The Issues-local and larger.

I’m running for State Senate because rural Wisconsin deserves a voice that knows what it’s like to run a small business, work in healthcare, and raise a family here. I’ve lived the realities that too many politicians only talk about from a distance.

These are my priorities and how I’ll fight for District 17.

A classroom with a teacher and nine students seated at a blue table, engaged in learning activities. The classroom has educational posters on the walls, including grammar and language charts. The teacher is interacting with the students, who are writing or listening, in a bright room with yellow walls.

Education and Public Education

Strong public schools are the backbone of strong communities. I will fight for predictable state funding that lets districts plan instead of scramble, for educators who are supported and respected, and for policies that strengthen rural schools. That means reducing reliance on constant referendums to fund basics, closing loopholes that drain resources to unaccountable voucher schools, and ensuring special education and support services are fully funded so every child gets what they need. Our kids and our teachers deserve better than the constant uncertainty they are living with right now

Red dairy farm with green grass and blue sky

Agriculture and Rural Resilience

Wisconsin farmers need stable markets, reliable labor, and real support systems. Trade disruptions have direct consequences in our communities, and I will use every platform I have to make sure decision-makers understand that. I will fight to expand and strengthen farmer mental health programs, counseling vouchers, and crisis lines so that support is there when families need it. At the state level, I will also push for workforce stability and commonsense, orderly immigration rules that reflect who is actually working on our farms. When farms struggle, whole towns feel it, and when farms thrive, our main streets and schools do too.

Healthcare

Keeping rural hospitals open, expanding mental health and addiction services, and investing in preventive care are essential to the health and economy of our communities. I will fight for state-level initiatives that broaden access, strengthen rural providers, and make sure that where you live does not determine the quality of care you receive. That includes fully using available federal and state funds for rural health, improving Medicaid and BadgerCare reimbursement so providers can keep their doors open, and supporting innovative partnerships among rural hospitals and clinics. Healthy communities are working communities, and healthcare is basic infrastructure.

Infrastructure, Land, and Local Control

When big infrastructure projects come to rural Wisconsin, the people who live there deserve answers before anything moves forward. I will fight for legislation that requires full public transparency, meaningful community input, and enforceable protections on water, land, and environmental impact so that development serves Wisconsin families and future generations. I support good projects done the right way, with clear standards, fair rules, and local communities at the table from the beginning.

Illustration of a family, including children and an adult, walking in a line with backpacks, over an American flag background with stars and stripes.

Immigration

I feel a strong and profound moral obligation to ensure that all people born on this planet are treated with dignity and a clear sense of purpose. Those who come to our country often do so to escape dire circumstances and to seek a better future for themselves and their families. Historically, our nation has been welcoming and has implemented sound policies to receive newcomers.

However, in recent decades, our politicians have shown an unwillingness to address this situation directly. They have failed to provide a fast track that meets our economic needs and aligns with the core values we hold as Americans. It is time for us to reaffirm our commitment to both compassion and practicality, ensuring that our policies reflect the ideals upon which our country was founded.

People entering a building with a sign that says 'Vote Here' and features an American flag.

Voter Mobilization and Voting Rights Protections

I talk to our disenchanted and under-invited potential voters every day. It is my strong contention that our young people (under 40) need to be more readily engaged by personally inviting them into the process to exercise their most sacred American right. Those same rights must be vigorously protected at every turn. I intend to meet thousands of people before the next voting cycles to ask them, “what would bring you to the polls?” Voting rights for all must be adamantly protected and everyone must be invited.

Young mother holding a newborn baby on her chest

Reproductive Freedom

Healthcare decisions belong to patients and their medical providers, not politicians. I will fight at the state level to protect access to reproductive care across Wisconsin—including contraception, miscarriage care, and abortion—especially in rural communities where access is already limited. Safe, legal, and accessible care supports families, public health, and the dignity of every person who needs it. Government overreach into private medical decisions is wrong, and rural families often pay the highest price when clinics close.

A white residential building with multiple garage doors, a black car parked in front, and landscaping including trees and bushes.

Affordable Housing

Wisconsin is experiencing a significant shortage of affordable housing, especially for low-income and middle-income households. District 17, which is comprised of hardest-hit, large, rural areas, has high rates of cost-burdened renters and acutely limited inventory. Outdated and restrictive zoning codes that limit multifamily housing must be updated to meet the current demand. Other avenues to address this issue include tax credits to incentivize investments, low interest loan programs, and the encouragement of municipalities to assist in additional housing programs within their communities. Human security starts with a safe and decent place to live.

Veteran Care

Wisconsin can lead on veteran suicide prevention, but it takes more than awareness campaigns. I will push for data-driven evaluation of what is actually working, expanded peer support networks, and better coordination between state agencies, county veterans service officers, and local providers. I will work to ensure rural veterans know where to turn and can reach help without driving hours or navigating a maze of bureaucracy. Our veterans deserve follow-through, not just recognition.

Protest sign on cardboard saying equality in diversity

Civil Rights and Equal Rights

Every person in Wisconsin deserves equal access to housing, employment, healthcare, and public services. Protecting civil rights strengthens local economies and civic life. I will fight for policies that protect people from discrimination based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or family status and for enforcement that works in rural communities as well as in big cities. When everyone is treated with dignity and fairness, our communities are safer, more stable, and better places to live.

Thank you for shopping local written on a chalk board sign in a window

Economy and Small Business

I built a business from nothing and I know firsthand what it takes to make one not just survive—but to be successful! Economic policy should reflect that reality, with accessible financing, real workforce development, strong unions, and infrastructure investment that reaches rural communities. That includes reliable broadband, roads that can handle farm and freight traffic, and training that matches the jobs we actually have here. When small businesses and family farms thrive, the whole community thrives with them.

Wisconsin driftless area from an aerial view

Environment and Climate

Protecting Wisconsin's water, land, and air is a responsibility we owe to future generations and to the farmers, families, and businesses who depend on healthy natural resources right now. I will push for strong environmental oversight of major infrastructure and industrial projects, with clear standards and real enforcement that give communities confidence and accountability. That includes monitoring high-capacity wells, requiring full accounting and public reporting of water use for large facilities like data centers, and supporting farmers as stewards of the soil. Good environmental policy and a strong rural economy go hand in hand.

Man with a gun hunting with his hunting dog in a a field on a rainy day

Common Sense Gun Safety

Wisconsin has a deep and proud tradition of hunting and responsible gun ownership, and I respect it. I also believe we can promote safe storage, support reasonable background check policies that apply no matter where a gun is purchased, and reduce gun violence while honoring that tradition. Public safety and responsible ownership go hand in hand, and I will fight for both so our kids can grow up safe and our outdoor heritage remains strong.