I believe in individual freedom. Real freedom means families are not crushed under the weight of healthcare or insurance costs, the cost of child care, or the cost of their own taxes. We need to address the affordability crisis that is hurting our rural communities and family farms especially hard.

At the same time, we have to be forward-thinking. Our world is changing, with real implications for infrastructure, water management, roads, and emergency preparedness. Ignoring those realities does not protect taxpayers, families, or businesses. It hurts them.

We need to fund our public schools. We need those schools to invest in programs that build confidence, curiosity, and resilience. But year after year, our schools are being asked to do more with less. They are cutting programs. They are laying off staff. They are closing their doors. We cannot afford to allow this to continue.

We need to take a long, hard look at who we are sending to Madison to represent us. The hardworking people of Senate District 9 deserve representation that will fight for them, not abandon them in the face of adversity.

I am not a politician. I do not pretend to be the smartest person in the room. I believe true leadership requires us to listen, use our own expertise when appropriate, and be fearless when confronted with new challenges and obstacles.

I'm running because we need to get back to a shared sense of reality and a shared commitment to making progress together. That starts with integrity in public office and an independent willingness to focus on the common good rather than personal or partisan agendas.