Taxes and Budget

Balanced budget amendment

36 public statements from 2026 candidates

§1The range of views

Why this matters: It would limit how much the government can borrow, which affects the national debt and how the government can respond to a recession or emergency.

Drafted by AI, then checked for neutral wording in a separate AI review. It describes the question and the main positions, not any candidate's view. Facts link to their sources.

A proposed change to the Constitution that would require the federal government to spend no more than it collects each year, with possible exceptions such as war.

  1. Add a balanced budget requirement to the Constitution
  2. No amendment; limit spending by law instead, such as with spending caps
  3. No constitutional requirement or new spending limits

These options describe policies, not people. The order is not a ranking.

§2What candidates have said

Why this matters: Statements candidates made publicly, summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Candidates who haven't spoken publicly on this issue aren't listed.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Add a balanced budget requirement to the Constitution (33)

  • Jerry Carl AL-1
    His campaign website says he supports a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution and believes members of Congress should not be paid until they balance the budget.1
  • Jeff Wadlin AR Senate
    His campaign website says he supports a balanced budget amendment with emergency provisions and a multiyear transition, along with a law limiting spending growth in normal years.2
  • French Hill AR-2
    His campaign website says he has sponsored two balanced budget amendments to the U.S. Constitution.3
  • Eric Jones CA-4
    His campaign website calls for a balanced budget amendment in both Washington and Sacramento and a rule that every new program come with a way to pay for it.4
  • Tom McClintock CA-5
    His campaign website says the country needs a balanced budget amendment to limit federal borrowing.5
  • Brian Burley CA-42
    Under the heading Balanced Budget Amendment, a platform document on his campaign website proposes requiring Congress to balance the budget by 2030 and a law limiting interest payments to 3% of the federal budget.6
  • Clifton Brown CO-3
    His campaign website calls for ending deficit spending by passing a balanced budget amendment.7,8
  • Lauren Boebert CO-4
    Her campaign's Contract with Colorado says she will introduce and vote for a Balanced Budget Amendment every year she serves in Congress.9
  • Joe Strada FL-11
    His campaign website says he supports a balanced budget amendment requiring the federal government to live within its means.10
  • Brian Mast FL-21
    His campaign website says he supports, and has voted for, a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.11,12
  • Sanford Bishop GA-2
    His campaign website says he has supported a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment.13
  • Austin Scott GA-8
    His official House website says he is a co-sponsor of H.J.Res. 1, which proposes a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.14
  • Thomas Laehn IA Senate
    His campaign website says he would fight for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.15
  • Russ Fulcher ID-1
    His campaign website says he supports a balanced budget amendment.16
  • Mike Simpson ID-2
    His campaign website's Budget & Spending page (dated October 2019) says he is an original cosponsor of H.J. Res. 22, which would amend the Constitution to require a balanced budget, and that he will keep pushing for a balanced budget amendment.17
  • Ron Estes KS-4
    His campaign website says he has supported balanced budget amendments that would force the federal government to get its financial house in order.18,19
  • "Clay" Higgins LA-3
    His campaign website's 2016 Issues page says he will join the fight for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.20
  • George E. McDermott MD-4
    A 2018 candidate survey posted on his campaign website says he would support the Balanced Budget Amendment.21
  • John Moolenaar MI-2
    His campaign website says he supports a constitutional balanced budget amendment as a way to restore long-term fiscal discipline.22
  • Tim Walberg MI-5
    His campaign website says he has voted for a Balanced Budget Amendment so that the federal government would have to spend no more than it takes in.23
  • Jake Johnson MN-1
    His campaign website says he will back a balanced budget amendment and will oppose raising the debt ceiling while the budget is out of balance, except in rare cases such as a war Congress has approved or a deep recession.24,25
  • Michelle Fischbach MN-7
    The record page lists co-sponsoring a constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget.26
  • Cindy Hyde-Smith MS Senate
    Her campaign website says she will work to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.27
  • Carl Boyanton MS-4
    His campaign website says he supports amending the Constitution to require a balanced federal budget every year, allowing limited emergency exceptions, and to put a ceiling on spending relative to the size of the economy.28
  • Aaron Flint MT-1
    His campaign website lists a mandatory balanced budget amendment, which it compares to the one Montana has, among the steps in his plan to clean up Washington.29
  • David Rouzer NC-7
    His campaign website's issues page says he supports a balanced budget amendment that would require the federal government to live within its means.30
  • Brad Knott NC-13
    His campaign website says he backs amending the Constitution to require a balanced budget.31
  • Anthony DiLorenzo NH-1
    His campaign website says he supports a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as a way to balance the federal budget.32
  • Lily Tang Williams NH-2
    Her campaign website says she supports amending the Constitution to make a balanced federal budget mandatory.33
  • Justin Murphy NJ Senate
    His campaign website says he supports a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and making DOGE permanent.34
  • Kevin Hern OK Senate
    His campaign website says he has cosponsored balanced budget amendments and voted for a constitutional amendment requiring Congress to balance the federal budget.35
  • Annie Andrews SC Senate
    Her taxpayer pledge says she will fight for a constitutional amendment requiring Congress to pass a balanced budget, and will vote against raising the debt ceiling until a balanced budget passes.36
  • Kasie Whitener SC Senate
    Her campaign website says she will work to pass a balanced budget amendment.37,38

Statements that don't match one option (3)

  • Robb Tucker CA-3
    His campaign website says he would push for a federal balanced budget amendment or enforceable long-term spending rules.39
  • Michael Bridgford IA-1
    His campaign website says he will support bipartisan legislation that sets a legal target to reduce the federal deficit to 3% of GDP or less.40
  • Niki Conforti IL-6
    Her campaign website says she would push for spending caps to limit the amount added to the national debt.41