values & beliefs

THE ISSUE:

Faith in our government is eroded when special interests drown out the voices of ordinary citizens, politicians seem more focused on personal gain than public service, and dark money floods our elections.

MY STANCE:

Our democracy cannot function when the voices of citizens are drowned out by big money and special interest. Our government should work for US not special interest or personal gain.

MY SOLUTION:

• Overturn Citizens United: Support a constitutional amendment to overturn the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision and get big money out of politics.

• Uncap the House: Support expanding the House of Representatives to ensure more proportional representation, ensuring every citizen's voice has equal weight and bringing our representatives closer to the people they serve.

• Pass Comprehensive Campaign Finance Reform: Advocate for legislation that increases transparency in political spending, empowers small-dollar donors, and strengthens enforcement against violations (e.g., supporting measures like the DISCLOSE Act and For the People Act).

• Ban Stock Trading for Members of Congress: Eliminate conflicts of interest by limiting members of Congress from trading individual stocks while in office.

• Strengthen Ethics Laws: Support robust ethics enforcement and close loopholes that allow former officials to immediately lobby their old colleagues.

• Protect Voting Rights: Fight against voter suppression efforts and advocate for federal standards that ensure fair and accessible elections for all eligible citizens.

THE ISSUE:

Families across Central Florida are being squeezed. The costs of housing, childcare, groceries, and healthcare are rising faster than wages, making it harder to get ahead, no matter how hard you work.

MY STANCE:

Economic security should be attainable for everyone, not just the wealthy. When basic needs are out of reach, families suffer, potential is stifled, and our entire community is held back.

MY SOLUTION:

• Make Housing Affordable: Support federal investments in affordable housing construction and introduce legislation to regulate and prevent predatory corporations and hedge funds from buying up single-family homes. We must stop Wall Street from turning our neighborhoods into permanent rental zones and driving up costs for working families.

• Lower Childcare Costs: While Florida offers a universal pre-K program, it often falls short of the full-day coverage working parents need. I will fight to incentivize universal pre-K at the federal level to help states expand these programs to offer full-day options. We must make significant investments to ensure quality childcare is affordable and accessible for all working families, boosting workforce participation and child development.

• Reduce Healthcare Expenses: Work to lower prescription drug costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate prices, cap out-of-pocket expenses, and defend protections for pre-existing conditions. Strengthen the Affordable Care Act and move towards ensuring healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

• Promote Fair Wages: Advocate for raising the federal minimum wage to a living wage and ensuring fair pay practices. We need to empower workers and ensure they have a voice in their workplaces and a fair share of the prosperity they help create.

THE ISSUE:

Too many workers in Central Florida face stagnant wages, unsafe conditions, and illegal practices like wage theft, while their fundamental right to organize for better treatment is under attack.

MY STANCE:

A fair and prosperous economy depends on empowered workers. We must ensure workers are treated with dignity, paid fair wages, and have the protected right to bargain collectively for a better life. Safe working conditions are paramount, no ones family should worry if someone will make it home from work today.

MY SOLUTION:

• Protect the Right to Organize: Strongly support the PRO Act to make it easier for workers to form unions and collectively bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.

• Ensure Workplace Safety: Strengthen OSHA enforcement and fight against attempts to weaken safety regulations that protect workers on the job.

• Combat Wage Theft: Crack down on employers who steal wages from their workers through misclassification or other illegal practices.

• Expand Paid Leave: Advocate for federal paid family and medical leave policies so workers don't have to choose between their job and caring for themselves or a loved one.

THE ISSUE:

Politicians continuously use veteran benefits as a talking point to gain favor during elections yet continuously fail to speak up when veteran benefits continue to be threatened.

MY STANCE:

The bureaucratic hurdles, absurdly long waits for healthcare, and red tape surrounding accessing benefits is unacceptable. To betray the promises made to our service members is to betray the fundamental trust they placed in the nation.

MY SOLUTION:

• Fully Fund & Modernize the VA: Fight for robust, predictable funding for the Veterans Assistance to reduce wait times, expand services (especially mental healthcare and women's health), and upgrade facilities and technology.

• Streamline Benefits Access: Work to simplify the VA claims process and cut bureaucratic red tape so veterans receive their earned benefits without unnecessary delays or denials.

• Expand Economic Opportunity: Champion programs that connect veterans with job training, educational opportunities (protecting the GI Bill), and resources for veteran entrepreneurs.

• Veteran Homelessness: Support initiatives providing housing assistance and comprehensive support services to end veteran homelessness in our communities.

• Prioritizing Mental Health: Advocate for expanded mental health resources, suicide prevention programs, and reduced stigma around seeking care for veterans and their families.

• Expand Disability & Specialty Care: Fight to reduce barriers for veterans with disabilities, ensuring timely and reliable access to the specialized medical care, equipment, and support services needed.

THE ISSUE:

Millions of Americans, including many in Central Florida, struggle with unaffordable healthcare costs, lack adequate insurance coverage, face high prescription drug prices, and worry about losing care due to pre-existing conditions.

MY STANCE:

Healthcare is a fundamental human right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it. No one should face financial ruin or forgo necessary treatment because of cost. Ensuring accessible, affordable, quality healthcare is essential for individual well-being and the economic health of our community.

MY SOLUTION:

• Pass Universal / Single-Payer Healthcare: The current for-profit system is unsustainable. Premiums in Florida are skyrocketing while coverage shrinks. I support a universal, single-payer healthcare system to guarantee comprehensive medical coverage for every American; eliminating premiums, co-pays, and deductibles. We must remove the profit motive from human survival.

• Lower Prescription Drug Costs: Empower Medicare to negotiate drug prices, cap insulin costs, and hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for price gouging.

• Strengthen and Expand Medicaid: Defend protections for pre-existing conditions, enhance subsidies to lower premiums and deductibles, and work towards expanding coverage to all Americans, potentially through a public option.

• Expand Disability & Specialty Care: Fight to reduce barriers for people with disabilities, ensuring timely and reliable access to the specialized medical care, equipment, and support services needed to live with dignity and independence.

• Increase Access to Care: Support funding for community health centers, expand telehealth services, address healthcare provider shortages in underserved areas, and ensure access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare.

• Promote Mental Health Parity: Fight for full parity between physical and mental healthcare coverage and expand access to affordable mental health and substance use disorder treatment.

• Cap Out-of-Pocket Expenses: Work towards capping out-of-pocket healthcare costs for families to prevent medical debt and financial hardship.

THE ISSUE: Our nation's reliance on foreign oil and outdated energy grids is a threat to both our national security and our economic stability. We are at the mercy of volatile global markets, while here at home, Florida is ground zero for the climate crisis, facing existential threats from rising seas and extreme weather that drive up insurance costs for everyone.

MY STANCE:

Achieving American energy independence is one of the most critical national security challenges of our time. By investing in clean, renewable energy produced right here at home, we can break our dependence on foreign energy, lower costs for working families, and build a more resilient infrastructure. We have the technology and the know-how to build a sustainable future for Florida; we just need the political will.

My Solutions:

• Unleash American Innovation: I will fight for bold investments in renewable energy technologies like solar, wind, and next-generation nuclear power to create good-paying jobs and ensure that the future of energy is built in America.

• Modernize and Secure Our Grid: I will support federal funding to modernize our nation's electrical grid, making it more resistant to cyber-attacks and extreme weather events.

• Build Resilient Communities: I will work to bring federal resources back to Florida to invest in resilient infrastructure projects that can protect our homes and businesses from the impacts of stronger storms and rising sea levels.

THE ISSUE:

When hurricanes strike, federal disaster relief is often too slow, insufficient, and difficult to access, leaving communities struggling to recover and rebuild.

MY STANCE:

The efforts to reduce FEMA's budget and staffing is a direct attack on states like Florida. Floridians know all too well the devastating impact of hurricanes.

A well-funded FEMA means faster recovery for Florida families and businesses, as well as stimulating local economies by creating jobs and supporting businesses during recovery efforts. By strengthening FEMA, we can build stronger, more resilient communities that are better able to withstand future disasters.

FEMA is not a political football. Let's make sure that FEMA is a tool that is used to help citizens when they need it the most.

MY SOLUTION:

• Fully Fund FEMA & Disaster Relief: Fight for consistent and adequate funding for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund, ensuring resources are available before disaster strikes.

• Invest in Resilient Infrastructure: Support federal funding for projects that harden our infrastructure (power grids, water systems, transportation) against the impacts of severe weather.

• Streamline Recovery Aid: Work to simplify the process for individuals and communities to access federal recovery assistance after a disaster, cutting red tape and ensuring aid is distributed equitably.

• Improve Forecasting & Warning Systems: Advocate for investments in advanced weather forecasting and communication systems to give communities more time to prepare.

THE ISSUE:

As a Navy veteran, I believe that a strong, principled American foreign policy is the bedrock of global security. Our military and our support are among the greatest assets we can offer our allies, but that support must be for necessary defense, not as a blank check for endless conflict.

Our American tax dollars should be invested right here at home, as much as possible.

MY STANCE:

My position is grounded in accountability and a clear-eyed view of American values: anytime an ally's actions shift from defense to causing a humanitarian crisis, we must not be complicit. If a nation's intentions change, our support must change too in order to remain true to our national values.

MY SOLUTION:

• Audit the Pentagon & Reinvest at Home: I will fight for a full, independent audit of the Pentagon to eliminate wasteful spending and demand accountability for the trillions of dollars spent on endless wars. Every dollar saved must be redirected to invest in America's potential: rebuilding our infrastructure, funding our schools, and caring for our veterans.

• Responsible Use of Force: Florida has one of the highest numbers of new military recruits and is home to one of the highest concentrations of veterans. I will always advocate for the responsible use of our military. We must reject reckless armed conflicts that result in the unnecessary loss of our active duty and reserve community members.

• Strengthen Alliances Through Diplomacy: We must strengthen our allyships through diplomatic and humane policy, not just military intervention. This includes rebuilding our strained relationship with Canada and repairing other foreign partnerships that have been damaged. True security comes from shared values and rigorous diplomacy. We must lead the world by example by promoting peace, upholding human rights, and prioritizing humanitarian assistance to build lasting stability.

• Condition Military Aid: Our military aid is a tool, not a blank check. I will support conditioning or ending aid to any ally, without exception, that uses our resources to harm civilians rather than for necessary defense. This isn't just a moral line; it's a fiscal one. We must stop funding atrocities abroad and start funding opportunities at home.

  Restore Congressional Oversight: I will vote to repeal and replace the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF). This will restore Congress' constitutional authority over war and begin the process of ending the forever wars that have cost us thousands of American lives and trillions of dollars that should have been invested in our own communities.

THE ISSUE: Our immigration system is broken. This issue has been polarized by both sides into an all-or-nothing debate, ignoring the need for practical, humane solutions. Our system is defined by inhumane conditions at our border, a lack of timely clear legal pathways that forces people into the shadows, and policies that tear families apart.

MY STANCE: I do not believe in an open border policy; I believe we need a humane, comprehensive, and proactive approach that reflects the best of our American values. My stance on immigration is not a political position; it is my family's story. My husband is a first-generation American, and I have seen firsthand the valuable and meaningful contribution that immigrants bring to our nation. We can have a secure border and a humane and practical immigration system at the same time.

MY SOLUTION:

• Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Create a clear and fair pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who are contributing to our communities.

• Modernize Our System: Expand legal pathways for immigration to meet our economic and social needs, reducing the pressure on the asylum system and expediting programs that will help expand our nation's innovation in STEM fields and international collaborations.

• End Inhumane Conditions: Ensure that our border and detention facilities meet the highest standards of human rights and dignity.

• Streamline the Legal Immigration Process: Invest in increasing staffing to conduct timely and thorough background checks. This will reduce the unacceptable wait times for both acceptances and rejections, creating a more efficient and secure system.

THE ISSUE:

For decades, working families have paid into Social Security and Medicare with every paycheck, trusting that these programs would be there for them when they retired. Now, career politicians are threatening to break that promise by proposing cuts, raising the retirement age, and even attempting to privatize these essential programs, all to fund more tax cuts for the wealthy.

MY STANCE:

Social Security is not an entitlement; it's a sacred promise. Working families pay into this system with every paycheck, making it a critical lifeline for our seniors, people with disabilities, and families who rely on survivor benefits. It is one of the most successful anti-poverty programs in our nation's history, and we must strengthen it for generations to come.

MY SOLUTION:

• Protect Earned Benefits: Social Security and Medicare are promises made to working Americans. I will oppose any proposal that would weaken that promise, including raising the retirement age or cutting the benefits people have earned over a lifetime of work.

• Ensure Long-Term Solvency: To ensure Social Security is secure for generations to come, we should adjust the income cap so that everyone contributes on a more equitable basis. This common-sense change strengthens the program for our seniors, people with disabilities, and families who rely on survivor benefits.

• Modernize and Improve Service: Every American deserves to access the benefits they've earned without unnecessary delays or bureaucratic hurdles. I will support efforts to modernize the Social Security Administration, reduce wait times, and improve customer service to ensure the system is efficient and responsive for everyone.

THE ISSUE: The epidemic of gun violence is tearing our communities apart. For too long, the debate has been polarized into a false choice between taking away rights and inaction, with common-sense solutions being ignored. This has allowed a public health crisis to fester, leaving our schools, our streets, and our homes vulnerable.

MY STANCE: As a Navy veteran, my perspective on the Second Amendment is grounded in the immense respect and discipline that firearms demand.

I am a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, and I believe that right must be paired with proven responsibility. The right to own a firearm is not a right to endanger our communities. My approach is not about taking away guns; it's about building a culture of responsibility.

MY SOLUTION: My solutions are rooted in my experience as a veteran. This isn't about infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens; it's about strengthening our culture of responsible gun ownership with common-sense safety measures that a majority of Americans, including gun owners, support.

• Promote Responsible Gun Ownership: Just as we require training and licensing for different types of vehicles, we should ensure gun owners have access to and are certified in the proper safety training for the firearms they own. This creates safer gun owners and safer communities.

• Keep Guns Out of the Wrong Hands: We must close the dangerous loopholes in our system by requiring universal background checks for all gun sales.

• Common-Sense Regulations: I support common-sense regulations like safe storage laws to prevent accidental deaths and red flag laws to keep guns out of the hands of those who are a danger to themselves or others. This is a veteran-led, pro-2A approach that respects the rights of responsible citizens while taking decisive action to end gun violence.