About this response & our editorial approach
About this candidate response
DutyStation contacts candidates to ask whether and how they support service members, military families and veterans, and invites them to share their thoughts and priorities. We share their replies here in the candidate’s or campaign’s own words, with minor formatting for readability and correction of obvious spelling mistakes.
No endorsement in either direction. Publishing a reply does not mean DutyStation endorses the candidate. Replying does not mean the candidate or campaign endorses DutyStation.
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Organized by topic. Email greetings and sign-offs are omitted; campaign contact details appear alongside.
Government shutdown and cooperation
- I oppose government shutdowns. They are a failure of leadership, waste taxpayer dollars, hurt local economies, and destabilize active-duty troops and military families who live on tight budgets. Shutdowns are an unacceptable way to govern.
- If Democrats control one or both chambers, my priority is keeping the federal government open through straightforward, single-subject appropriation bills passed on schedule. I will work with the administration on non-partisan priorities like veteran care, defense readiness, and infrastructure, using regular order rather than last-minute CRs or omnibus packages.
- Bipartisanship requires negotiating budget caps early, not leveraging essential public services at midnight line deadlines.
- If a shutdown occurs, I will push for and co-sponsor the following legislation:
- Pay for Active-Duty and Reserve Forces: Ensure military pay continues without interruption under statutory authority similar to the Pay Our Military Act.
- VA Funding Continuity: Ensure VA health centers, regional benefit offices, and suicide prevention services remain fully operational by protecting advance appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Family Support Protection: Maintain funding for base commissaries, child development centers, and healthcare access under TRICARE so military families do not bear the burden of Washington gridlock.
Quality of life for active-duty families
- I support targeted base pay raises that keep pace with inflation, with specific increases focused on junior enlisted members who feel the brunt of rising housing and food costs.
- Streamline TRICARE network access, reducing pre-authorization delays for specialty care, and expanding mental health provider networks near major installations.
- Expand operational hours at base Child Development Centers, increase provider staffing incentives to reduce years-long waitlists, and expand off-base childcare fee assistance.
- Overhaul Military Housing Office oversight during permanent change of station moves, streamline reimbursement for out-of-pocket moving costs, and simplify spouse unemployment claims when changing states.
Veterans’ care
- Enforce clear accountability for the VA MISSION Act, ensuring veterans can access community care providers immediately if VA appointment wait times exceed 20 days or travel distances exceed 30 minutes.
- Expand 24/7 mental crisis response units, integrate peer-to-peer support systems, and partner with community organizations to offer alternative treatments for post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.
- Modernize and automate the VA claims processing system, reduce the backlog of appeals, and establish clear presumptive service connection conditions for toxic exposures.
- Overhaul the Transition Assistance Program into a personalized, two-year transition plan starting 12 months before separation, connecting veterans directly with local trade unions, universities, and corporate apprenticeships.
Family housing
- Increase Basic Allowance for Housing rates to accurately reflect local market rental prices, eliminating the current out-of-pocket gap for service members.
- Hold private housing contractors accountable by enforcing standard Military Housing Tenant Rights, establishing independent inspections before move-in, and withholding management fees from contractors who fail basic health and safety standards.
- Create a direct, transparent reporting mechanism for service members to flag mold, lead, or structural issues without fear of command reprisal, backed by strict financial penalties for private landlords who ignore urgent repair requests.
ELECTION REFLECTIONS · IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Looking ahead to Election Day
Brief answers to DutyStation’s questions about hope, America’s future, unity, the next generation and a closing message. The earlier policy answers and their received date remain above.
Hope heading into the election
- What gives me hope is seeing everyday people across Tennessee step up to demand real, meaningful change. Everywhere I go, I talk with neighbors who are ready to look past corporate political games and work together to solve real problems. People are eager for an economy that values human dignity, a government that operates with radical transparency, and leaders who put humanity first. That grassroots determination to build a better future proves to me that our best days are still ahead.
Vision for America
- Integrity. Perseverance. Victory.
Bringing Americans together
- Our shared commitment to our families, our neighbors, and the places we call home should unite us. Regardless of how we vote, we all want an economy that gives working families a secure floor, healthcare that treats people with dignity instead of profit margins, and communities equipped to handle technological changes and severe weather. Focusing on practical solutions that improve everyday life, holding elected officials accountable, and serving with love and integrity can bring us together long after the polls close.
The next generation
- I hope the next generation inherits a resilient economy, a healthy planet, and a functioning democracy. We owe them an economic floor like the Freedom Dividend so no family faces financial ruin, laws that protect human dignity from unchecked AI, and a government free from corporate PAC influence and insider stock trading. Most of all, I hope they inherit a nation where leaders serve as genuine stewards of the public trust.
Closing message to voters
- Public service should be about restoring trust, serving with integrity, and asking one simple question: how can we best lift up our neighbors and protect the vulnerable? I am running for Congress to ban congressional stock trading, guarantee healthcare access, and protect human dignity in an age of rapid AI automation. We do not have to accept corporate corruption or endless political gridlock. Together, we can build a future that works for everyone.