Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
I am running to bring down costs for working families, stand up to the Trump administration and Abolish ICE, and give every American universal healthcare. We need to send a fighter to Congress, not another career politician that will change nothing. As a nation we find ourselves in this situation because the Democratic Party is not fighting as hard as possible to fight back against Trump and his cronies. I come from an activist background and plan to bring the fight and passion of so many people in my district to the halls of Congress.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?
My top issue is affordability. Working families must be able to afford to live, raise kids, and retire with security. That means lowering the cost of healthcare, housing, education, and everyday necessities, raising wages, and taking on corporate concentration and price-gouging.
In Congress, I’ll fight to expand universal healthcare, invest in affordable housing, raise the minimum wage, and rein in monopolies that are driving up prices. We cannot keep asking working people to sacrifice while corporations post record profits. It is time for government to put working families first.
What is one unique challenge your district faces and how do you plan to address it?
While not unique to my district, the rising cost of living and attacks by Trump’s ICE are paramount challenges to the 8th Congressional District.
Across the 8th District families are living on the tightest of margins to get by. Trump has only made it harder for all of us to get by while enriching the richest in this country. We must reverse his tax and fiscal policies that help millionaires and billionaires and instead focus on progressive policies that will make life easier for all residents of the 8th District, not just the wealthiest.
Additionally unlike many Congressional districts across the country, the 8th District was impacted by ICE raids and attacks. Our immigrant friends and neighbors were unjustly targeted by Trump and his ICE goons. Our immigrant communities deserve to live in peace and know that they will never be targeted on the basis of race, religion, or language. We solve this issue by abolishing Trump’s ICE.
What do you think federal immigration reform should look like?
Immigration reform must start with abolishing Trump’s ICE. As we witnessed here in Illinois, Operation Midway Blitz is designed to terrorize and sow fear in our immigrant communities. Raids and militarized immigration operations in and around Chicago have forced families underground, disrupted workplaces, and undermined trust between residents and local authorities, while doing nothing to make our communities safer. Renee Good should be alive right now, and it is unacceptable that masked law enforcement officers are murdering Americans with no accountability.
I would fully support creating a pathway to citizenship for the millions of law-abiding citizens who contribute to our society, raising their families in our communities, working and paying taxes.
As a member of Congress, I will support legislation to prohibit mass raids, require warrants for immigration enforcement actions, and ban the use of local resources for federal immigration crackdowns. I also support replacing ICE with a system grounded in due process, accountability, and human rights. We need comprehensive immigration reform with dignity, family unity, and fairness as our north stars.
How should Congress address the rising costs of health care?
We must pass Medicare for All and give every American universal healthcare. In the United States we spend more on healthcare than any other developed nation, with millions in medical debt. This issue is deeply personal to me. When my son was born my family racked up $10,000 in medical bills just for a day in the hospital. The current system that has led to record profits for insurance companies and for-profit medical companies must be reformed. Healthcare is a human right and every American deserves access to quality healthcare.
What approach would you take on tax policy and what is your top priority?
We are at the highest level of income inequality in the United States since just before the Great Depression. The top 1% of Americans have received historic tax breaks while costs have only increased for our working families. We need a full overhaul of American tax policy that provides equality to working class Americans. We need to drastically increase the tax rate for millionaires and billionaires and institute a progressive tax plan.
Is the House currently using its oversight powers in the way it should be? What areas of government need more or less oversight?
No. Congressional oversight in this current Congress is failing to hold the Trump administration accountable.
We all can see that this administration is focused on destroying our immigrant communities. The House of Representatives needs to stand up and fight back using their oversight powers. Trump officials like Kristi Noem must be investigated and impeached for their actions against Americans.
When Democrats take back the majority in Congress this fall we must use the House’s oversight powers to reign in Trump.
What is the most pressing foreign policy issue facing the country and what role should the House play in dealing with it?
The most pressing foreign policy issue is the United States involvement in genocide in Gaza.
I believe in a future where Palestinians and Israelis live with equal rights, safety, and dignity. The United States must support an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the protection of civilians, the release of unlawfully detained individuals, and an end to occupation and blockade. U.S. policy should be guided by international law and human rights, not unconditional military support.
The House of Representatives can place conditions on U.S. aid to be compliant with human rights standards and actively support a just political solution that guarantees freedom, self-determination, and security for all people in the region.
How do you view AI and the role the government should play in its regulation?
Coming from a tech background I understand AI and its implications.
AI has enormous potential to transform our economy, but that comes with both opportunity and risk. As we’ve seen in economic transformations throughout history, while the wealthy profit, low-income workers often get left behind. For the United States to truly realize the potential of AI, we must prioritize low-income workers in this transition. I believe that policy frameworks in areas like AI should be set at the federal level, the federal government’s inability or unwillingness to fulfill this responsibility often forces states to step in.
The federal government should absolutely promote innovation and economic development. But innovators and companies that benefit from this must invest in our communities, create jobs, and pay for services and utilities. The affordability crisis is hitting families hard, and skyrocketing utility costs are a key concern. With electricity demands from AI data centers only set to grow, it is important that the companies behind these centers come with plans to both create and pay for new clean energy.
How would you describe the current state of your party and what changes or new approaches would you like to see your party adopt?
Right now the Democratic Party is failing in meeting the moment and standing up to the Trump administration. As a party, Democrats need to become the unequivocal party of progressive working class focused policies.
I want the Democratic Party to focus domestic policy on championing kitchen table issues that impact every American. We can do this by lowering healthcare costs through Medicare for All, creating good paying jobs by passing the Green New Deal, and bringing down costs for everyone by reversing Trump’s tariffs.
In order to do this we need to elect progressive fighters and shift our party away from the old guard who makes backroom deals with Republicans which sacrifices the needs of everyday Americans.