Stevan E. Pearce (R-N.M.)

Pearce has been critical of both the February 2009 $787-billion stimulus bill and the Troubled Assets Relief Program, which he opposed while a House member in fall 2008. "The bailout was misguided," Pearce said. "Government should not be asserting itself in the private market. The stimulus vote was a failed vote, and it's not going to work if we have to do it a second time. Americans want us to find the balance."

At a September 2010 campaign event, Pearce responded to a question from a woman asking if President Barack Obama is "in fact a Kenyan-born, Indonesian Muslim?" saying "I absolutely believe that Barack Obama raises the most significant questions himself." His campaign later issued a statement saying that "He's the duly elected President and I respect that."

Immigration

Pearce said he would oppose legislation pushed by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) that would offer illegal immigrants a path to U.S. citizenship if they complete higher education or serve in the military. "That's going to increase the pressure at the border," Pearce said in September 2010.

Pearce has also suggested changes to the 14th Amendment such as delaying giving the U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants' citizenship until after their 18th birthdays.

Pearce supports an Arizona law, key parts of which were suspended in 2010 by a federal judge, which allowed local law enforcement to investigate the legal status of anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant.

Pearce was critical of President George W. Bush's immigration reform plan, which would have included a path to citizenship for undocumented residents. Pearce advocated for government focus towards border control.

Energy and the Environment

During his first House tenure, Pearce sought fewer restrictions on energy exploration and development. He has supported expanding offshore oil drilling and opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Pearce supports a comprehensive energy policy, seeking to expand domestic oil and gas production as well as renewable resources.

An opponent of cap-and-trade measures to address climate change, Pearce said such proposals would "serve to destroy jobs and cripple our economy."

On climate change, Pearce said in an August 2010 that he doesn't "feel that humans are having a huge impact on global temperatures that require a panicked flight from the energy that feeds, fuels and provides shelter for our society."

He said there needs to be more effort to curb pollution and carbon output "without an extreme ideological agenda."

Health-Care Reform

Before the health-care reform bill was passed in March 2010, Pearce signed a pledge to reform the measure.

Pearce said he would have supported "bit-size" changes to health-care policy, including tort reform, portable coverage, competition across state lines, health-savings accounts and pooled coverage for businesses.

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