Iraq War:

Tsongas: Calls it the number one issue of the campaign. Wants to pass "timetable" legislation to withdraw some troops within 90 days and redeploy the rest within six months after that to keep a strategic antiterror presence in the region.

Ogonowski: Believes war was a mistake that was mishandled by the president but supports keeping troops fully engaged in the country until the United States can achieve victory, which he defines as a stable and secure Iraq.

Immigration:

Tsongas: Calls for changes, including stronger border security and enforcing laws requiring employers to hire legal workers; believes in a pathway to earned citizenship for illegal immigrants already in United States.

Ogonowski: Calls it the number one issue of the campaign. Opposes pathway to citizenship as "amnesty" and believes current immigration laws need to be enforced. Supports deportation and building a "technological fence, a physical fence, and a manpower fence" to protect borders.

Abortion:

Tsongas: Supports abortion rights.

Ogonowski: Supports abortion rights, but with some restrictions including parental notification for minors and a ban on "partial-birth abortions."

Healthcare coverage:

Tsongas: Favors a national shared responsibility plan, similar to Massachusetts' healthcare overhaul, that would spread the burden for providing universal coverage among businesses, the government, and individuals.

Ogonowski: Opposes federal government-run healthcare insurance; favors the Massachusetts model, but says states should decide what's best for themselves.