MY CAMPAIGN'S TOP ISSUES
Grounded In Everyday Life & Focused On What Actually Works
It Shouldn’t Be This Hard to Get Ahead
I’m running because it shouldn’t be like this. It shouldn’t be this hard for any of us to get ahead. And too many politicians have lost touch with what everyday life actually looks like for people like us. I’m awake to what people in our community are actually dealing with and focused on practical solutions that work in the real world. No political theater, culture wars, or labels—just hard work for the community I know and love.
I’m not a political insider. I grew up here. I still live here. I’ve worked paycheck to paycheck. I know what it’s like when one unexpected bill throws everything off.
My approach is simple. Lead with compassion. Use common sense. Focus on what actually works. That means standing up to powerful interests, spending taxpayer dollars responsibly, and delivering real results for the community we live in—right here in the 58th District.
A Practical Agenda Based On Real Life In District 58
People-First Solutions
Affordability & Cost of Living
It shouldn’t be this hard to live, work, and get ahead when you’re doing everything right. Everyday costs like groceries, utilities, housing, and healthcare are squeezing all of us from every direction, while powerful corporations keep getting special treatment. I’ll fight to lower everyday costs, hold monopoly utility companies accountable, protect workers’ rights, and spend taxpayer dollars responsibly. The American Dream was meant to offer stability, dignity, and a future you could count on.
Why It Feels So Hard Right Now
Costs aren’t just high. They’re unpredictable. Grocery bills jump week to week, utility bills keep climbing, housing feels out of reach, and healthcare costs force people to delay care they shouldn’t have to put off. If you’re working hard and still falling behind, you’re not imagining it.
How We Lower Everyday Costs
Lowering costs starts with standing up to monopolies and ending special treatment for powerful corporations. I’ll fight to hold monopoly utility companies accountable, protect workers’ rights to bargain for better pay and benefits, and make sure public dollars are spent responsibly. We don’t need corporate welfare—we need investments that lower costs for us, fix what’s broken, and give small businesses along Schoenherr and Van Dyke a fair shot. The American Dream was never about scraping by or working multiple jobs. It was about having time, stability, and a real chance to get ahead.
Safe Communities
You should feel safe in your neighborhood and confident that the rules are being enforced fairly and responsibly. Real public safety is about more than emergencies. It’s about whether you feel comfortable walking your block, letting your kids play outside in your neighborhood, and knowing your community looks out for one another. I support a balanced approach to public safety that holds people accountable, prevents harm, and protects families. Safety and dignity should go hand in hand.
What's Not Working
Too many communities are stretched thin. Police, fire, and EMS departments are understaffed, response times are longer than they should be, and too much responsibility is placed on first responders to handle situations that require mental health or social service support. Families feel the strain, and the system ends up reacting to crises instead of preventing them.
A Smart, Balanced Approach to Safety
Keeping communities safe means taking crime seriously, holding people accountable when they break the law, and focusing on prevention as well as response. That includes fully supporting police, fire, and EMS, and expanding mental health response so dangerous situations are addressed before they escalate. We also need to confront the fentanyl crisis head-on by disrupting trafficking, supporting treatment and recovery, and preventing overdoses before families lose loved ones.
Safety does not come from fear, intimidation, or people being treated as disposable. When enforcement is aggressive or unaccountable, it erodes trust and makes everyone less safe. Public safety works best when it is transparent, accountable, and rooted in the community.
Public safety should help us get back to being the kind of community where we feel comfortable walking our neighborhoods, leaving our doors unlocked, and talking to one another again. That doesn’t come from fear or division. When laws are enforced fairly and people aren’t pushed to the margins, communities are safer and trust can start to rebuild.
Healthcare That Works
Healthcare is not a privilege reserved for people who can afford it. Too many of us delay care or go without it because we’re worried about the cost. At the same time, emergency rooms are legally required to provide care, which means the system already shifts costs onto taxpayers when people can’t pay. We should stop pretending this makes sense and build a system where you get the care you need, when you need it, without going bankrupt. That means lowering healthcare and prescription drug costs, putting patients before insurance companies and Big Pharma, and doing better by seniors, caregivers, and families like ours navigating long-term care.
What's Broken
Too often, getting sick comes with financial fear. People put off doctor visits, skip prescriptions, or wait too long to get help because they’re worried about the bill. Premiums are too high, and when Affordable Care Act tax credits expired for many families, coverage became impossible to afford. Seniors and caregivers are stretched thin, and families are left navigating complicated systems on their own when they’re already overwhelmed.
Care That Actually Works
If healthcare is a human right, then our system should work when you need it, not just after a crisis. Getting people affordable care earlier lowers costs, reduces emergency room overload, and keeps families healthier. I’ll fight to lower healthcare and prescription drug costs, protect and expand access to affordable coverage, and expand mental health services so people can get help before a crisis hits. We also need stronger oversight of nursing homes and real support for caregivers so families aren’t left alone to figure everything out.
This issue is personal for me. I grew up with my aunt, who has a mental disability, and my mom has been her full-time caregiver. I lost my sister because she didn’t have health insurance and waited too long to go to the hospital. No family should ever be forced into those kinds of choices. Caring for the people we love with dignity shouldn’t feel like a full-time battle.
Good Government & Real Accountability
Too many people feel like the government works for insiders instead of everyday people—and they’re right. Too often, politicians say the right things during campaigns and then sideline their constituents to protect powerful interests once they’re in office. I’m running to change that. Government should answer to voters, not donors. Democracy only works when people trust it. That trust has to be earned.
I’ll fight for transparency, responsible spending, and an end to corporate welfare and backroom deals. That means public dollars should fix real problems in our communities, not reward insiders or pad corporate profits.
When politics feels divided and extreme, my focus is on doing the work, telling the truth, and delivering results people can actually feel.
Why Trust Has Broken Down
Politics today feels more focused on scoring points than solving problems. Corporate PAC money has distorted priorities, and extreme rhetoric has made it harder to get anything done. When voters feel talked past instead of listened to, many disengage, and trust in government erodes. Too often, it feels like no one is telling the truth or doing the hard work of governing, and people are tired of it.
Most of us don’t want chaos or constant conflict. We want leaders who take problems seriously, listen, and focus on results.
An Independent Voice Who Won't Be Bought
I’m not a political insider, and I don’t take corporate PAC money. I refuse to be owned. That’s a choice, and it matters. It means I’m free to take on monopoly utility companies, oppose corporate welfare, and fight wasteful spending without worrying about who might get upset.
I support common-sense campaign finance reforms that reduce the influence of big money and increase transparency, so voters know who is funding campaigns and why. I work for the people who live here in the 58th District, not lobbyists, donors who live elsewhere, or party bosses.
I’ll also fight for clear limits, real oversight, and responsible spending so government agencies operate with transparency and face consequences when harm occurs. And the state should be a better partner to local communities, so homeowners and towns aren’t left carrying the burden alone.
Lowering the Temperature & Strengthening Democracy
I believe most people want leaders who listen, tell the truth, and actually get things done. I know many people are worried about the direction of our politics and whether their voices still matter. The most powerful response to extremism isn’t shouting. It’s participation.
That means working with anyone who’s willing to focus on solutions—regardless of party—and refusing to let division become an excuse for inaction.
Lowering the temperature doesn’t mean lowering standards. It means being steady, fair, and focused on outcomes instead of outrage. I’ll work to bring people together where we can, stand firm where it matters, and keep the focus on delivering results for the people we represent.
I will always stand up for free and fair elections, encourage participation, and make sure people feel informed and confident showing up at the polls.
I’ll also protect basic privacy, because people should not have to worry about their personal data being collected, sold, or misused without their knowledge.
Democracy doesn’t survive on slogans. It survives on trust.
Strong Schools & Job Training
Education should open doors, not bury people in debt or leave them without options. I support strong public schools, fair pay for educators, affordable college, and clear pathways into skilled trades that keep good jobs in our area. We also need to prepare workers for a changing economy without leaving anyone behind. Learning should lead to opportunity.
What Isn't Working
Too many students graduate without a clear path forward, while workers are told to adapt to a changing economy without real support. New technology is often used to cut jobs or wages instead of improving people’s lives.
Preparing People for Real Futures
We should invest in public schools, fair pay for educators, and make college and training more affordable. We also need strong pathways into skilled trades so people can build good lives right here in our Michigan cities. As technology changes how we work, we need clear rules that protect workers, keep jobs here, and make sure progress benefits people, not just corporations.
Human Dignity & Human Rights
I believe deeply in human dignity and personal freedom. Government should protect your rights, not control your private decisions. I believe that you know what’s best for yourself and your families. Our Constitution exists to safeguard individual liberty, dignity, and equal justice, and I will always defend the Constitution. Respect and decency aren’t optional. They should guide how we treat one another, even when we disagree.
When government power goes unchecked, people get hurt. We should never accept a system where families live in fear, neighbors are afraid to help one another, or basic rights feel conditional. Protecting public safety and civil liberties are not opposing goals—they are inseparable. A society that abandons dignity in the name of order loses both.
What's At Stake
When power goes unchecked, it leads to abuse, fear, and division. Too many people today know that the rules aren’t being applied fairly, that their values are being dismissed, or that they’re being treated differently depending on who they are. When rights and dignity feel conditional instead of guaranteed, trust breaks down and communities turn on each other. That doesn’t make any of us safer, and it’s not who we should be.
Standing Up for Freedom & Respect
A strong community starts with the simple idea that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and fairness. Our differences don’t have to divide us as neighbors. We can hold our values without tearing each other down, and we can protect freedom without turning people against one another.
I will always stand up for the freedom to make personal decisions without political interference. That includes a woman’s right to choose and make her own healthcare decisions without politicians getting in the way.
The 58th District is made up of people with different backgrounds, beliefs, and stories. That diversity is not a threat. It’s part of what makes us strong. When people feel safe, respected, and protected, our neighborhoods are stronger and our future is better.
I want us to be the kind of community where people talk to one another, listen even when they disagree, and treat each other with respect and decency. We don’t have to see the world the same way to recognize each other’s humanity.
I don’t back down when people’s rights are on the line, and I won’t start now.
Infrastructure That Lasts
Our roads, water systems, and sewers are essential to daily life, but too often, they’re patched instead of fixed properly. That wastes money and puts public health and safety at risk. I’ll fight for smart, long-term investments that last. Doing it right the first time saves money and protects communities.
What's Broken
Short-term fixes and constant repairs cost more over time and leave people frustrated. Aging infrastructure puts strain on families, businesses, and local governments in our district.
Building for the Long Term
We can invest in better materials, smarter planning, and infrastructure that actually lasts. I’ll fight for projects that save taxpayer money over time, protect our air and water, and support economic growth for decades to come.
Environment, Clean Energy & Smart Growth
Protecting our environment and growing our economy do not have to be in conflict. I support responsible development with strong standards that protect our air, water, Great Lakes, and quality of life. Growth should benefit workers and communities, not leave us with higher costs, environmental damage, or decisions made behind closed doors. Accountability matters.
What People Worry About
Large projects can raise real concerns about water use, pollution, rising utility bills, and impacts on neighborhoods. Too often, communities are shut out while powerful corporations and monopoly utilities use their political influence to push projects through and secure tax breaks that leave residents with the consequences.
Smart Growth With Clear Rules
I support strong environmental standards and clear, enforceable rules for large developments, including data centers. Decisions should be driven by community impact, not corporate pressure from utilities like DTE and Consumers Energy that spend millions influencing state politics. If projects move forward, they must meet strict environmental standards, create good-paying union jobs, protect homeowners, and pay their fair share so local communities are not left footing the bill.
Blank checks for corporations are not economic development. Smart growth means development that respects workers, protects our natural resources, and strengthens communities instead of exploiting them.
Want to See Something Else Added to This List?
Pledges I've Taken
My Campaign Commitments
The American People's Compact
I support protecting democracy, reducing corruption, and ensuring government serves everyday people instead of wealthy special interests and corporate power.
Citizen Pledge
I support a constitutional amendment to reduce the influence of big money in politics and give everyday Americans a stronger voice in elections.
Code of Ethics Pledge for a Responsive Government
I support defending democratic institutions, fighting corruption and concentrated political power, and protecting civil liberties and constitutional checks and balances.
Statement of Support
I support expanding access to mental health care, reducing stigma around mental illness, and treating mental health as an essential part of overall health.
No Utility Money Challenge
I will refuse campaign contributions from monopoly utility companies and stand up for transparency and accountability in Michigan’s energy system.
Pledge to Amend
I support overturning Citizens United, reducing the influence of big money in politics, and ensuring corporations don’t have more political power than everyday people.
No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge
I pledge not to take contributions over $200 from oil, gas, and coal industry executives, lobbyists, and PACs and instead prioritize the health of our families, climate, and democracy over fossil fuel industry profits.