Donnelly trods more traditional Democratic ground when he emphasizes his support for the middle class and small-business owners in his campaigns. He opposes international trade deals that he said hurt workers in his district; supports allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to lower the cost of prescription drugs for the elderly and poor; and supports raising the minimum wage.

He voted for the 2007 Iraq Accountability Act, which set a deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops, but said he did so because it was the only bill that funded the troops and held the Iraqi government accountable for its own security. He said he opposed setting a timeline for withdrawal.

Health-Care Reform

Donnelly has bucked his own party over health-care reform, calling for cutting costs and demanding that any reform bill not provide federal spending for abortion. He has avoided expressing outright support for any particular bill in the 2009 session, and instead has emphasized his support for less controversial provisions contained in most, if not all, of those bills, from increased funding for community health centers and the use of electronic medical records to prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage to peopel with a preexisting condition.

Veterans' Affairs

Donnelly, a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, has made championing active-duty and retired military veterans a centerpiece of his campaigns and his legislative agenda. He has pushed for increases in veteran health care and to address problems with the system, including the deterioration of Walter Reed Hospital. He also helped land three new veteran health care facilities in his home state of Indiana.

Gun Control

Donnelly and voted against many of his Democratic colleagues when he supporting allowing visitors to carry loaded guns in national parks and by voting to abolish the District of Columbia's ban on handguns.

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