Candidate Profiles

Mental health, Taxes, Education will be my top three priorities in the Iowa House. Everyone deserves access to quality mental healthcare without discrimination. We need to advocate for mental health awareness, accessibility, education, and eliminate the stigma behind mental health and seeking treatment. We should be looking at policy solutions in Des Moines to increase the hospital beds per capita across the state. I am also committed to passing legislation to increase first responders’ access mental healthcare. With a family of 7, the inflation has strained our family, as it as with most. The increasing costs of gas, groceries, and everyday necessities has caused hardship and pain for Iowa families. I will work with to lower taxes, cut costs, and improve the economy. I’m committed to ensuring that every child has the education best for them. Whether public or private, or if a student plans to attend a four-year university, trade school, enlist, or enter the workforce– it’s our job to ensure each student has what they need to succeed in their futures.

It is imperative that we allocate additional funds to the state budget to support first responders, as numerous departments are utilizing outdated equipment due to financial constraints. Furthermore, augmenting the budget for police and sheriff's departments is crucial for enhancing training on handling mental health crises and supporting vital K-9 programs. Notably, Iowa's police K-9 units rely on donor funding, rather than local or state allocations, despite being invaluable assets to law enforcement and our communities.

In light of the considerable risks posed by distracted driving, Iowa should establish legislation to ban handheld device usage. The dire consequences of texting while driving, including property damage and loss of life, necessitate this measure to safeguard Iowa's roads and preserve human life.

We should explore legislation that effectively safeguards our most vulnerable populations. We can also incentivize careers in essential industries, like healthcare, to address staffing concerns.

I firmly believe that additional funding for screening and prevention is crucial, as it enhances the chances of effective treatment and saves lives. Having experienced the loss of friends to cancer, I've seen the immense suffering. Lawmakers must take action to make a difference.

The primary strategy for addressing water pollution is preventative measures. This involves excluding excess sediment, nutrients, bacteria, and other pollutants from our water sources. Given that agricultural areas are the main contributors to this issue, adopting conservation practices is crucial. Key conservation methods include wetlands, ponds, terraces, and buffers, all of which mitigate pollutant levels reaching lakes and streams.

To address the mental health crisis, legislators must take a multiprong approach, including repealing the certificate of need to increase access to mental health facilities, establishing state facilities to provide additional bed space for patients, and implementing prevention measures to combat the rising rate of veteran and first responder suicide, as well as expanding school-based mental healthcare access for children.

The Iowa courts ruled that the Heartbeat Bill may take effect this past summer. My focus is on supporting both IVF and adoption access. Moreover, I will work to promote accessible contraceptives and sex education to prevent unplanned pregnancies.

I would read and analyze legislation and its intended and unintended effects before making any decisions on how to vote on the bill. With any legislation addressing abortion, I would only support policies that have reasonable exceptions, like those for the life of the mother and cases of rape and incest.

From my perspective as a proponent of public education and parental choice in education, prioritizing children's needs would be paramount. Furthermore, as lawmakers, I’d establish clear guidelines for age-appropriate content available in school libraries and ensure that historical and curriculum standards are accurate, objective, and don’t include political or personal biases.

Unlike Florida or California, Iowa is not a traditional destination state, therefore, to enhance its appeal to businesses and investors, we must streamline regulatory processes and cut red tape to foster small business growth, positioning Iowa as one of the top states for business in the United States.