Transparency and Governance

In state rankings by independent watchdogs, the state of Michigan ranks near the bottom for transparency in government. As a local official, I was subject to the Freedom of Information Act and the Open Meetings Act. These are crucial pieces of law that protect residents by ensuring legislative conduct is open and honest. State officials should be held to the same standard.

Access to public information and communications of our representatives by individual residents and journalists is crucial to honest government.

I pledge to remain well connected to my community, not form a community with the well connected.

My heart and my attention will always rest with the people of this district.

As a member of local government, I greatly appreciated the non-partisan nature of our city council. Instead of focusing primarily on ideology and party alignment, we were able to solve problems together by focusing on the merit of ideas.

In an age of hyper partisanship and extremism, I am proud to say I will not hesitate to work across the aisle. We are at our best as a community and a state when we work together.

While I hold a constitutionally conservative outlook, I believe there is more common ground than we are led to believe. Issues such as criminal justice reform, education, infrastructure, transparency, and accountability transcend the divide and offer an opportunity for collaboration.

As a teacher I work tirelessly for all of my students.

As a council member, I serve all residents of my city.

As a state representative, I will serve ALL of my constituents.

Civility

In our nation's political sphere, dialogue is increasingly full of hateful rhetoric and division. If residents of our district are looking to elect someone to "own" the other side or engage in meaningless assaults on the character of those whom we disagree with politically, I am not their candidate.

I promise to fight for the values that define constitutional conservatism, to work with members of any party committed to furthering liberty and justice in our society, and to conduct myself in a manner that makes my family, my students, and my community proud.

I believe I can win on the merits of my positions, not through the denigration of any opponents.

When I take the oath of office, I pledge to serve ALL Michiganders with civility and integrity, while defending the rights of residents.