Candidate Q&A

What makes you the right person to represent your district in Congress?

I’m a seventh-generation Hoosier, born and raised right here in this district. I built my life here, raised my family here, and I still work every day for the people of this community. I’m a small business owner who knows what it takes to keep the lights on and the payroll met. I taught high school science in our public schools, so I’ve seen firsthand what our families need to get ahead.

Over the last four years, I’ve knocked on doors and listened to voters in all 11 counties; from Columbus to Indianapolis to Richmond and beyond. I know the concerns of our neighbors because I’ve listened to people tell them to me at their front doors, kitchen tables, union halls, and in church basements. My focus is on making life easier and more affordable for the next generation, so our kids can afford to stay, build careers, and raise their own families here.

I’m not running to get rich. I don’t believe our representatives should be using insider information to trade stocks while Hoosiers struggle with bills. Elected officials ought to be focused on fighting for policies that actually benefit working families. This seat belongs to the voters, and I will use it to stand up for Hoosier values and put people over profits.

What are the top three issues you hear from constituents?

The top three issues I hear most from constituents are affordability, corruption in government, and protecting the programs our families depend on.

First, affordability. People are struggling with the cost of groceries, gas, rent, and medicine. Every week I talk to parents who have to choose between filling the tank and filling the fridge, seniors rationing food and medicine, and renters watching their housing costs climb faster than their paychecks. We need real relief on prices and policies that bring costs down for working families.

Second, corruption in government. Hoosiers are tired of a system that seems rigged for the wealthy and well-connected. People want representatives who answer to them, the voters, not lobbyists or special interests. That includes ending insider stock trading and personal enrichment by members of Congress and any officials in the three branches of government, and making sure public policy is written for the public good.

Third, safeguarding Social Security, Medicare, and public education. These are promises we made to our seniors, ourselves, and our kids, and they must be kept. I will fight any effort to cut benefits or privatize these programs, and I will work to fully fund our schools so every child has access to a free, quality, public education.

What is at least one federal policy you’d propose to address those constituent concerns?

To address the affordability and security concerns I hear every day, I would push for two concrete federal policies.

First, Medicare for All. Health care costs are one of the biggest burdens on family budgets, and no one should have to choose between paying rent and paying for medicine. Under Medicare for All there would be no more denials by insurance companies for procedures and medicines that doctors prescribe. When a doctor says a treatment is necessary, it gets covered, period. A single-payer system would lower administrative waste, give every Hoosier comprehensive coverage from day one, and let people take jobs based on fit and calling instead of whether the insurance is good enough.

Second, raise and eventually eliminate the Social Security income cap so high earners pay into the system on all their wages. Right now, income above the cap is not subject to the payroll tax, which puts unnecessary strain on the trust fund. Broadening the base strengthens Social Security for current and future retirees without cutting benefits, and it makes the system fairer by asking those at the top to contribute their share.

What have you heard from people in your district about data centers? How would you address the data center issue in Congress?

What I’ve heard from people in the district is clear. Nobody wants data centers in their community. Utility rates are already too expensive, and electricity and water prices will only go up as the data centers gobble them up. They’re bad for the environment, bad for our communities, and bad for our future.

I have joined 6th District Hoosiers at community meetings and protests against data centers in four counties, including the Marion County Decatur Township Sabey data center fight. I have spoken publicly at several hearings against the proposed data centers. One of my priorities is protecting the environment and ensuring clean drinking water for future generations. That does not coexist with data centers.

In Congress, I will support a federal moratorium on new data center construction until we have strong, nationwide safeguards in place. I will work to pass legislation that holds data centers to strict environmental standards written expressly for data centers, covering water use, energy consumption, emissions, and waste. That means requiring full environmental reviews, transparency on resource use, and real community input before any project moves forward. I will also fight to end subsidies and tax breaks that encourage these facilities at the expense of families and small businesses, and I will put residents and local economies ahead of corporate profits.

How would you leverage federal infrastructure funding to improve streets and roads in your district?

I will leverage federal infrastructure funding to fix our streets and roads by helping ensure that Indiana and our local governments get our full share of Highway Trust Fund dollars, and are able to compete aggressively for RAISE and other competitive grants for the projects that matter most in the 6th District. This funding comes from federal fuel taxes and other transportation revenues, and our current Congress keeps patching it with general fund transfers, which is not sustainable.

We need a stable, long-term revenue solution, whether that means updating the gas tax, moving toward a vehicle-miles-traveled fee, or another approach that keeps the Highway Trust Fund solvent so we are not constantly fighting over scraps to improve our roads.

As a member of Congress, I will work with INDOT and local governments to help ensure the worst roads, unsafe intersections, and crumbling bridges are prioritized for federal dollars. Transparent, competitive grants that prioritize safety, durability, and local union hiring, will ensure our road projects create good jobs right here in the district. Any federal dollars must come with strong accountability, so communities get real repairs and not just patch jobs that need fixing again in a year. We need clear timelines, public reporting on how money is spent, and input from both residents and local officials on which projects matter most.

I do not support privatizing our interstates. Tolling or selling off our interstate highways shifts costs to drivers and puts profits ahead of people. Our interstate highways need to remain freeways, open and free for families, farmers, and small businesses to move goods and get to work without paying a toll every time they get on the road.