Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Positions are categorized as Pro (Yes), Con (No), Not Clearly Pro or Con, or None Found.
Candidates who have withdrawn or who no longer meet our criteria are listed last.

Pro (Yes)

Con (No)

McCain, John (R) - Not Clearly Pro or Con John McCain, US Senator (R-AZ), according to "Legislation: 2005-2006 (109th Congress)" on the Library of Congress: THOMAS website, voted Yes on the "USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005" (HR3199) on July 29, 2005: "To extend and modify authorities needed to combat terrorism, and for other purposes." And voted Yes on the "USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005" (HR3199) on Mar. 1, 2006: "A bill to clarify that individuals who receive FISA [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act] orders can challenge nondisclosure requirements, that individuals who receive national security letters are not required to disclose the name of their attorney, that libraries are not wire or electronic communication service providers unless they provide specific services, and for other purposes." July 29, 2005, Mar. 1, 2006; Library of Congress: THOMAS

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McKinney, Cynthia (Grn) - Con Cynthia McKinney, former US House Representative (D-GA), in a Feb. 9, 2004 article titled "Speech: Cynthia McKinney Calls for Unity, Concerted Activism, Black Ballot Power" on The Black Commentator website, stated: "...[T]he environment created by the Patriot Act exacerbates the already-existent problem of injustice and a lack of civil liberties for black America. The situation before the Patriot Act was bad for black America. The Patriot Act and its sister, the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2004, only expand the opportunities for bad things to happen." Feb. 9, 2004 Cynthia McKinney

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Nader, Ralph (Ind) - Con Ralph Nader, attorney, author, and political activist, stated in a June 21, 2004 The American Conservative article titled "Ralph Nader: Conservatively Speaking": "Conservatives are also upset about the Patriot Act, which they view as big government, privacy-invading, snooping, and excessive surveillance. They are not inaccurate in that respect." June 21, 2004 Ralph Nader

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Obama, Barack (D) - Now Not Clearly Pro or Con Barack Obama, US Senator (D-IL), in a Dec. 15, 2005 article titled "Senate Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on The PATRIOT Act" on his US Senate website, stated: "...[I]t's come time to reauthorize this law, we've been working in a bipartisan way to do both - to show the American people that we can track down terrorists without trampling on our civil liberties. To show the American people that the federal government will only issue warrants and execute searches because it needs to, not because it can. What we have been trying to achieve, under the leadership of a bipartisan group of Senators, is some accountability in this process - to get answers and see evidence where there is suspicion... There have been proposals on both sides of Congress, from both parties, to extend the PATRIOT Act for three months so that we can reach agreement on this bill. I support those efforts..." Dec. 15, 2005 Barack Obama

Obama, Barack (D) - Con [Editor's Note: Prior to Barack Obama's Dec. 15, 2005 Not Clearly Pro or Con position above, his position was Con as indicated in his statement from a Sep. 10, 2003 www.abcnews.com article titled "Illinois NOW Questionnaire for Senator Barack Obama"] "I would vote to repeal the US Patriot Act, although I would consider replacing that shoddy and dangerous law with a new, carefully crafted propsal that addressed in a much more limited fashion the legitimate needs of law enforcement in combating terrorism." Sep. 10, 2003 Barack Obama

CANDIDATES WHO HAVE WITHDRAWN OR WHO NO LONGER MEET OUR CRITERIA      Biden, Joe (D) - None Found   Withdrew on Jan. 3, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      Brownback, Sam (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Oct. 19, 2007; no position found as of that date Top     Clinton, Hillary (D) - Not Clearly Pro or Con Hillary Clinton, US Senator (D-NY), stated in a Feb. 5, 2008 "LAist Interview: Senator Hillary Clinton" on LAist.com: "I supported the Patriot Act but I'm working to improve it. I want to make sure that it strikes the proper balance between securing our safety and safeguarding our liberties. That's why I fought for a better balance in the reauthorization, including the right to challenge gag rules and an end to unfettered searches of library records, and that's why I insisted on shorter sunset periods in the reauthorization so that Congress can revisit those provisions that are susceptible to possible abuse. While we all recognize the importance of equipping our law enforcement with the tools they need to effectively combat terror, we also must ensure that those tools work in a way that respects our values." Feb. 5, 2008 Hillary Clinton Top      Dodd, Chris (D) - None Found   Withdrew on Jan. 3, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      Edwards, John (D) - None Found   Withdrew on Jan. 30, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      Gilmore, Jim (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Aug. 14, 2007; no position found as of that date Top      Giuliani, Rudy (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Jan. 30, 2008; no position found as of that date Top    Gravel, Mike (Lib) - Con Mike Gravel, former US Senator (D-AK), in a Feb. 5, 2007 article titled "10 Questions With Democratic Presidential Candidate Sen. Mike Gravel" on dullardmush.blogspot.com, stated: "...[I]t is illegal and unconstitutional to eliminate or weaken government checks and balances. The federal government cannot just eradicate judicial process. Once again, the Democrats are guilty of complicity with the illegalities of the Bush administration. Russ Feingold is the only Democratic Senator to have originally voted against it [the PATRIOT Act]." Feb. 5, 2007 Mike Gravel Top      Huckabee, Mike (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Mar. 4, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      Hunter, Duncan (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Jan. 19, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      Imperato, Daniel (Ind) - None Found   No longer met ProCon.org's criteria as of Mar. 21, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      Keyes, Alan (Ind) - Not Clearly Pro or Con Alan Keyes, former Assistant US Secretary of State, stated in a June 8, 2007 article titled "The Key to American Statesmanship: Part 5 of 'The Crisis of the Republic'" on his official candidate website: "The debates in Congress over the so-called Patriot Act have highlighted potential threats to individual constitutional rights and liberties. Our politicians have engaged in extended debates about how much of a sacrifice of freedom our safety requires. But their first sworn duty is not to our safety. It's not even to our individual rights and liberties. It's to preserve our Constitution, which establishes government of, by, and for the people. As we formulate our policies in response to terror, therefore, the first responsibility of our leaders is to make sure that what we do to secure our physical safety also preserves and strengthens our capacity for self-government." June 8, 2007 Alan Keyes Top      Kubby, Steve (Lib) - None Found   No longer met ProCon.org's criteria as of Mar. 21, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      Kucinich, Dennis (D) - None Found   Withdrew on Jan. 25, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      McEnulty, Frank (Ind) - None Found   No longer met ProCon.org's criteria as of Mar. 21, 2008; no position found as of that date Top    Paul, Ron (R) - Con Ron Paul, US Representative (R-TX), stated in a May 22, 2007 article titled "In the Name of Patriotism (Who are the Patriots?)" on the Ron Paul Library website: "The accelerated attacks on liberty started quickly after 9/11. Within weeks the Patriot Act was overwhelmingly passed by Congress. Though the final version was unavailable up to a few hours before the vote — no Member had sufficient time to read or understand it — political fear of 'not doing something,' even something harmful, drove Members of Congress to not question the contents and just vote for it. A little less freedom for a little more perceived safety was considered a fair tradeoff — and the majority of Americans applauded. The Patriot Act, though, severely eroded the system of checks and balances by giving the government the power to spy on law abiding citizens without judicial supervision. The several provisions that undermine the liberties of all Americans include: sneak and peak searches; a broadened and more vague definition of domestic terrorism; allowing the FBI access to libraries and bookstore records without search warrants or probable cause; easier FBI initiation of wiretaps and searches, as well as roving wiretaps; easier access to information on American citizens' use of the internet; and easier access to e-mail and financial records of all American citizens." May 22, 2007 Ron Paul Top      Richardson, Bill (D) - None Found   Withdrew on Jan. 10, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      Romney, Mitt (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Feb. 7, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      Smith, Christine (Lib) - None Found   No longer met ProCon.org's criteria as of Mar. 21, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      Tancredo, Tom (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Dec. 20, 2007; no position found as of that date Top      Thompson, Fred (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Jan. 22, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      Thompson, Tommy (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Sep. 12, 2007; no position found as of that date Top      Vilsack, Tom (D) - None Found   Withdrew on Feb. 23, 2007; no position found as of that date