What Are my Priorities?
Over the past 3 months, I have spoken to many people across our community, and have identified three priorities our community is concerned about. I believe they are vital for improving the lives of the people of North Dakota. If you have other priorities you believe are important, please reach out to me so I can hear your concerns, hopes, and dreams!
- Affordable Housing across North Dakota
We have an affordable housing crisis in Bismarck and across our state. There are simply not enough affordable homes for rent or purchase in our state, especially for low and extremely low income families. A tight housing market allows for the price of homes and the cost of rent to increase. Home prices have increase as much as 40% in Bismarck in the past decade and rent in our community is nearly impossible for minimum wage workers to afford.
When elected to the ND House - I will work and develop bills that will challenge our communities to build more affordable housing. Develop legislation that will provide low cost construction loans, require communities to have more low-cost housing available, and strive to create more protections for renters and people in mobile homes communities.
- Helping Families
Families across North Dakota have been impacted by inflation over the past 6 years. Food, insurance, gas, energy, housing, and the cost of equipment and materials have continued to rise while paychecks have stayed flat. The cost of rents, mortgages, and property taxes continue to rise without constraint, and heating and energy prices are unpredictable.
When elected to the ND House - I will work with colleagues in my Party and across the aisle to develop bills that will help stabilize cost of housing, utilities, and taxes. Working for the people of North Dakota to make sure the cost of the most vital aspects of our lives are affordable for the long term
- Funding Public Education
Public school districts across our city and state are constantly fighting to retain their funding because of private school vouchers and the cost of feeding children who are hungry in our schools. Teachers are feeling unsupported and underpaid for the vital service they provide for our community, and children who are hungry because of no fault of their own are having to go without food.
When elected to the ND House - I will fight for our schools, our teachers, and our students. As an educator for over 20 years, I understand the issues that impact schools, colleges, and universities. I understand the feeling of being unsupported and under paid for my work in the classroom. I know that a student who does not have to worry about feeling ashamed to ask for a meal with feel more welcome and be more ready to learn.
- Improving Mental Health Care
As a widower, whose spouse died by suicide, and a father of three amazing kids, I am concerned about the accessibility and affordability of mental health care in our communities. It is common across our state that new clients have to wait months to get an initial appointment for mental health care and evaluation. Federal and state resources around suicide prevention are constantly under threat of defunding, and programs focused on people particularly at risk for suicide have been eliminated.
When elected to the ND House - I will advocate for improved mental health policies, challenge our legislature to better support individuals and families impacted by mental health issues, work to make sure that our homes and community are a safe place for people who are actively struggling with mental health, and work to create legislation that will help our community be safe and healthy
- Hope for the Future
I look forward to a future where we are healthier and happier, we have more and better paying jobs, our communities are more affordable, and we are supportive and welcoming to everyone. I have shown over a career in academic and community work that I listen to the concerns of other, work with others to find solutions, and then build consensus to support change.
When elected to the ND House - I will work each day for a better future for everyone in our community. The primary goal of the Legislature should be to work for a future the supports the people, family businesses, farms, and corporations of our state.
Building for the future, and not just making the present profitable.
- Affordable Housing across North Dakota
We have an affordable housing crisis in Bismarck and across our state. There are simply not enough affordable homes for rent or purchase in our state, especially for low and extremely low income families. A tight housing market allows for the price of homes and the cost of rent to increase. Home prices have increase as much as 40% in Bismarck in the past decade and rent in our community is nearly impossible for minimum wage workers to afford.
When elected to the ND House - I will work and develop bills that will challenge our communities to build more affordable housing. Develop legislation that will provide low cost construction loans, require communities to have more low-cost housing available, and strive to create more protections for renters and people in mobile homes communities.
- Helping Families
Families across North Dakota have been impacted by inflation over the past 6 years. Food, insurance, gas, energy, housing, and the cost of equipment and materials have continued to rise while paychecks have stayed flat. The cost of rents, mortgages, and property taxes continue to rise without constraint, and heating and energy prices are unpredictable.
When elected to the ND House - I will work with colleagues in my Party and across the aisle to develop bills that will help stabilize cost of housing, utilities, and taxes. Working for the people of North Dakota to make sure the cost of the most vital aspects of our lives are affordable for the long term
- Funding Public Education
Public school districts across our city and state are constantly fighting to retain their funding because of private school vouchers and the cost of feeding children who are hungry in our schools. Teachers are feeling unsupported and underpaid for the vital service they provide for our community, and children who are hungry because of no fault of their own are having to go without food.
When elected to the ND House - I will fight for our schools, our teachers, and our students. As an educator for over 20 years, I understand the issues that impact schools, colleges, and universities. I understand the feeling of being unsupported and under paid for my work in the classroom. I know that a student who does not have to worry about feeling ashamed to ask for a meal with feel more welcome and be more ready to learn.
- Improving Mental Health Care
As a widower, whose spouse died by suicide, and a father of three amazing kids, I am concerned about the accessibility and affordability of mental health care in our communities. It is common across our state that new clients have to wait months to get an initial appointment for mental health care and evaluation. Federal and state resources around suicide prevention are constantly under threat of defunding, and programs focused on people particularly at risk for suicide have been eliminated.
When elected to the ND House - I will advocate for improved mental health policies, challenge our legislature to better support individuals and families impacted by mental health issues, work to make sure that our homes and community are a safe place for people who are actively struggling with mental health, and work to create legislation that will help our community be safe and healthy
- Hope for the Future
I look forward to a future where we are healthier and happier, we have more and better paying jobs, our communities are more affordable, and we are supportive and welcoming to everyone. I have shown over a career in academic and community work that I listen to the concerns of other, work with others to find solutions, and then build consensus to support change.
When elected to the ND House - I will work each day for a better future for everyone in our community. The primary goal of the Legislature should be to work for a future the supports the people, family businesses, farms, and corporations of our state.
Building for the future, and not just making the present profitable.
Campaign Recognitions
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I am proud to share that on May 19, 2026, our campaign was awarded a
Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate Distinction. The recognition is because I believe that we should have commonsense firearm regulations and Red Flag laws, which would give individuals and families a way to temporarily remove guns from a home when a person is in a mental health crisis or returning home after inpatient hospitalization for mental health issues. I support the 2nd Amendment, but understand from my personal experience as a widower whose wife died as the result of a self-inflicted gun shot, that sometimes we need to take action to support and protect our loved ones. |
***We need a change***
Please consider supporting my campaign for a better future.
Please consider supporting my campaign for a better future.
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