GOP Presidential Candidates Snub GMHC's Survey on Ending HIV and AIDS

New York, NY: Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) - the world's first and leading HIV and AIDS service organization - sent all of the candidates running for president a survey asking about their plans to end the HIV and AIDS epidemic on December 3, 2015. The purpose of the survey was not to endorse a candidate, but rather to ask to hear each candidate's polices on ending the epidemic and giving each of them equal opportunity to communicate these positions on HIV and AIDS to the public.

The campaigns were all informed of the deadline and that GMHC would publish their responses without any edits. At the time the survey was released, there were 18 candidates running. 16 candidates remain. Of these 16, candidates Hillary Clinton (D), Martin O'Malley (D) and Bernard Sanders (D) submitted responses.

GMHC did not receive responses from the following candidates: Jeb Bush (R), Ben Carson (R), Chris Christie (R), Ted Cruz (R), Carly Fiorina (R), Jim Gillmore (R), Mike Huckabee (R), John Kasich (R), Paul Rand (R), Marco Rubio (R), Rick Santorum (R), Jill Stein (R), and Donald Trump (R).

"While we are extremely disappointed that not a single Republican candidate submitted a response to the presidential survey on HIV and AIDS, we are heartened that those who did respond have thoughtful plans on how we end the epidemic,"

said GMHC CEO Kelsey Louie. "With 50,000 new infections across the country every year, voters deserve to know where every candidate stands on policies relating to the epidemic. Many debates have taken place, and not one moderator asked about HIV and AIDS, which is why GMHC decided to release this survey. GMHC will continue to work tirelessly throughout the 2016 election cycle to ensure HIV and AIDS prevention, care and advocacy is a priority for any serious contender running for office."