non-negotiables
These are the values that I will not compromise for votes or political popularity.
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I support a universal, single-payer system. Medicare for All would ensure every person is covered, regardless of income, job, or circumstance. Healthcare should never depend on employment or ability to pay.
No one should go bankrupt, suffer, or die because they can’t afford medical care. I will fight to replace our current profit-driven system with one that puts people first.The Problem:
Millions of Americans still cannot afford basic medical care, even if they have insurance.
Healthcare is tied to employment, meaning people lose coverage when they lose their job.
The real pricing of health care, what the hospitals and doctors charge each patient, does not depend on cost at all. It depends on your health insurance, and ultimately on who you work for.
Medical debt is one of the leading causes of bankruptcy in the United States.
Rural communities, like many in our district, are losing access to hospitals and care.
Insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies are driving up costs while limiting care.
The Facts:
U.S. healthcare spending reached $5.3 trillion in 2024 (18% of GDP). (source)
36% of U.S. households carry medical debt, totaling $194 billion in collection (source)
Out of pocket spending grew 5.9% to $556.6 billion in 2024, or 11 percent of total NHE. (source)
Nearly 27 million people in the United States are without healthcare (source)
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that over 14 million more people will be uninsured in 2034 due to the combined effects of the Medicaid and Marketplace eligibility changes included in the reconciliation law and the expiration of the enhanced Marketplace subsidies. (source)
The United States is the only major industrialized nation without Universal
My Plan:
Support and pass the The Medicare for All Act to save money, improve economic mobility, end job lock, reduce crime and ensure every American can see a doctor without spiraling into medical debt.
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Public education is essential to opportunity, economic mobility, and a functioning democracy.
Public dollars must go to public schools, and education must be accessible from early childhood through higher education.The Problem:
For decades, public schools have been underfunded while teachers are expected to do more with less. Many schools struggle with outdated textbooks, overcrowded classrooms, aging buildings, and shortages of counselors, nurses, and support staff.
Instead of addressing these problems, some Tennessee politicians have chosen to divert taxpayer dollars away from public schools through private school voucher programs. These programs reduce funding available for the schools that educate the overwhelming majority of Tennessee children while offering little evidence that they improve educational outcomes.
In rural communities like those throughout Tennessee's First District, public schools are often among the largest employers and serve as the heart of their communities. Weakening them hurts entire towns.
Education should never be treated as a profit opportunity. Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, regardless of where they live or how much money their parents make.
The Facts:
Tennessee ranks below the national average in per-pupil spending despite recent increases. (source)
Teacher shortages continue across Tennessee and the nation, particularly in rural communities and high-need subject areas. (source)
Students who have access to smaller class sizes, experienced teachers, counselors, and early childhood education generally achieve better academic outcomes. (source)
An estimated 70% of the vouchers dished out in 2026 went to students already enrolled in private schools (source)
Federal Title I funding provides additional support to schools serving low-income communities. Reductions to these programs disproportionately affect rural and economically disadvantaged districts.
My Plan:
Fully fund public education. Public schools should have the resources they need to succeed before taxpayer dollars are diverted elsewhere.
Restore and strengthen the U.S. Department of Education and Protect and expand Title I
Fully fund IDEA (special education)
Expand school-based mental health services
Provide universal school meals
Give teachers the support they deserve including competitive pay, smaller class sizes, classroom resources, and the professional respect that reflects the importance of their work.
Expand early childhood education.
Support tuition-free community college, reduce the cost of public universities and make student loan repayment more manageable so education opens doors instead of creating decades of debt.
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The current tax system disproportionately burdens working families while allowing extreme wealth to go undertaxed.
The tax burden must shift off working people and onto corporations and the ultra-wealthy.The Problem
Working Americans pay taxes with every paycheck while many of the largest corporations and wealthiest individuals are able to reduce or avoid their tax liability through loopholes, preferential tax treatment, and complex accounting strategies.
Over the last several decades, productivity has increased, corporate profits have reached record highs, and the wealthiest Americans have accumulated unprecedented levels of wealth. Yet wages for many working families have struggled to keep pace with the rising costs of housing, healthcare, childcare, and education.
The result is a tax system that asks teachers, nurses, tradespeople, and small business owners to shoulder a larger share of the burden while some billionaires pay lower effective tax rates than many middle-class families.
A healthy economy depends on a strong middle class, not an economy where prosperity flows almost exclusively to the top.
The Facts
The wealthiest 1% of Americans own roughly one-third of the nation's wealth. (source)
Corporate profits have reached record levels in recent years while many workers continue to struggle with stagnant purchasing power. (source)
Some profitable corporations have paid little or no federal income tax in certain years because of deductions, credits, and other provisions in the tax code. (source)
The gap between CEO compensation and typical worker pay has grown dramatically over the past several decades. (source)
My Plan
Cut taxes for working families. The people who work for a living should not carry a disproportionate share of the nation's tax burden. I support expanding tax relief for low- and middle-income households while protecting programs families rely on.
Make the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share by supporting tax reforms that ensure billionaires and multimillionaires contribute at rates that better reflect their ability to pay.
End special-interest loopholes that allow profitable corporations to avoid paying federal taxes while small businesses and working families pay what they owe.
End taxpayer subsidies for outsourcing jobs. Our tax code should reward companies that invest in American workers and communities, not those that move jobs overseas while benefiting from federal tax advantages.
Use tax revenue to invest in America. Revenue raised through a fairer tax system should be invested in healthcare, education, infrastructure, affordable housing, and other priorities that strengthen the middle class and grow the economy.
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Support hospitals, school districts, roads, internet connectivity, and water and sewage systems for rural areas where the local tax base can’t support adequate infrastructure.
All Americans deserve the quality community services that we enjoy in our urban and suburban areas. -
Social Security is a lifeline for millions of Americans.
It must be protected from cuts and strengthened for future generations. -
Our political system is being distorted by corporate money, dark money, and billionaire influence. This undermines trust and silences everyday people.
Money must not determine political power. We must get big money out of politics, increase transparency, and ensure elected officials answer to the people, not donors. -
Government power should never be used to intimidate, silence, or control the public.
Law enforcement and federal authority must not be weaponized for political fear or intimidation. -
Law enforcement plays a critical role but must operate within clear constitutional boundaries.
Officers and agencies must meet standards, be properly trained, and be held accountable for misconduct. -
Public officials are entrusted to serve the people, not themselves or special interests.
Corruption, abuse of power, and violations of law must be investigated and prosecuted regardless of position. -
Immigration policy must reflect both security and humanity.
No mass deportations, no family separation, and no inhumane treatment. Only lawful, fair, and compassionate systems. -
The Constitution guarantees rights that must be applied equally and consistently.
No individual or group should be targeted, denied due process, or treated above or below the law. -
East Tennessee is defined by its natural beauty, from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Tennessee River. Protecting our environment is not up for debate.
We must hold corporate polluters accountable for contaminating our soil and water, and we must resist any efforts to privatize or exploit our public lands for short-term profit.Our children deserve to grow up in a region where the air is breathable, the water is drinkable, and our natural heritage is preserved for generations to come.
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Taxpayer dollars should directly benefit the public’s well-being and future.
Public funds should not be used to enrich corporations, fund endless war, or expand unnecessary surveillance. -
Strong infrastructure and scientific advancement are critical to national strength and quality of life.
Government must invest in innovation, public health, and infrastructure that serves people, not profit. -
Personal medical decisions should be made by individuals, not the government.
Access to abortion, birth control, and reproductive healthcare must be protected. -
All individuals deserve safety, respect, and equal protection under the law.
Discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity must not be tolerated. -
Decades of prolonged conflict have cost lives, resources, and global stability.
The United States must prioritize diplomacy and avoid unnecessary military intervention. -
American policy should reflect a consistent commitment to human rights and international law.
The U.S. must not support or enable human rights violations, including occupation and collective punishment. -
Safe, stable housing is essential for economic security and well-being.
No one should be without housing in the wealthiest country in the world.
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Workers are the backbone of the economy and deserve fair compensation and protections.
Labor rights, fair wages, and safe working conditions must be guaranteed. -
Our political system is increasingly controlled by money, manipulated by those in power, and losing the trust of the people it is meant to serve.
We must remove corporate influence from elections, end gerrymandering, enforce judicial accountability, and restore fair representation so that government truly answers to the people. -
The Constitution guarantees fundamental rights that must be protected for everyone, regardless of political belief or identity.
Free speech, privacy, and civil liberties must never be restricted or selectively enforced based on political pressure or ideology. -
Those who serve deserve more than rhetoric. They deserve real care, support, and opportunity when they return home.
Veterans must receive full healthcare, benefits, and job support, and political and military leadership must be held accountable for how and where we deploy our troops. -
Technology companies have amassed enormous power over personal data, communication, and information.
Americans have the right to privacy.
Big Tech must be regulated to prevent abuse, protect personal data, and stop manipulation of information. -
Corporate consolidation is crushing small businesses, raising prices, and limiting opportunity.
Monopolies must be broken up, competition must be restored, and corporations must not be allowed to dominate markets or government. -
Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy but are being pushed out by large corporations.
We must create fair conditions for small businesses to thrive and prevent corporate practices that stifle competition and local growth. -
Religious freedom includes the freedom from government-imposed religion.
Government must remain neutral on religion, protecting individual belief without allowing any religion to dictate public policy.
my campaign philosophy
Good policy should be measured by what it accomplishes, not by whom it punishes.
I believe in individual responsibility. I believe people should work hard, contribute when they can, and take responsibility for the choices they make.
But individual responsibility does not mean pretending that everyone begins life with the same opportunities - or that everything that happens to us is within our control.
People get sick. They lose jobs. They are born into poverty. They experience disability, abuse, addiction, economic instability, and circumstances they never chose. Sometimes people make mistakes. Sometimes systems fail them. Usually, reality is more complicated than either political party wants to admit.
The purpose of public policy is not to decide who is morally worthy of help. It is to solve problems.
We all want to live in safe communities. We want access to good healthcare. We want an economy where working people can afford housing, food, and a decent life. We want people to be healthy, productive, responsible, and pleasant to live alongside.
So instead of arguing over who deserves what, I believe we should ask a more practical question:
What policies are most likely to create that kind of society?
Punishment may satisfy our anger, but it does not necessarily solve the problem. Making someone poorer, sicker, hungrier, less educated, or less employable rarely makes that person more stable or productive. When hardship becomes desperation, the consequences do not remain confined to one individual. They spread through families, workplaces, neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, and the broader economy.
We all pay for social problems eventually. The choice is whether we invest in preventing them…or pay more after they become crises.
When people can see a doctor before an illness becomes an emergency, everyone benefits. When workers earn enough to participate in the economy, everyone benefits. When children receive a quality education, everyone benefits. When people have access to mental-health and addiction treatment, communities become healthier and safer. When temporary hardship does not become permanent ruin, more people can recover, return to work, and contribute.
These investments are often described as “handouts.” I see them as infrastructure for a functioning society.
You do not have to feel personally compassionate toward every stranger to recognize that you are better off living among people who are healthy, housed, educated, and economically secure. This is not only a moral argument. It is a practical one.
Individual responsibility still matters. But responsibility requires choices. And meaningful choices require real opportunities. We cannot demand that people pull themselves up while supporting policies that continually remove the ground beneath their feet.
My political philosophy is grounded in realism, reason, and results. I want policies that reduce harm, prevent crises, reward work, expand opportunity, and produce better outcomes for the entire community.
Sometimes that means accountability. Sometimes it means assistance. Often, it means recognizing that helping someone become stable and self-sufficient is more effective (and less expensive) than allowing them to collapse and punishing them afterward.
I am not interested in using the government to determine who deserves to suffer. I am interested in using it to address the problems we cannot solve alone.
The question guiding my platform is simple:
What kind of world do we want to live in, and what actually works to get us there?