Western North Carolina is hurting. Too many families can’t afford a home, a doctor’s visit, or even to stay in the towns their families built. We’ve watched hospitals close, paychecks shrink, and working people fall further behind while billionaires, corporations, and career politicians in Washington get richer and more disconnected from the people they serve.
Hurricane Helene made it worse, but it didn’t create these problems. It exposed them.
Career politicians showed up after Helene with cameras and promises. Then they left. I’m still here, and I’m running to make sure we never get forgotten again.
We don’t need more soundbites from Washington. We need leadership rooted in service, humility, and common sense – leadership that remembers that every policy affects a person, every headline hides a human story.
I’m not running to climb the political ladder. I’m running to rebuild trust in our government and restore faith in what’s possible when we put people first.
Healthcare should be affordable, accessible, and local. As a family physician, I’ve seen the cost of inaction – rural hospitals at risk of closing, patients delaying care, and families going into debt for basic treatment.
Here’s what I’ll work to achieve:
The cost of living is crushing working families. I’ll champion policies that put money back in your pocket:
Hurricane Helene destroyed our homes. Washed away our roads and livelihoods. Months later, too many families are still waiting for help. This administration and our current representative have broken the social contract – while other hurricane disasters received 60-75% of total aid relief, we sit at 9%. Rural areas are being left behind again.
Here’s my commitment:
Congress must reclaim its constitutional role instead of ceding power to the executive branch and special interests.
We have a generational responsibility: every child has a right to have access to the highest quality education, that is the promise of America for those who come after us, our children and grandchildren.
While the States have the fundamental responsibility for funding education, including teacher pay, the Federal government has responsibilities to ensure accountability of the States to provide the highest level of education for each child.
The destruction of the Department of Education abdicates its accountability and has immediately and dangerously passed more funding responsibilities to the States which do not have the ability to pivot on a moment’s notice.
The Federal government has a responsibility to fund special education for all children in need.
The Federal government has a responsibility to set national standards of accountability, supporting innovation and best practices.
Strengthen the VA, expand mental health and addiction treatment, and ensure rural veterans get equal access to benefits and care.
Defend equal protection under law, guarantee due process, support judicial independence, and ensure the right to representation.
With debt approaching $40 trillion, we need serious solutions that don’t balance the budget on the backs of working families.
Reform tax policy so the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share while working families get relief.
