ISSUES

Access to high-quality and affordable healthcare is a fundamental right for every resident of Missouri. However, year after year, families in our state are confronted with increasingly difficult choices, forced to weigh the cost of prescription drugs and medical expenses against their basic needs.

Unfortunately, the leadership of the Republican-controlled House has failed to seize opportunities to improve healthcare access for Missourians, leaving millions of federal dollars untouched meant for expanding coverage. Additionally, they have enacted legislation that severely restricts reproductive healthcare, including vital services like abortion, leading to negative impacts on community health, higher insurance premiums, and the imposition of unscientific and harmful restrictions.

It is imperative that individuals have the freedom to make decisions regarding their own bodies and lives. Yet, Republicans have pushed extreme abortion bans that limit access even in cases of rape, incest, or medical necessity.

Tragically, maternal mortality rates in Missouri far exceed those of other industrialized nations. Rather than supporting healthcare initiatives, Missouri legislators have burdened the system with restrictive measures, making it harder for physicians to provide care and for patients to achieve optimal health outcomes.

Furthermore, Republicans have allocated substantial taxpayer funds to defend unconstitutional legislation, all while claiming budget constraints for essential services like school transportation.

As your advocate in the state legislature, I am committed to championing sensible policies such as maintaining expanded Medicaid, ensuring access to reproductive healthcare, and making prescription medications more affordable. No Missourian should ever have to sacrifice a decent job to maintain their healthcare coverage.

Fighting discrimination is something I have speat countless of hours doing. As a gay male, I know and have experienced first hand what legal discrimination can cause. Through my individual work and my work on the Board of Directors for GLO Center of the Ozarks, I am dedicated to continuingly fighting discrimination in our state through an intersectional approach along side many other marginalized communities.

Every year for the past two decades, the Missouri Non-Discrimination Act (MONA) has been filed, only to be blocked by Republicans. MONA would allow basic protections to our LGBTQ community by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to Missouri’s Human Rights Act.

Missourians should not have to fear losing their jobs or being denied housing for who they love—discrimination that is currently completely legal in our state.

Meanwhile, Republicans in recent years have also passed legislation that makes it easier for employers, landlords or businesses to discriminate based on race, age, religion or gender—more so than in any other state.

As your state rep, I will work to ensure that Missouri welcomes people regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, age, or any other identifying factor. A Missouri that protects all people from discrimination.

Learn more from some of our states' advocacy groups:

https://promoonline.org/

https://www.monaacp.org/

https://www.facebook.com/ameri...

Our children are our greatest investment. Students should have access to free, quality public education regardless of their zip code. As your representative, I will work to strengthen our public schools and fully fund our commitment to our kids.

I will support universal early childhood education, because investing in our kids from an early age is the best way for us to invest in our future. I will also support investment in higher education and workforce training, to ensure all Missourians have the opportunity to gain the skills to compete in our economy.

I will fight for increases in teacher pay, reduce unnecessary restrictions, and work to ensure that teachers no longer have to buy materials out of their own pocket.

A strong economy is one that works for everyone. As your state rep, I’ll fight for those who truly build up our economy—our workers—for the wages, benefits, and protections they deserve. I’ll support investments in community infrastructure and educational opportunities to support a 21st century workforce.

I’ll work for policies that support local businesses who provide good jobs in our state and keep our economy growing. And I’ll work to bring new businesses here that want to capitalize on our skilled Missouri workforce and quality of life. I will always put workers’ interests before the special interests of large corporations.

Bridging the divide between our state and city governments is fundamental to bringing home needed support from Jefferson. Government works best when it is closer to the people it serves. I respect the fabric of our local communities and trust them to know best when it comes to overcoming the challenges they face.

In Missouri, we have seen many decisions influenced by special interests, circumventing the will of local communities on local issues by preempting local ordinances with state law or by diluting local opposition to matters by including state-wide votes.

I support the legislative priorities of Springfield City Council and will work along side them to create a better community for all.

Central to the role of government is to fairly enforce the law, and to provide protection for its people. I will support our law enforcement officers in their difficult jobs, while also demanding accountability when they overreach.

I will support rehabilitative practices, while also seeking ways to reduce our prison population and reintegrate folks into society after they have served their time. I’ll also support drug treatment courts and diversion programs that find alternative ways to punish and rehabilitate non-violent criminals without wasting valuable tax payer money by simply throwing them in prison.

No matter where you live in Missouri, the root causes of crime are the same: a lack of educational and work opportunities, along with drug addiction and poverty. Addressing these basic issues must always be central in any conversation about crime.