Jordan Herrera

[{"question": "Ballotpedia survey responses", "answer_html": "<p>See also: <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a></p>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Jordan Herrera completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Herrera's responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-389760-2026-02-12\" id=\"heading-bio-389760-2026-02-12\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-389760-2026-02-12\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-389760-2026-02-12\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho are you? Tell us about yourself.\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-bio-389760-2026-02-12\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-389760-2026-02-12\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tMy name is Jordan Herrera and I am running for Congress in Missouri’s Fourth District because this district deserves serious leadership.\r\n<p>I grew up in instability and violence. I learned early what it means when the systems meant to protect families fail. At nineteen, I joined the United States Air Force and served honorably for nearly sixteen years. I deployed overseas, supported missions across multiple continents, and led healthcare teams through the COVID crisis across eight states to make sure people had care when it mattered most.\r\n</p><p>When I came home, my service did not end. I became an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Missouri and served six million Missourians. I have defended the rule of law, protected our communities, and worked inside government to make it work better for everyday people.\r\n</p><p>I am running because leadership matters. Missouri cannot afford representatives who misrepresent the law, chase division, and serve party interests over working families. We need leaders who understand national security, healthcare, housing, and the Constitution, and who know how to deliver results.\r\n</p>\nI am running to lower costs, protect healthcare, support veterans, and build an economy that works for working families. Missouri deserves leadership with integrity, experience, and the courage to act.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-389760-2026-02-12\" id=\"heading-key-message-389760-2026-02-12\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-389760-2026-02-12\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-389760-2026-02-12\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tPlease list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-389760-2026-02-12\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-389760-2026-02-12\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>My campaign is built around four core priorities that reflect what families in Missouri’s Fourth District are asking for.\r\nFirst is economic security. This means lowering everyday costs, expanding access to affordable housing, protecting healthcare, and making sure working families can get ahead with wages that keep up with the cost of living.</li><li>Second is a strong, smart national defense. National security requires a modern, ready military that protects the country while using taxpayer dollars responsibly and supporting service members, veterans, and their families.\r\n\r\nThird is freedom and privacy. Government should protect individual rights and personal liberty, including privacy, family autonomy, and equal treatment under the law, while upholding constitutional principles.</li><li>Fourth is investing in the future. Long term strength depends on education, workforce development, innovation, and infrastructure that create American jobs and prepare the next generation to compete and lead.\r\n\r\nI am running to bring practical leadership, operational experience, and a service based approach to Congress, with a focus on delivering measurable results for Missouri’s Fourth District rather than partisan conflict.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-389760-2026-02-12\" id=\"heading1-389760-2026-02-12\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-389760-2026-02-12\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-389760-2026-02-12\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-389760-2026-02-12\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-389760-2026-02-12\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tMy campaign focuses on economic security and lowering everyday costs, including housing, healthcare, childcare, and groceries. I support protecting and strengthening Medicaid and Medicare, expanding access to mental health and rural healthcare, and improving public health outcomes. I believe in a strong, modern national defense that supports service members and veterans while using taxpayer dollars responsibly. I am committed to protecting constitutional rights, privacy, and personal freedom. I support investing in education, workforce training, infrastructure, and American innovation to create good jobs. I also support small businesses, rural communities, public safety, and accountable, effective government.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-389760-2026-02-12\" id=\"heading2-389760-2026-02-12\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-389760-2026-02-12\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-389760-2026-02-12\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading2-389760-2026-02-12\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-389760-2026-02-12\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\t50501 Missouri, 50501 Veterans, Northland Forward, Next Generation Politics, Citizens Impeachment, Kansas City Clarity Media, and the Political Drain Podcast.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.</i></p></div>\n<p><big>Missouri Congressional District 5</big>\n</p>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"></div>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nJordan Herrera completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Herrera's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. My name is Jordan Herrera and I am running for Congress in Missouri’s Fourth District because this district deserves serious leadership. I grew up in instability and violence. I learned early what it means when the systems meant to protect families fail. At nineteen, I joined the United States Air Force and served honorably for nearly sixteen years. I deployed overseas, supported missions across multiple continents, and led healthcare teams through the COVID crisis across eight states to make sure people had care when it mattered most. When I came home, my service did not end. I became an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Missouri and served six million Missourians. I have defended the rule of law, protected our communities, and worked inside government to make it work better for everyday people. I am running because leadership matters. Missouri cannot afford representatives who misrepresent the law, chase division, and serve party interests over working families. We need leaders who understand national security, healthcare, housing, and the Constitution, and who know how to deliver results. I am running to lower costs, protect healthcare, support veterans, and build an economy that works for working families. Missouri deserves leadership with integrity, experience, and the courage to act. Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? My campaign is built around four core priorities that reflect what families in Missouri’s Fourth District are asking for.\r\nFirst is economic security. This means lowering everyday costs, expanding access to affordable housing, protecting healthcare, and making sure working families can get ahead with wages that keep up with the cost of living. Second is a strong, smart national defense. National security requires a modern, ready military that protects the country while using taxpayer dollars responsibly and supporting service members, veterans, and their families.\r\n\r\nThird is freedom and privacy. Government should protect individual rights and personal liberty, including privacy, family autonomy, and equal treatment under the law, while upholding constitutional principles. Fourth is investing in the future. Long term strength depends on education, workforce development, innovation, and infrastructure that create American jobs and prepare the next generation to compete and lead.\r\n\r\nI am running to bring practical leadership, operational experience, and a service based approach to Congress, with a focus on delivering measurable results for Missouri’s Fourth District rather than partisan conflict. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? My campaign focuses on economic security and lowering everyday costs, including housing, healthcare, childcare, and groceries. I support protecting and strengthening Medicaid and Medicare, expanding access to mental health and rural healthcare, and improving public health outcomes. I believe in a strong, modern national defense that supports service members and veterans while using taxpayer dollars responsibly. I am committed to protecting constitutional rights, privacy, and personal freedom. I support investing in education, workforce training, infrastructure, and American innovation to create good jobs. I also support small businesses, rural communities, public safety, and accountable, effective government. What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign? 50501 Missouri, 50501 Veterans, Northland Forward, Next Generation Politics, Citizens Impeachment, Kansas City Clarity Media, and the Political Drain Podcast.\nNote: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.\nMissouri Congressional District 5"}, {"question": "Ballotpedia survey responses", "answer_html": "<p>See also: <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a></p>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Jordan Herrera completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Herrera's responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading1-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tMy passion is fighting for the vulnerable and the voiceless people this country calls disposable when they no longer serve the wealthy few. This is my mission because I've lived it. I'm a disabled-veteran who's watched our benefits be stripped away by people who never served. I know what happens when law is used to crush you instead of protect you. I believe in lifting up workers protecting our unions making housing and healthcare possible for working families/single moms and never lets billionaires write the rules while children go hungry. I believe veterans laborers LGBTQ+ people indigenous communities, all deserve a seat at the table and the power to defend their own future. To rid politics of dark money PACs and greed.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading2-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading2-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI look up to my Grandma Jennie who more than anyone else. She was the first to teach me what true devotion and faith looks like. Her husband, my grandfather, gave his life in Vietnam during operation Jack's day in 1966. Though she lost him far too soon, she never stopped loving him. She showed me that loyalty doesn't end at the grave and that faith is not just something you see but something you choose to believe in when the world goes silent. She taught me to walk with my eyes of faith and ears of faith, to believe that when there is no hand to hold you just trust that Christ is still there.<br/>\n<p>I carry her lessons with me in every fight I take on: never give up, honor where you come from, and believe that no matter how poor you start, you can and will always rise.<br/>\r\nI'm inspired by leaders like John F Kennedy who dared us to reach the moon before we could even imagine how to get there. I look at FDR and teddy Roosevelt, who proved that hope and grit are stronger than fear. President Obama reminded us that grace encourage still belong in the halls of power.<br/>\r\nI admire everyday heroes like Mark Lunsford, an ordinary truck driver who turned his grief into Jessica's Law to protect countless children from harm. He shows me that you do not need a fancy title to make real change.<br/>\r\nI find hope in young leaders like Malala and Greta, who remind us that your age or your gender or your birthplace does not define the power of your voice. I see that same fearless spirit in David Hogg he’s turned his tragedy into a national movement for change.<br/>\r\nIn Congress today, I look at courageous voices like Jasmine Crockett and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez two women who speak plainly, fight fiercely, and never hide who they are.<br/>\n</p>\nEach of these people remind me that leadership is not about perfection instead it's about the courage to stand up, speak out, and believe in something bigger than yourself, no matter the cost. This is the example I carry forward in me every day.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading3-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse3-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tIs there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading3-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse3-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tTo understand my political philosophy start with the lives of those who shape the course of history not by playing it safe but by risking everything to do what was right. Read about Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt 2 leaders who faced dark moments with unshakable courage and boundless imagination. Study Churchill's iron resolve in the face of tyranny and JFK's faith in the power of service and youth. Listen to Martin Luther King junior's dream that still calls us to build a more perfect union and remember John McCain's example that patriotism sometimes means standing alone.<br/>\n<p>I am moved by works like Network where the line “I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore,” reminds us that righteous anger can be a force for good if we channel it into purpose. Charlie Chaplin’s the great dictator speech calls us to reject hatred and remember our shared humanity. But leadership demands strategy too. I've studied Clausewitz, Sun Tzu, Mahan, and Mitchell because real change is never just passion, it's planning patience and knowing when to act.<br/>\r\nI find hope in the words of poets like Amanda Gorman, whose verses remind us that even when our nation feels fractured, there is always light if we are brave enough to see it and brave enough to be it. I admire historians like Doris Kearns Goodwin, John Meacham, Ron Chernow, and David McCullough who teach us that our greatest leaders are never perfect instead they are simply willing to stand up again and again or something greater than themselves.<br/>\n</p>\nMy philosophy is simple be willing to learn: Be ready to fight. Never forget where you come from. And always believe that our best days are ahead if we stand together, shoulder to shoulder, as one people determined to leave behind something greater than what we found.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading4-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse4-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading4-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse4-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tOne principle that matters most to me is accountability. Real honest unflinching accountability. I believe elected officials should not treat public office as a throne or a stepping stone but as a sacred trust handed to them by the people. I've watched too many so-called leaders hide behind party lines corporate money or political calculation while real families suffer. I've seen what happens when politicians forget the people who trusted them. And I have lived what happens when the law is used to protect the powerful instead of defending the vulnerable.<br/>\n<p>For me, accountability means standing up when it would be easier to stay quiet period it means telling the truth even when the truth makes people uncomfortable. It means looking a billionaire in the eye and saying your tax breaks come second to a child's meal. It means looking at a corrupt judge in the eye and saying you're not above the law. It means protecting our veteran's benefits, our unions, our public schools, and the civil liberties of every American no matter who they are or where they come from.<br/>\n</p>\nI believe accountability also demands moral courage. That is something too many elected officials have forgotten. They think courage is only about power and winning the next election. I believe courage is standing up for people who have no lobbyists and no PAC money. It is speaking for the people who are invisible to the system like veterans left homeless, survivors of violence, families crushed by medical debt, and workers who build our economy while billionaires rig it against them. When you choose to serve the people you do not get to pick and choose who deserves your protection. You do not get to serve the wealthy few and leave the rest behind. You stand up for all of us or you do not deserve the honor of representing any of us at all. That is what accountability means to me and that is the promise I carry into every room, every vote, every decision, and every single day.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading5-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse5-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading5-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse5-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tRepresenting Missouri’s fifth Congressional District is not just an honor, it's a sacred responsibility to serve every neighbor from every street, every struggle, and every lifestyle. Our district deserves a leader who sees humanity and each person not just their vote. The job of a representative is to be a guardian of the people's trust, a defender of the voiceless, and a fighter for the forgotten.<br/>\n<p>In our district, we know what hardship looks like. We know what it feels like to work 2 jobs and still fall behind on rent. We know the pain of seeing veterans turned away from the care they earned, families crushed by medical bills, and young people who fear they will never own a home or pay off their loans. We know what it means to be overlooked by people in power. <br/>\r\nMy responsibility is to make sure we are never overlooked again, and not just for an election season but every single day. It means walking into rooms where people feel unseen and saying I see you. And you matter. It means holding town halls and neighborhoods that have been left behind and asking what can we do better?<br/>\r\nI believe our representative must build coalitions that lift up unions, protect working families, defend reproductive freedom and honor the dignity of every person no matter who they are. It means protecting the rule of law so no one is above it and no one has forgotten beneath it.<br/>\n</p>\nMost of all it means reminding every person here that hope is not naive; it's necessary. Hope is what carried us through our hardest days and hope is what will carry us forward. My responsibility is to protect that hope and turn it into action that changes lives, rebuilds trust, and unites us for generations to come.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse6-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading6-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse6-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse6-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat was your very first job? How long did you have it?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading6-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse6-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tMy very first job was working as a waiter at Perkins restaurant and bakery during high school, and I kept that job for nearly four years period I worked morning shifts on weekends and summers and took evening shifts after school. It wasn't glamorous work, but it taught me some of the most important lessons of my life. Serving tables showed me how to connect with people from every walk of life like family celebrating, couples arguing, people lonely for company over a cup of coffee at 6:00 in the morning. It taught me patience, humility, and how to listen. Taught me how to handle uncomfortable moments with grace, like when someone didn't want a young man serving them because they expected someone prettier. I learned to navigate with that with humor, charm, and respect. These skills carried me far beyond the walls of that restaurant.<br/>\n<p>Years later, when I joined the United states military and served under don't ask, don't tell as an openly gay man, those same lessons helped me survive in an environment that demanded silence about who I was. I learned how to build trust, find common ground, and let people see my humanity even when I couldn't share my whole truth or who I loved.<br/>\n</p>\nThat first job reminded me that dignity is never about the work itself it is about how we treat people while doing it it's about my belief that no one is beneath respect and everyone's story deserves to be heard. I carry that same lesson with me today if you want to serve people well, you have to know them, see them, and meet them where they are. Without judgment. Sometimes the best preparation for leadership doesn't come from a title or a degree instead it comes from getting on your feet for 10 hours, earning each tip, and never forgetting what it feels like to rely on the kindness of strangers.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse7-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading7-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse7-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse7-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading7-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse7-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe House of Representatives is unique because it was designed to be the closest to the people the beating heart of our democracy. It is the only chamber where every two years the American people can demand change, hold leaders accountable, and send new voices to the table. That makes it a place of constant renewal and possibility.<br/>\n<p>Unlike any other institution, the House reflects the full diversity of our nation every background, every walk of life, every region, every struggle and every dream. It is where small towns, big cities, rural communities, and forgotten places all have a voice and a vote. That is a sacred responsibility that no member should ever take for granted.<br/>\r\nWhat also makes the House unique is its power of the purse. No spending happens without the consent of the people’s representatives. That is a check on the abuse of power and a promise that taxpayer dollars must serve the public good not private greed.<br/>\r\nThe House is where bold ideas can be debated, tested, and refined. It is where new leaders emerge. It is where the fight for civil rights, workers’ rights, veterans’ care, and social security all began. It is where everyday Americans can walk in, look their representative in the eye, and say: you work for me.<br/>\n</p>\nThe House is unique because it is not meant to be ruled by dynasties or the powerful few. It is meant to be a living reflection of who we are and what we can become when we stand together. If we remember that, if we honor that promise, the House will always be the place where hope can turn into action, and where the American people can see themselves not as spectators of history but as its authors.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse8-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading8-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse8-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse8-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tDo you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading8-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse8-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI believe experience in government or politics can be valuable, but it should never be the only measure of whether someone is ready to lead. Look at Nixon, he was in office and had lots of experience which helped him to game the system versus President Obama who had less experience, only a one-term senator, and was one of our best Presidents. What matters most is whether that experience has kept someone close to the people or pulled them away from the very lives they claim to represent.<br/>\n<p>A representative should understand how to navigate the system, write good laws, and get things done but no amount of insider knowledge can replace the wisdom that comes from living like the people you serve. Too often, career politicians learn how to survive in the halls of power but forget how to stand up to that power when it harms working families, veterans, and the vulnerable.<br/>\r\nI believe some of the best leaders come from outside the comfortable walls of government they come from classrooms and union halls, farms and factory floors, courtrooms and combat zones. They bring the grit, honesty, and common sense that professional politics sometimes forgets.<br/>\r\nWhat matters most is character and courage. Are you willing to speak hard truths? Are you ready to fight for people who have no voice? Do you know who you work for and why you serve?<br/>\n</p>\nIf you come to Congress with a heart for people, a mind for the law, and a spine that does not bend to money or fear, then you are prepared, whether you spent years in office or you spent years in the trenches of real life. In the end, public service is not about perfect résumés. It is about imperfect people willing to do the arduous work of making this country live up to its promise every single day.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse9-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading9-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse9-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse9-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading9-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse9-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tOne of the greatest challenges we face over the next ten years is rebuilding trust in each other, in our government, and in the promise that America can still live up to its ideals. We are standing at a crossroads where economic insecurity, political extremism, and the loss of truth itself threaten to tear us apart from within.<br/>\n<p>We must confront the deep inequality that has hollowed out the middle class and left too many families fighting just to stay afloat while billionaires bend the rules. We must tackle the cost-of-living crisis, the housing crisis, and the healthcare crisis with real solutions, not band-aids.<br/>\r\nAnother challenge is defending our democracy against those who would weaken it for their own gain. We cannot look away from rising authoritarianism, disinformation, and the erosion of rights we once took for granted. Protecting voting rights, fair courts, and the rule of law will be a fight we must choose every single day.<br/>\r\nI also believe our next decade will test our moral courage on the climate crisis. We have no time left for half-measures or empty promises. We must invest in clean energy, protect our water and land, and honor the sovereignty and wisdom of Indigenous communities whose voices have too long been silenced.<br/>\r\nFinally, we must care for those who carried this nation on their backs our veterans, our workers, our teachers, our first responders the people who kept the lights on through our darkest days. They deserve more than thank-yous. They deserve action.<br/>\n</p>\nOur greatest challenge is to remember we belong to each other. If we can rise above fear and division, if we can lift up the vulnerable and speak for the voiceless, there is no problem we cannot solve. The next ten years must be about building something stronger, fairer, and more honest than what we were handed together.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse10-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading10-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse10-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse10-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tDo you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading10-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse10-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI believe the two-year term for House members is both a blessing and a burden. On one hand, it keeps us accountable. It means every representative must stay close to the people they serve listening, showing up, and proving they deserve the trust they’ve been given. That short term is why the House has always been the people’s chamber, a direct reflection of the hopes and frustrations of everyday Americans.<br/>\n<p>But I also believe the constant cycle of campaigning can distract from the work we were sent to do. Too often, it pushes representatives to think in two-year timelines instead of ten or twenty. It makes big, bold solutions harder when so many worry more about the next election than the next generation.<br/>\r\nI believe there is room for honest debate about whether a slightly longer term, maybe four years, would give members the breathing room to govern more responsibly while still preserving accountability. But any change must protect the House’s spirit as the closest link to the people.<br/>\r\nIf we keep the two-year term, then we have a duty to use every single day wisely. We cannot spend our days chasing special interest dollars and playing it safe. We must listen, we must act, and we must be ready to earn the people’s trust all over again, every time they hold us to it.<br/>\n</p>\nAt the end of the day, whether it is two years or four, it is a privilege to serve, never a guarantee. That’s how a true democracy should work. The power always belongs to the people, and we should never forget it.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse11-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading11-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse11-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse11-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat are your thoughts on term limits?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading11-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse11-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI believe public service is a calling however it's not a lifetime entitlement. I've seen what happens when power goes unchecked and seats become dynasties passed down like family heirlooms. Real democracy demands fresh ideas, new energy, and leaders who remember they work for the people not the other way around. That's why I support reasonable responsible term limits. I believe Supreme Court justices should serve no more than 12 years period no one should hold that much influence for half a century while the world changes around them. Senators should be limited to three terms or 18 years period and members of the house to be capped at 20 years of service. These limits protect experience and institutional knowledge but make sure no one becomes untouchable.<br/>\n<p>This is not about punishing good leaders. It's about protecting our Republic from complacency and corruption our founders did not imagine career politicians shielding themselves from consequences of broken promises. They imagined a government that reflects people and renews itself with every generation. <br/>\r\nIf we want accountability, we must demand it. If we want courage, we must clear out the Deadwood so new voices can rise. I believe term limits are one of the clearest ways we can restore trust in our democracy and remind every elected official that power is borrowed and must be earned. <br/>\n</p>\nOur best days come when we stand up for bold common-sense reforms like this together, as one people, determined to hand our children a government worthy of them.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse12-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading12-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse12-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse12-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tIs there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading12-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse12-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tIf I had to name a few leaders whose spirit I carry with me, it would start with the ones who choose truth over comfort and people over power. I think of John F Kennedy, a leader who reminded us that courage and public service not belong to the young and the bold not just the privileged and the safe. I think of Harry Truman who said he would give the people the truth and let the truth raise hell if it needed to. I am inspired by the Trail Blazers who broke barriers inside the house. Shirley Chisholm taught us that being “unbought and unbossed” is the true measure of a public servant's courage. Barbara Jordan reminded the nation that the constitution is not just paper, instead it’s a promise that must include every one of us. Barney Frank, who did not hide who he was and helped pave the way for LGBTQ Americans to be heard and protected under the law. Harvey milk though never in the house, show the world what one honest, unafraid voice could mean to an entire generation that had been silenced.<br/>\n<p>I see leaders like Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who stand firm in the face of cynicism, refusing to apologize for fighting for the working poor, the overlooked, and the unheard. I admire Rep. Ro Khanna’s vision for a fairer economy that lifts up every American worker instead of bowing to billionaires. I respect how Rep. Nancy Pelosi never backed down from protecting democracy in its darkest hours.<br/>\n</p>\nBut at the end of the day, I believe every generation must find its own voice. I don't want to be anyone else, I want to carry the best of what these leaders taught us and add my own truth to it. I want to be the leader who tells the hard truths, stands up for the voiceless, and refuses to let the powerful decide who deserves a place at the table. We do not need perfect heroes. We need real people with the courage to fight like hell for what is right, and the legacy I intend to live every single day I have the privilege to serve.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse13-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading13-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse13-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse13-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tBoth sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading13-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse13-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tOne story that stays with me is from a neighbor here in Kansas City, a man living with multiple sclerosis. We met one evening in a small men's group, coming together to talk honestly about the burdens we each carry. He looked me in the eye and said “I have an invisible disability.” He said it with a mix of courage and humility that moved me deeply because for him, his struggles feel unseen, yet it is so visible to those willing to look with an open heart. He told me how, one day, he urgently needed a restroom something so many of us take for granted. But because he lives with MS when he need to go, he means now. He begged the store employee to let him use a restroom, explaining his disability and desperation. They turned him away. He had no choice but to stand there in public and endure A humiliation no one should ever face. They ignored him and he had an accident on himself in the store.<br/>\n<p>His story broke my heart because it reveals a truth too many ignore: our cities and our systems fail people who need us most. There are not enough sidewalks for a disabled neighbor to get down the street safely. There are not enough leaders willing to listen, really listen, to what dignity means when you live with a body that will not always cooperate.<br/>\r\nI live with disabilities too, scars from military service, injuries and the invisible weight of PTSD, but his courage reminded me there is always more to learn, more to fight for, more voices to lift up. Stories like his remind me why I stand up every day and put my heart on the line.<br/>\n</p>\nBecause when you truly listen, you remember this: the best advocate knows their people's pain. And the best representative never forgets who they are fighting for. That is how we change policy, one story at a time, one neighbor at a time, until no one is left behind.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse14-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading14-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse14-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse14-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tDo you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading14-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse14-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI believe compromise can be necessary, but it must never come at the cost of our core values or the people we are sworn to serve. Compromise is how we move a divided nation forward, but too often it has become a tool to protect the powerful while demanding sacrifice only from the most vulnerable.<br/>\n<p>Real compromise should not mean working people give up fair wages so billionaires can keep tax loopholes. It should not mean veterans see their benefits gutted so big contractors get blank checks. It should not mean civil rights or bodily autonomy are bargained away behind closed doors.<br/>\r\nI believe in the kind of compromise that comes from honest debate, mutual respect, and the courage to listen not the kind forced by backroom deals or corporate lobbyists. We have to remember that our democracy was built to be a conversation, not a dictatorship of the loudest or wealthiest.<br/>\r\nWhen compromise lifts up our communities, breaks gridlock, and protects the voiceless, then it is not only necessary but an obligation. When it demands we abandon what is just and right, then it is a line I will not cross.<br/>\n</p>\nMy promise is that I will always reach across the aisle for the common good, but I will never trade away the dignity of the people who trusted me to fight for them. We can find common ground without losing our moral ground. That is how we build trust, pass real solutions, and prove to the people we serve that politics can still work and that hope is never naïve when it is tied to courage.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse15-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading15-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse15-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse15-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tThe Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading15-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse15-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe Constitution gives the House the sole power to originate all revenue bills because our founders knew the power to tax has the power to shape a nation's future. If trusted with that power, I will use it to fight for a fairer tax system that puts working families first and demands the wealthiest among us finally pay their share.<br/>\n<p>Right now, the 400 richest families in America pay a lower effective tax rate than the poorest people trying to keep the lights on. Some of our largest corporations pay 0 tax while every day Americans watch their paychecks shrink and their basic services get cut to the bone. That is not freedom, that is a rigged system that drains the life out of the American dream.<br/>\r\nI believe every dollar should be reinvested where it builds real prosperity. For every dollar we put into early childhood education we get 4 back. The same is true when we tackle food insecurity, affordable housing, and rebuilding the backbone of this nation, our working people. Meanwhile we spend over $1 trillion a year on the Department of Defense, yet many military families still rely on food banks to survive. One out of every 4 military families survives on SNAP benefits and WIC. That is not fiscal responsibility instead it's a moral failure.<br/>\r\nTariffs and hidden taxes hit the poor and the working class the hardest while billionaires get tax breaks worth hundreds of millions. We cannot keep pretending that debt will pay for itself while we let the wealthiest and most powerful write themselves out of the bill.<br/>\n</p>\nIf we are serious about our future, we must fund it honestly. We must be a nation that builds and not just bombs. We must be willing to look our people in the eye and say: you will not carry this burden alone. That is my promise and that is what the power of the purse must always stand for.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse16-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading16-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse16-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse16-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tHow should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading16-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse16-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tYes, the house absolutely must use its investigative powers not as a weapon for partisan games but as a safeguard for the truth. Our constitution gives the house this responsibility for a reason: when power goes unchecked, corruption takes root. I believe no one, not a president, not a Supreme Court, not ascending member of Congress should ever be above the law or beyond scrutiny.<br/>\n<p>When credible allegations surface whether it's a justice accepting millions and undisclosed gifts, a lobbyist gaining influence through a judge's spouse, or elected officials lying to the people who trusted them, the house must have the courage to ask the hard questions and follow the facts wherever they may lead. We cannot protect democracy with blinders on. And we cannot do it by turning a blind eye to our own party or branch of government.<br/>\r\nThere must be a clear, fair, and transparent process to investigate potential wrongdoing, whether that means looking into a Supreme Court justices undisclosed luxury trips, gets, or influence peddling, or holding members like George Santos or Matt Gaetz accountable for actions that betray the public trust. When leaders exploit their position for personal gain or cover up the truth they are stealing power from the people they serve.<br/>\r\nThe houses investigative powers are a vital check on corruption in all three branches of government. We cannot claim to stand for the rule of law and then turn away when the powerful break it. I believe in accountability, even when it is uncomfortable because real justice is never about protecting the few, it is about protecting the people, the vulnerable and the voiceless.<br/>\n</p>\nThis is not about political vengeance. It's about trust. It's about reminding Americans that the government works for them and that when it fails the test, the truth will come out. That legislation is for those without voice, not for those with opportunity and choice. That is the promise I will always stand for.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse17-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading17-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse17-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse17-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat committees interest you?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading17-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse17-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tThe committees that interest me most are those that directly shape the lives of everyday Americans and defend the people too often ignored by power. I want to serve on committees where I can fight for veterans, working families, and those struggling to find their place in an economy that has left them behind.<br/>\n<p>The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is personal for me. As a veteran, I know what it feels like to come home to a system that makes empty promises while stripping away critical care and benefits. Our service members and their families deserve fierce oversight and real accountability.<br/>\r\nI am also drawn to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability because corruption, waste, and dark money poison our democracy from within. If we want to restore trust, we must hold those in power, in government and in the private sector, to the same standard we hold working families.<br/>\r\nThe Committee on Energy and Commerce is another place where I know I can make an impact. It is where we can tackle rising healthcare costs, fight for prescription drug pricing reform, and ensure that rural and underserved communities get the access they need. This is also where we meet the climate crisis head-on, invest in clean energy, and honor our commitment to future generations.<br/>\r\nFinally, I would be honored to contribute to the Committee on Housing and Financial Services, because the American Dream depends on having a safe, affordable place to live. We must stand up to hedge funds and predatory lenders who see homes as assets instead of shelter.<br/>\n</p>\nWherever I serve, my mission is the same: to make the government work for the people; the working, the wounded, the voiceless and to remind every person in this district that they have someone fighting for them, every single day.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse18-356394-2025-07-10\" id=\"heading18-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse18-356394-2025-07-10\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse18-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading18-356394-2025-07-10\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse18-356394-2025-07-10\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI believe financial transparency and Government Accountability are not just ideas instead they are the bedrock of trust between the people and those who serve them. When I grew up I saw first hand how systems can be used to punish working people while the powerful played by a different set of rules. I've made it my mission to flip that script.<br/>\n<p>I believe every taxpayer dollar must be treated with respect. People should know exactly how their money is spent, who benefits, and who is held responsible when it's wasted or abused. There should be no secret deals, no backroom handshakes, and no corporate loopholes that leave working families paying the price while billionaires and special interests walk away wealthier. I support strict disclosure laws for campaign contributions and lobbying so that the public knows who is trying to influence their government. I believe in shining a bright light on conflicts of interest, shady contracts, and hidden donors. I will always push to get dark money out of politics because democracy should belong to the people not the highest bidder.<br/>\n</p>\nReal leadership means standing up for the truth, protecting whistleblowers, and defending the rule of law. I've spent my life fighting for those who had no one else to stand for them and I will do the same every single day I hold public office. When people know their government is honest fair and transparent they believe in it again. They invest in it. They defend it. That is how we restore faith in our democracy and build a system that works for everyone not just the wealthy few.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.</i></p></div>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nJordan Herrera completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Herrera's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? My passion is fighting for the vulnerable and the voiceless people this country calls disposable when they no longer serve the wealthy few. This is my mission because I've lived it. I'm a disabled-veteran who's watched our benefits be stripped away by people who never served. I know what happens when law is used to crush you instead of protect you. I believe in lifting up workers protecting our unions making housing and healthcare possible for working families/single moms and never lets billionaires write the rules while children go hungry. I believe veterans laborers LGBTQ+ people indigenous communities, all deserve a seat at the table and the power to defend their own future. To rid politics of dark money PACs and greed. Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why? I look up to my Grandma Jennie who more than anyone else. She was the first to teach me what true devotion and faith looks like. Her husband, my grandfather, gave his life in Vietnam during operation Jack's day in 1966. Though she lost him far too soon, she never stopped loving him. She showed me that loyalty doesn't end at the grave and that faith is not just something you see but something you choose to believe in when the world goes silent. She taught me to walk with my eyes of faith and ears of faith, to believe that when there is no hand to hold you just trust that Christ is still there. I carry her lessons with me in every fight I take on: never give up, honor where you come from, and believe that no matter how poor you start, you can and will always rise. I'm inspired by leaders like John F Kennedy who dared us to reach the moon before we could even imagine how to get there. I look at FDR and teddy Roosevelt, who proved that hope and grit are stronger than fear. President Obama reminded us that grace encourage still belong in the halls of power. I admire everyday heroes like Mark Lunsford, an ordinary truck driver who turned his grief into Jessica's Law to protect countless children from harm. He shows me that you do not need a fancy title to make real change. I find hope in young leaders like Malala and Greta, who remind us that your age or your gender or your birthplace does not define the power of your voice. I see that same fearless spirit in David Hogg he’s turned his tragedy into a national movement for change. In Congress today, I look at courageous voices like Jasmine Crockett and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez two women who speak plainly, fight fiercely, and never hide who they are. Each of these people remind me that leadership is not about perfection instead it's about the courage to stand up, speak out, and believe in something bigger than yourself, no matter the cost. This is the example I carry forward in me every day. Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy? To understand my political philosophy start with the lives of those who shape the course of history not by playing it safe but by risking everything to do what was right. Read about Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt 2 leaders who faced dark moments with unshakable courage and boundless imagination. Study Churchill's iron resolve in the face of tyranny and JFK's faith in the power of service and youth. Listen to Martin Luther King junior's dream that still calls us to build a more perfect union and remember John McCain's example that patriotism sometimes means standing alone. I am moved by works like Network where the line “I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore,” reminds us that righteous anger can be a force for good if we channel it into purpose. Charlie Chaplin’s the great dictator speech calls us to reject hatred and remember our shared humanity. But leadership demands strategy too. I've studied Clausewitz, Sun Tzu, Mahan, and Mitchell because real change is never just passion, it's planning patience and knowing when to act. I find hope in the words of poets like Amanda Gorman, whose verses remind us that even when our nation feels fractured, there is always light if we are brave enough to see it and brave enough to be it. I admire historians like Doris Kearns Goodwin, John Meacham, Ron Chernow, and David McCullough who teach us that our greatest leaders are never perfect instead they are simply willing to stand up again and again or something greater than themselves. My philosophy is simple be willing to learn: Be ready to fight. Never forget where you come from. And always believe that our best days are ahead if we stand together, shoulder to shoulder, as one people determined to leave behind something greater than what we found. What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official? One principle that matters most to me is accountability. Real honest unflinching accountability. I believe elected officials should not treat public office as a throne or a stepping stone but as a sacred trust handed to them by the people. I've watched too many so-called leaders hide behind party lines corporate money or political calculation while real families suffer. I've seen what happens when politicians forget the people who trusted them. And I have lived what happens when the law is used to protect the powerful instead of defending the vulnerable. For me, accountability means standing up when it would be easier to stay quiet period it means telling the truth even when the truth makes people uncomfortable. It means looking a billionaire in the eye and saying your tax breaks come second to a child's meal. It means looking at a corrupt judge in the eye and saying you're not above the law. It means protecting our veteran's benefits, our unions, our public schools, and the civil liberties of every American no matter who they are or where they come from. I believe accountability also demands moral courage. That is something too many elected officials have forgotten. They think courage is only about power and winning the next election. I believe courage is standing up for people who have no lobbyists and no PAC money. It is speaking for the people who are invisible to the system like veterans left homeless, survivors of violence, families crushed by medical debt, and workers who build our economy while billionaires rig it against them. When you choose to serve the people you do not get to pick and choose who deserves your protection. You do not get to serve the wealthy few and leave the rest behind. You stand up for all of us or you do not deserve the honor of representing any of us at all. That is what accountability means to me and that is the promise I carry into every room, every vote, every decision, and every single day. What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office? Representing Missouri’s fifth Congressional District is not just an honor, it's a sacred responsibility to serve every neighbor from every street, every struggle, and every lifestyle. Our district deserves a leader who sees humanity and each person not just their vote. The job of a representative is to be a guardian of the people's trust, a defender of the voiceless, and a fighter for the forgotten. In our district, we know what hardship looks like. We know what it feels like to work 2 jobs and still fall behind on rent. We know the pain of seeing veterans turned away from the care they earned, families crushed by medical bills, and young people who fear they will never own a home or pay off their loans. We know what it means to be overlooked by people in power. My responsibility is to make sure we are never overlooked again, and not just for an election season but every single day. It means walking into rooms where people feel unseen and saying I see you. And you matter. It means holding town halls and neighborhoods that have been left behind and asking what can we do better? I believe our representative must build coalitions that lift up unions, protect working families, defend reproductive freedom and honor the dignity of every person no matter who they are. It means protecting the rule of law so no one is above it and no one has forgotten beneath it. Most of all it means reminding every person here that hope is not naive; it's necessary. Hope is what carried us through our hardest days and hope is what will carry us forward. My responsibility is to protect that hope and turn it into action that changes lives, rebuilds trust, and unites us for generations to come. What was your very first job? How long did you have it? My very first job was working as a waiter at Perkins restaurant and bakery during high school, and I kept that job for nearly four years period I worked morning shifts on weekends and summers and took evening shifts after school. It wasn't glamorous work, but it taught me some of the most important lessons of my life. Serving tables showed me how to connect with people from every walk of life like family celebrating, couples arguing, people lonely for company over a cup of coffee at 6:00 in the morning. It taught me patience, humility, and how to listen. Taught me how to handle uncomfortable moments with grace, like when someone didn't want a young man serving them because they expected someone prettier. I learned to navigate with that with humor, charm, and respect. These skills carried me far beyond the walls of that restaurant. Years later, when I joined the United states military and served under don't ask, don't tell as an openly gay man, those same lessons helped me survive in an environment that demanded silence about who I was. I learned how to build trust, find common ground, and let people see my humanity even when I couldn't share my whole truth or who I loved. That first job reminded me that dignity is never about the work itself it is about how we treat people while doing it it's about my belief that no one is beneath respect and everyone's story deserves to be heard. I carry that same lesson with me today if you want to serve people well, you have to know them, see them, and meet them where they are. Without judgment. Sometimes the best preparation for leadership doesn't come from a title or a degree instead it comes from getting on your feet for 10 hours, earning each tip, and never forgetting what it feels like to rely on the kindness of strangers. What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution? The House of Representatives is unique because it was designed to be the closest to the people the beating heart of our democracy. It is the only chamber where every two years the American people can demand change, hold leaders accountable, and send new voices to the table. That makes it a place of constant renewal and possibility. Unlike any other institution, the House reflects the full diversity of our nation every background, every walk of life, every region, every struggle and every dream. It is where small towns, big cities, rural communities, and forgotten places all have a voice and a vote. That is a sacred responsibility that no member should ever take for granted. What also makes the House unique is its power of the purse. No spending happens without the consent of the people’s representatives. That is a check on the abuse of power and a promise that taxpayer dollars must serve the public good not private greed. The House is where bold ideas can be debated, tested, and refined. It is where new leaders emerge. It is where the fight for civil rights, workers’ rights, veterans’ care, and social security all began. It is where everyday Americans can walk in, look their representative in the eye, and say: you work for me. The House is unique because it is not meant to be ruled by dynasties or the powerful few. It is meant to be a living reflection of who we are and what we can become when we stand together. If we remember that, if we honor that promise, the House will always be the place where hope can turn into action, and where the American people can see themselves not as spectators of history but as its authors. Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics? I believe experience in government or politics can be valuable, but it should never be the only measure of whether someone is ready to lead. Look at Nixon, he was in office and had lots of experience which helped him to game the system versus President Obama who had less experience, only a one-term senator, and was one of our best Presidents. What matters most is whether that experience has kept someone close to the people or pulled them away from the very lives they claim to represent. A representative should understand how to navigate the system, write good laws, and get things done but no amount of insider knowledge can replace the wisdom that comes from living like the people you serve. Too often, career politicians learn how to survive in the halls of power but forget how to stand up to that power when it harms working families, veterans, and the vulnerable. I believe some of the best leaders come from outside the comfortable walls of government they come from classrooms and union halls, farms and factory floors, courtrooms and combat zones. They bring the grit, honesty, and common sense that professional politics sometimes forgets. What matters most is character and courage. Are you willing to speak hard truths? Are you ready to fight for people who have no voice? Do you know who you work for and why you serve? If you come to Congress with a heart for people, a mind for the law, and a spine that does not bend to money or fear, then you are prepared, whether you spent years in office or you spent years in the trenches of real life. In the end, public service is not about perfect résumés. It is about imperfect people willing to do the arduous work of making this country live up to its promise every single day. What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade? One of the greatest challenges we face over the next ten years is rebuilding trust in each other, in our government, and in the promise that America can still live up to its ideals. We are standing at a crossroads where economic insecurity, political extremism, and the loss of truth itself threaten to tear us apart from within. We must confront the deep inequality that has hollowed out the middle class and left too many families fighting just to stay afloat while billionaires bend the rules. We must tackle the cost-of-living crisis, the housing crisis, and the healthcare crisis with real solutions, not band-aids. Another challenge is defending our democracy against those who would weaken it for their own gain. We cannot look away from rising authoritarianism, disinformation, and the erosion of rights we once took for granted. Protecting voting rights, fair courts, and the rule of law will be a fight we must choose every single day. I also believe our next decade will test our moral courage on the climate crisis. We have no time left for half-measures or empty promises. We must invest in clean energy, protect our water and land, and honor the sovereignty and wisdom of Indigenous communities whose voices have too long been silenced. Finally, we must care for those who carried this nation on their backs our veterans, our workers, our teachers, our first responders the people who kept the lights on through our darkest days. They deserve more than thank-yous. They deserve action. Our greatest challenge is to remember we belong to each other. If we can rise above fear and division, if we can lift up the vulnerable and speak for the voiceless, there is no problem we cannot solve. The next ten years must be about building something stronger, fairer, and more honest than what we were handed together. Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives? I believe the two-year term for House members is both a blessing and a burden. On one hand, it keeps us accountable. It means every representative must stay close to the people they serve listening, showing up, and proving they deserve the trust they’ve been given. That short term is why the House has always been the people’s chamber, a direct reflection of the hopes and frustrations of everyday Americans. But I also believe the constant cycle of campaigning can distract from the work we were sent to do. Too often, it pushes representatives to think in two-year timelines instead of ten or twenty. It makes big, bold solutions harder when so many worry more about the next election than the next generation. I believe there is room for honest debate about whether a slightly longer term, maybe four years, would give members the breathing room to govern more responsibly while still preserving accountability. But any change must protect the House’s spirit as the closest link to the people. If we keep the two-year term, then we have a duty to use every single day wisely. We cannot spend our days chasing special interest dollars and playing it safe. We must listen, we must act, and we must be ready to earn the people’s trust all over again, every time they hold us to it. At the end of the day, whether it is two years or four, it is a privilege to serve, never a guarantee. That’s how a true democracy should work. The power always belongs to the people, and we should never forget it. What are your thoughts on term limits? I believe public service is a calling however it's not a lifetime entitlement. I've seen what happens when power goes unchecked and seats become dynasties passed down like family heirlooms. Real democracy demands fresh ideas, new energy, and leaders who remember they work for the people not the other way around. That's why I support reasonable responsible term limits. I believe Supreme Court justices should serve no more than 12 years period no one should hold that much influence for half a century while the world changes around them. Senators should be limited to three terms or 18 years period and members of the house to be capped at 20 years of service. These limits protect experience and institutional knowledge but make sure no one becomes untouchable. This is not about punishing good leaders. It's about protecting our Republic from complacency and corruption our founders did not imagine career politicians shielding themselves from consequences of broken promises. They imagined a government that reflects people and renews itself with every generation. If we want accountability, we must demand it. If we want courage, we must clear out the Deadwood so new voices can rise. I believe term limits are one of the clearest ways we can restore trust in our democracy and remind every elected official that power is borrowed and must be earned. Our best days come when we stand up for bold common-sense reforms like this together, as one people, determined to hand our children a government worthy of them. Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after? If I had to name a few leaders whose spirit I carry with me, it would start with the ones who choose truth over comfort and people over power. I think of John F Kennedy, a leader who reminded us that courage and public service not belong to the young and the bold not just the privileged and the safe. I think of Harry Truman who said he would give the people the truth and let the truth raise hell if it needed to. I am inspired by the Trail Blazers who broke barriers inside the house. Shirley Chisholm taught us that being “unbought and unbossed” is the true measure of a public servant's courage. Barbara Jordan reminded the nation that the constitution is not just paper, instead it’s a promise that must include every one of us. Barney Frank, who did not hide who he was and helped pave the way for LGBTQ Americans to be heard and protected under the law. Harvey milk though never in the house, show the world what one honest, unafraid voice could mean to an entire generation that had been silenced. I see leaders like Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who stand firm in the face of cynicism, refusing to apologize for fighting for the working poor, the overlooked, and the unheard. I admire Rep. Ro Khanna’s vision for a fairer economy that lifts up every American worker instead of bowing to billionaires. I respect how Rep. Nancy Pelosi never backed down from protecting democracy in its darkest hours. But at the end of the day, I believe every generation must find its own voice. I don't want to be anyone else, I want to carry the best of what these leaders taught us and add my own truth to it. I want to be the leader who tells the hard truths, stands up for the voiceless, and refuses to let the powerful decide who deserves a place at the table. We do not need perfect heroes. We need real people with the courage to fight like hell for what is right, and the legacy I intend to live every single day I have the privilege to serve. Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful? One story that stays with me is from a neighbor here in Kansas City, a man living with multiple sclerosis. We met one evening in a small men's group, coming together to talk honestly about the burdens we each carry. He looked me in the eye and said “I have an invisible disability.” He said it with a mix of courage and humility that moved me deeply because for him, his struggles feel unseen, yet it is so visible to those willing to look with an open heart. He told me how, one day, he urgently needed a restroom something so many of us take for granted. But because he lives with MS when he need to go, he means now. He begged the store employee to let him use a restroom, explaining his disability and desperation. They turned him away. He had no choice but to stand there in public and endure A humiliation no one should ever face. They ignored him and he had an accident on himself in the store. His story broke my heart because it reveals a truth too many ignore: our cities and our systems fail people who need us most. There are not enough sidewalks for a disabled neighbor to get down the street safely. There are not enough leaders willing to listen, really listen, to what dignity means when you live with a body that will not always cooperate. I live with disabilities too, scars from military service, injuries and the invisible weight of PTSD, but his courage reminded me there is always more to learn, more to fight for, more voices to lift up. Stories like his remind me why I stand up every day and put my heart on the line. Because when you truly listen, you remember this: the best advocate knows their people's pain. And the best representative never forgets who they are fighting for. That is how we change policy, one story at a time, one neighbor at a time, until no one is left behind. Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking? I believe compromise can be necessary, but it must never come at the cost of our core values or the people we are sworn to serve. Compromise is how we move a divided nation forward, but too often it has become a tool to protect the powerful while demanding sacrifice only from the most vulnerable. Real compromise should not mean working people give up fair wages so billionaires can keep tax loopholes. It should not mean veterans see their benefits gutted so big contractors get blank checks. It should not mean civil rights or bodily autonomy are bargained away behind closed doors. I believe in the kind of compromise that comes from honest debate, mutual respect, and the courage to listen not the kind forced by backroom deals or corporate lobbyists. We have to remember that our democracy was built to be a conversation, not a dictatorship of the loudest or wealthiest. When compromise lifts up our communities, breaks gridlock, and protects the voiceless, then it is not only necessary but an obligation. When it demands we abandon what is just and right, then it is a line I will not cross. My promise is that I will always reach across the aisle for the common good, but I will never trade away the dignity of the people who trusted me to fight for them. We can find common ground without losing our moral ground. That is how we build trust, pass real solutions, and prove to the people we serve that politics can still work and that hope is never naïve when it is tied to courage. The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected? The Constitution gives the House the sole power to originate all revenue bills because our founders knew the power to tax has the power to shape a nation's future. If trusted with that power, I will use it to fight for a fairer tax system that puts working families first and demands the wealthiest among us finally pay their share. Right now, the 400 richest families in America pay a lower effective tax rate than the poorest people trying to keep the lights on. Some of our largest corporations pay 0 tax while every day Americans watch their paychecks shrink and their basic services get cut to the bone. That is not freedom, that is a rigged system that drains the life out of the American dream. I believe every dollar should be reinvested where it builds real prosperity. For every dollar we put into early childhood education we get 4 back. The same is true when we tackle food insecurity, affordable housing, and rebuilding the backbone of this nation, our working people. Meanwhile we spend over $1 trillion a year on the Department of Defense, yet many military families still rely on food banks to survive. One out of every 4 military families survives on SNAP benefits and WIC. That is not fiscal responsibility instead it's a moral failure. Tariffs and hidden taxes hit the poor and the working class the hardest while billionaires get tax breaks worth hundreds of millions. We cannot keep pretending that debt will pay for itself while we let the wealthiest and most powerful write themselves out of the bill. If we are serious about our future, we must fund it honestly. We must be a nation that builds and not just bombs. We must be willing to look our people in the eye and say: you will not carry this burden alone. That is my promise and that is what the power of the purse must always stand for. How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers? Yes, the house absolutely must use its investigative powers not as a weapon for partisan games but as a safeguard for the truth. Our constitution gives the house this responsibility for a reason: when power goes unchecked, corruption takes root. I believe no one, not a president, not a Supreme Court, not ascending member of Congress should ever be above the law or beyond scrutiny. When credible allegations surface whether it's a justice accepting millions and undisclosed gifts, a lobbyist gaining influence through a judge's spouse, or elected officials lying to the people who trusted them, the house must have the courage to ask the hard questions and follow the facts wherever they may lead. We cannot protect democracy with blinders on. And we cannot do it by turning a blind eye to our own party or branch of government. There must be a clear, fair, and transparent process to investigate potential wrongdoing, whether that means looking into a Supreme Court justices undisclosed luxury trips, gets, or influence peddling, or holding members like George Santos or Matt Gaetz accountable for actions that betray the public trust. When leaders exploit their position for personal gain or cover up the truth they are stealing power from the people they serve. The houses investigative powers are a vital check on corruption in all three branches of government. We cannot claim to stand for the rule of law and then turn away when the powerful break it. I believe in accountability, even when it is uncomfortable because real justice is never about protecting the few, it is about protecting the people, the vulnerable and the voiceless. This is not about political vengeance. It's about trust. It's about reminding Americans that the government works for them and that when it fails the test, the truth will come out. That legislation is for those without voice, not for those with opportunity and choice. That is the promise I will always stand for. What committees interest you? The committees that interest me most are those that directly shape the lives of everyday Americans and defend the people too often ignored by power. I want to serve on committees where I can fight for veterans, working families, and those struggling to find their place in an economy that has left them behind. The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is personal for me. As a veteran, I know what it feels like to come home to a system that makes empty promises while stripping away critical care and benefits. Our service members and their families deserve fierce oversight and real accountability. I am also drawn to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability because corruption, waste, and dark money poison our democracy from within. If we want to restore trust, we must hold those in power, in government and in the private sector, to the same standard we hold working families. The Committee on Energy and Commerce is another place where I know I can make an impact. It is where we can tackle rising healthcare costs, fight for prescription drug pricing reform, and ensure that rural and underserved communities get the access they need. This is also where we meet the climate crisis head-on, invest in clean energy, and honor our commitment to future generations. Finally, I would be honored to contribute to the Committee on Housing and Financial Services, because the American Dream depends on having a safe, affordable place to live. We must stand up to hedge funds and predatory lenders who see homes as assets instead of shelter. Wherever I serve, my mission is the same: to make the government work for the people; the working, the wounded, the voiceless and to remind every person in this district that they have someone fighting for them, every single day. What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability? I believe financial transparency and Government Accountability are not just ideas instead they are the bedrock of trust between the people and those who serve them. When I grew up I saw first hand how systems can be used to punish working people while the powerful played by a different set of rules. I've made it my mission to flip that script. I believe every taxpayer dollar must be treated with respect. People should know exactly how their money is spent, who benefits, and who is held responsible when it's wasted or abused. There should be no secret deals, no backroom handshakes, and no corporate loopholes that leave working families paying the price while billionaires and special interests walk away wealthier. I support strict disclosure laws for campaign contributions and lobbying so that the public knows who is trying to influence their government. I believe in shining a bright light on conflicts of interest, shady contracts, and hidden donors. I will always push to get dark money out of politics because democracy should belong to the people not the highest bidder. Real leadership means standing up for the truth, protecting whistleblowers, and defending the rule of law. I've spent my life fighting for those who had no one else to stand for them and I will do the same every single day I hold public office. When people know their government is honest fair and transparent they believe in it again. They invest in it. They defend it. That is how we restore faith in our democracy and build a system that works for everyone not just the wealthy few.\nNote: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it."}]