Q&A

What do you consider the two most important issues facing Hoosiers who will see your name on their ballot this November? And if elected, what policies will you push for to address each one?

Cost of living and public safety. I've long championed policies to reduce costs for working families including capping prescription drug prices, overhauling the property tax system, and making healthcare both more affordable and more accessible. I've also voted to cut income taxes. As the only currently-serving law enforcement officer, I've made public safety my highest priority. I wrote and passed the bill to ban machine gun conversion devices and created the Green Alert in Indiana. I've also worked to hold bad cops accountable by banning chokeholds and making it a crime to turn off your body camera.

We've heard from many in our audience that they feel frustrated — sometimes disenfranchised — by our current political landscape. These feelings sometimes contribute to people deciding not to vote, and Indiana consistently ranks near the bottom of the list on voter turnout. What would you say to a potential voter who feels this way?

I personally won my last election by just 265 votes out of nearly 14,000 ballots cast - a 2% margin. Trust me, your vote does matter. In almost every state legislative race across Indiana, 125 in total, the total number of non-voters will outnumber the total number of voters. Imagine the change that could be created if everyone that was registered got out to vote. Thomas Jefferson once said "The government you elect is the government you deserve." If we think we deserve better, we have to elect better.

Economic anxiety is top of mind for many in our audience and around the country, with a common concern being inflation and the high price of basic needs. In all the complexity around economic issues, what specific changes need to happen to help Hoosiers and their families?

Inflation is almost back to pre-pandemic levels, but grocery prices, gas prices, and healthcare costs continue to be high. This indicates to any reasonable person that the people and companies in charge of prices are greedily bilking the average Hoosier family. We need to update our laws on price gouging and go after those who gouge Hoosiers - both criminally and civilly. We have to stop subsidizing companies whose employees are paid so little they have to be on welfare. We need to seriously address wage theft amongst employers which costs Hoosiers around $7 Billion per year. Finally, we need to promote trades and union careers that allow a family to thrive, not just survive.
 

Endorsements - Source
Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce
Indiana Chamber of Commerce
Professional Firefighters Union of Indiana
AFSCME
Better Indiana
AFT
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 481
ISTA
Plumbers Local 440
UAW Region 2B
Indiana Stonewall Democrats
Indiana AFL-CIO
Fraternal Order of Police

Notable Donors - Source
Indiana PAC for Education
Indiana House Democratic Caucus
IBEW PAC Federal
Better Indiana
Kathy Gore
AFL-CIO Federal
Law PAC of Indiana
Philip Kelly GiaQuinta
United Association of Journeymen Plumbers, Steamfitters & HVAC Service Technicians Local 440 PAC
Mitchell Gore
 

Q&A

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