The affordability crisis is hurting us all. The attempt by institutional investors to dominate the housing market has driven up prices and squeezed out first-time homebuyers. No one should have to compete with billion-dollar investment firms for the chance to buy a home in their own community. I will fight to push corporate greed out of our housing market, and I won’t take no for an answer. I will work diligently to preserve homeownership in America so that future generations can build wealth through owning a home.
I’ve seen families do everything right and still struggle to pay the bills. In recent years, the cost of living has risen faster than wages, distorting markets and putting pressure on our communities. As a small business owner, I understand how hard it can be to keep a business running while trying to make ends meet. I’ve seen firsthand how unbalanced policies hurt local workers, small businesses, and farmers. Agriculture, one of the most important industries in our district, has been squeezed by monopolies that control the inputs farmers must buy and the markets where they must sell. We need policies that strengthen our workforce, prioritize livable wages, and enforce antitrust laws so monopolies can no longer rig the system against the American people.
Medical debt is one of the leading causes of bankruptcy in the United States. Healthcare should be about healing people, not maximizing profits, period. No one should be skipping doctor visits to save money, only to become sicker later. What is happening in our healthcare system is unacceptable, and it must be fixed. Here in the United States, we spend more per person on healthcare than any other country in the world, yet often see worse outcomes. I support the Medical Debt Relief Act to prevent medical debt from damaging people’s credit and trapping families in financial hardship. And I will support a healthcare system that puts people over profits and works toward full coverage for all.
Education is not just an investment in our children, it is an investment in our future. The strength of tomorrow depends on the quality of education we provide today. As someone who was homeschooled, I strongly support parents’ rights to educate their children in the way they believe is best for their family. At the same time, our public school teachers deserve better pay and greater support. We must invest in our education system so every child has a real opportunity to succeed and a fighting chance at a brighter future. I will fight to fully fund special education, strengthen Title I support for high-need schools, and ensure that federal funding keeps pace with the real cost of educating our children.
Infrastructure is one of the best investments we can make in our communities, counties, and district. It lays the groundwork for a successful future and prepares us for the growth ahead. At the same time, infrastructure projects create good-paying jobs for local skilled trades and bring federal investment back into our communities. But with growth always comes concern about environmental impact. Future infrastructure investment should prioritize clean energy, resilient systems, and long-term sustainability for our planet.
Corruption in our political system sits near the center of nearly every major problem we face today. Too many members of Congress accept money from large corporate PACs or organizations that represent powerful special interests, including foreign-aligned lobbying groups. When elected officials rely on that money, they inevitably become more responsive to those interests than to the people they are sworn to represent. At the same time, members of Congress are allowed to trade stocks in companies that are directly affected by the policies they write. Having access to privileged information while buying and selling stock is a clear conflict of interest. Public office should never be a pathway to personal enrichment.Elected officials should put the American people first. Every vote, every policy decision, and every action in office should be grounded in what benefits the people they serve.
That is why I support banning corporate PAC money from political campaigns, overturning Citizens United, prohibiting members of Congress from buying and trading individual stocks, and establishing term limits for members of Congress.
If the liberties and freedoms of one are at stake, then the liberties and freedoms of us all are at stake. I will stand to protect every person’s rights, liberties, and freedoms, regardless of race, religion, or gender. Too many people sacrificed and fought to secure the freedoms we enjoy today, and they are too precious to let slip away. I will defend everyone’s First Amendment rights, whether we agree with one another or not. I will protect your right to vote, your right to bear arms, and your right to privacy. I support legislation like the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to strengthen and protect every American’s right to vote, and the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act to ensure Americans’ privacy and constitutional protections are respected in the digital age.
Our communities deserve to feel safe. Too many families in District 8 worry about crime in their neighborhoods, and that concern has not been taken seriously enough by those in power. District 8 isn’t just a place I hope to represent. It’s my home. What happens here affects my family just like it affects yours. I care about this district and the people who live here. Our communities should never be written off or ignored. They deserve real attention, real investment, and leadership that is willing to address the root causes of crime while supporting law enforcement and protecting the safety of our families.
That also means confronting some of the deeper issues that contribute to crime, including poverty and untreated mental health challenges.
Both my political allies and opponents have said this, and I agree:
“No more forever wars.”
Congress should not allow endless conflicts without defined objectives, and American lives should never be put at risk without clear goals. If our nation goes to war, the people’s representatives in Congress should debate it and vote on it. I support strengthening Congress’s authority over war powers and repealing outdated authorizations that have allowed conflicts to continue for decades without accountability.
Over the past two decades, trillions of dollars have been spent on wars in the Middle East with little to show for it and no lasting benefit for the American people. Much of that cost was borrowed money, and the debt from those wars will be carried by future generations.
Our foreign policy should also reflect our values. No weapons should be given to governments engaged in human rights violations. America should lead with strength, but also with principle, and our actions abroad should leave the world better than we found it.
Immigration
America is also a nation built by immigrants, and when done right, immigration makes our country stronger. I believe in secure borders and in knowing who is entering our country. At the same time, we must fix a broken immigration system by modernizing processing technology, hiring more immigration judges, and reducing the years-long backlog so asylum cases are handled fairly and efficiently.
And immigration should never be used to drive down wages. I support prevailing wage requirements for immigrant labor so that no immigrant is exploited for cheap labor and no American worker has their jobs or wages undercut.