported the president, and in 2006 he voted in favor of legislation that would have moved the system in that direction. ‘I’m totally in favor of personal savings accounts,’ Mr. McCain said in an interview in March with The Wall Street Journal. “As part of Social Security reform, I believe that private savings accounts are a part of it — along the lines that President Bush proposed.” [NY Times, 7/11/08]

• 2004: McCain Said He Doesn’t See How American Can Continue to Receive Social Security Without Privatization. “Without privatization, I don’t see how you can possibly, over time, make sure that young Americans are able to receive Social Security benefits.” [C-SPAN Road to the White House, 11/18/04]

MCCAIN DOES NOT SUPPORT A MORE PROGRESSIVE TAX CODE, OPPOSED RAISING TAXES ON THE WEALTHY

McCain Voted Against The Buffet Rule In 2012.  “Democrats’ attempt to pass a Buffett Rule tax on the super wealthy failed Monday in the Senate, as Republicans blocked the measure in a sharply partisan debate. Democrats cast it as a bid for fairness that would end the circumstance in which billionaires like Warren Buffett pay a lower percentage of their income in taxes than their secretaries.” McCain voted “no” on the bill, which would have imposed a minimum tax rate on individual taxpayers whose adjusted gross income exceeds $1 million. [Huffington Post, 4/16/12; Senate Vote #65, 4/16/12]