Although Carly Fiorina has never held a public office, she is now the first declared female candidate to run for president in the Republican Party. Growing up, Carly Fiorina’s mother taught her the essential phrase, “What you are is God’s gift to you. What you make of yourself is your gift to God,” which she uses as an anchor for her values and decisions. She believes her executive skills and economic expertise will serve her well in the White House.

Keep on reading for a quick overview on her ideas and beliefs:

Background: She was born in Austin, Texas on September 6, 1954. Her father was a federal judge and law professor and in 1976, she attended law school at the University of California in Las Angeles but dropped out after one semester when she decided that law was not for her. She is best known for her time as CEO at Hewlett Packard, where she started as a secretary and worked her way up to becoming the first woman to lead a Fortune 50 business, growing it to become the 11th largest company in the US.

Foreign Policy:

• Believes Obama administration has down-played the threat of Islamic extremism.
• Believes the U.S. should “stand up and arm Ukraine” against Russia.
• Supports high-profile exercises with the Baltic States in order to send Putin “a very clear message.”
• Fiorina says the U.S. should not lift sanctions with Iran until Tehran agrees to stricter inspections before deals on nuclear negotiations are made.
• She would support illegal immigrants obtaining citizenship if they graduate from college or serve in the armed forces.

The Economy:

• Believes a decline in government regulations will spur the economy.
• Opposes the large size of the federal work force and is an advocate for cutting the pay of federal workers and basing their compensation on their performance level.
• Opposes raising the federal minimum wage because it “will hurt those who are looking for entry-level jobs.”
• She is an advocate for limiting federal salaries.

Domestic Issues:

• Supports capital punishment.
• She does not deny that human activity causes global warming, but she is against regulation in California to help prevent it because she believes it won’t cause much change in climate change.
• Emphasizes the need for tighter boarder security before overhauling the immigration system.
• She opposes restrictions on the right to bear arms.

Social Issues:

• She does not support same-sex marriages, but she agrees with granting government benefits to same-sex marriages.
• She supports less federal and more local control on education.
• She supports giving legal protection to unborn children and opposes federal funding towards abortion.
• Opposes any federal government-run healthcare.

Famous Quotes:

“Do not be afraid to make decisions; do not be afraid to make mistakes.”

“I’ve never thought in terms of ‘men do this’ and ‘women do that.’”

“You don’t create jobs by passing bills; you create jobs by cutting taxes.”

“The American dream is perishable, if government keeps growing.”

Muppet she most resembles: Annie Sue. She was introduced as Miss Piggy’s rival…Fiorina is quoted to have called Clinton ‘untrusted’.

Sources include: On The Issues and Biography.com.