My priorities reflect what I've heard repeatedly from our community. First, affordability: everyone deserves to live with dignity, regardless of zip code, identity, or age, through affordable healthcare, strong public schools, and stable housing. Second, protecting our fundamental rights: reproductive freedom, public safety through common-sense gun laws, and a healthy environment through clean energy and BWCA stewardship. Third, protecting our democracy -- the guardrails and shared truths that sustain self-governance. As a journalist who's listened to Minnesotans for decades, I know we share more values than division suggests. I'll bring that trust and my advocacy for the underserved to the Capitol as an unwavering voice for our community.
I'll fight for a Minnesota economy that works for everyone, not just some. That means expanding housing investment beyond this year's $165 million bill, tackling skyrocketing child care and healthcare costs, and confronting the $3 billion shortfall looming in the next biennium head-on – with honest budgeting and pragmatic planning. A vibrant economy starts with affordability. I'll bring facts, urgency, and the courage to make hard choices for every Minnesotan – especially as we enter the AI era.
I'll champion legislation confronting racial and ethnic disparities in Minnesota: in housing, health outcomes, education, the environment. Through People Serving People and Alight, I've stood alongside families facing displacement. As founder of So Many Goodbyes, I've seen Black Americans face Alzheimer's and other chronic illnesses at 2x the rate of white Americans. My legislative solutions: trustworthy community clinics, targeted education funding, and communication reaching every community.
I absolutely do, and here's why: The ERA protects Minnesotans from discrimination based on pregnancy, gender, sexual orientation, race, color, nationality, and disability. As a mother who experienced miscarriages before fertility treatments led to healthy pregnancies, I know these freedoms must never be stripped away, especially amid growing federal threats to our rights. We must finish what the PRO Act started. In this threatening moment, Minnesotans deserve strong protections; we need the ERA.
As a journalist, I know we must research then support science-based protections for our air and water, including fighting sulfide-mine pollution near the BWCA through SF 875. I'll address federal rollbacks threatening our water quality authority by supporting legislation that invests in clean energy, protects watersheds and wetlands, and ensures polluters pay. I will listen first, lead forward on this existential issue, because future generations deserve clean air, water and a healthy planet.
I've interviewed too many gun violence survivors and grieving families. I absolutely support their conclusion: common-sense reform saves lives -- magazine capacity limits, an assault weapons ban, safe storage laws. I've also spoken with law enforcement leaders, including Bloomington and Edina's police chiefs, who champion balanced crisis response. I'll partner with law enforcement on solutions that respect our rights and keep us safe. Safety also means stable housing, good schools, opportunity.
I'll fight to end Citizens United and its corrosive grip on our democracy. I find it entirely unethical that we pour millions into campaigns while we've dismantled USAID and families struggle to pay for groceries, rent, and mortgages. Elections should be decided by mission and message -- not money. That's why I signed Minnesota's public subsidy agreement. I'll also support the DISCLOSE Act, requiring transparency on who funds our elections, and other reforms to restore real accountability.
1) Fight fraud
2) Fight gang crime
3) Improve affordability
4) Improve educational outcomes
1) Reduce taxes and government interference in the free market (in other words, reduce subsidies and regulations).
2) The education of our future workers -- today's children -- is critical for our economic future and needs to be shored up. Half our students are not reading at grade level and it's worse for math. Permitting parents more choice in their children's education puts control for a child's education where it rightly belongs: with the family.
Education is the best onramp for ALL Minnesota children. We must reaffirm that the purpose of education is education -- not the employment of teachers or the propagation of ideology. While mocked in many circles, a return to the 3 Rs would work wonders at actually equipping our children to enter the world of employment and citizenship. Our educational elite have much to answer for: educational costs are significantly up while outcomes are down.
I lived this talk during my School Board service.
No: It is either redundant or divisive.
The best of politics is the art of the tradeoff. As a former backpacking guide, I take seriously the preservation of our natural wonders, including clean air and clean water.
The threat of actual environmental degradation must be balanced with affordability. Though not popular to note, environmental mandates increase consumer costs, leading to affordability challenges. The Minnesota legislature needs think this balance.
1) Catch-and-release needs to end. Dangerous perpetrators need to serve out their sentences -- sentencing guidelines must be adhered to.
2) Minnesota needs 1,000 more officers.
3) The stigmatizing of law enforcement must end. We need them for safe streets.
4) End sanctuary policies. Instead, we must demand immigration reform.
5) Reinstate reasonable "broken windows" policing. Enforcement of low-level disorder laws reduces high-level disorder.
Candidate response is not yet available.
