Alea Nadeem

[{"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>Alea Nadeem 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 Nadeem'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-352864-2026-04-21\" id=\"heading-bio-352864-2026-04-21\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-352864-2026-04-21\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-352864-2026-04-21\" 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-352864-2026-04-21\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-352864-2026-04-21\" 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\tVeteran. Patriot. Political Outsider.\r\n<p>Alea Nadeem is a proud daughter of Ohio, a military officer, and an independent-minded conservative who has never forgotten her roots—or why America must come first. Raised in Toledo in a hardworking union family. In response to the 9/11 attacks, she answered the call to defend our country by enlisting in the United States Air Force. Now a Lieutenant Colonel and Commander.\r\n</p>\n<pre>Alea has held critical roles as a special agent, intelligence officer, advising on military strategy and national security policy at the Pentagon, worked a policy advisor at the White House National Security Council, and deployed to defeat terrorism. Alea has served all around the United States, but brought her Midwest work ethic with her and she knows how to Get Stuff Done!\r\n</pre>\n<p>A former Military Congressional Fellow &amp; U.S. Senate Air Force liaison, she understands how Washington works—and how it fails the American people. \r\n</p>\nThroughout her career, Alea has fought to ensure our servicewomen were equipped to be lethal and effective—not political pawns in a progressive agenda. As a lifelong athlete and advocate for women, she believes the DEI agenda went too far and is having the same negative impact on women in the military as it is on girls’ sports. Alea’s story is one of survival and strength. As a child, she endured life under Saddam Hussein in Iraq—including a period of captivity—after being kidnapped and rescued. Alea is grateful she lives under the U.S. flag.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-352864-2026-04-21\" id=\"heading-key-message-352864-2026-04-21\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-352864-2026-04-21\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-352864-2026-04-21\" 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-352864-2026-04-21\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-352864-2026-04-21\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>Manufacturing. Ohio has lost roughly 400K blue collar jobs since the 1980s and we need to ensure the U.S. has a strong manufacturing base for generations to come, instead of shipping them to Mexico and China.</li><li>Fentanyl. Ohio is number seven in the U.S. for overdoes related to fentanyl; this is why it is imperative we have secure borders. These drugs will destroy our communities and work force, if we do not get serious about addressing this issue.</li><li>National Debt. The national debt has ballooned to 38 trillion. At some point our country will collapse because of financial crisis; we need Congress to act and address this issue or America as we know it, will not exist for generations to enjoy, like we have.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-352864-2026-04-21\" id=\"heading1-352864-2026-04-21\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-352864-2026-04-21\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-352864-2026-04-21\" 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=\"heading1-352864-2026-04-21\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-352864-2026-04-21\" 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\t(1) Fixing the National Debt (2) Manufacturing (3) Military\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-352864-2026-04-21\" id=\"heading2-352864-2026-04-21\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-352864-2026-04-21\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-352864-2026-04-21\" 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=\"heading2-352864-2026-04-21\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-352864-2026-04-21\" 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\tHigh character; ethical; moral; willing to do the right thing at personal cost.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-352864-2026-04-21\" id=\"heading3-352864-2026-04-21\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse3-352864-2026-04-21\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-352864-2026-04-21\" 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=\"heading3-352864-2026-04-21\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse3-352864-2026-04-21\" 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\tFood town bagger\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-352864-2026-04-21\" id=\"heading4-352864-2026-04-21\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse4-352864-2026-04-21\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-352864-2026-04-21\" 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=\"heading4-352864-2026-04-21\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse4-352864-2026-04-21\" 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\tNational Debt\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-352864-2026-04-21\" id=\"heading5-352864-2026-04-21\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse5-352864-2026-04-21\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-352864-2026-04-21\" 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=\"heading5-352864-2026-04-21\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse5-352864-2026-04-21\" 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\tU.S. Senator Mike Crapo (ID); U.S. Senator John Boozman (AR), Congressman Zach Nunn (IA-3); The Guardian Fund\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<div><div style=\"margin-bottom:1.5rem\"><h4>Campaign website</h4><p>Nadeem's campaign website stated the following:</p><div style=\"max-height:400px;overflow-y:auto;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:10px;margin:20px\"><blockquote style=\"margin:0px\"><h2><strong>Creating Jobs and Rebuilding Ohio Manufacturing</strong></h2><p>In 1983, when Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur took office, Ohio had over 1.1 million manufacturing jobs. Today, only about 680,000. That’s over 400,000 manufacturing jobs lost on Kaptur’s watch. In 40 years, she’s lost touch. Her continued votes to allow liberals from California and New York to set the agenda in Washington have been devastating. Instead of standing up for Ohioans, she’s stood with the career politicians and DC elite.</p><p><br/></p><p>Alea will stand with President Trump to protect American industries and make the United States more competitive, helping to bring back good middle-class jobs that we’ve seen go offshore. That means actual fair trade policies that protect American workers from China and other foreign bad actors, cuts to taxes and regulations that make it easier for small and medium-sized companies to manufacture in the United States, and flooding the American economy with affordable energy. Alea will stand up for Ohio’s working class, representing their economic best interests and values.</p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Reducing Prices and Making Life More Affordable</strong></h2><p>Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur voted for the Biden agenda over 90% of the time. On every significant issue, she sided with the extreme liberals in Washington, not the people of northwest Ohio. Kaptur voted in support of AOC’s Green New Deal that incentivizes companies to ship jobs out of the country and drive up energy prices, impacting the cost of everything from food to utilities to household goods. And Kaptur voted for trillions in reckless spending that sent inflation and prices soaring to 30-year highs. She can’t fix the economy because she helped break it. </p><p><br/></p><p>Alea will vote to reduce reckless spending that devalues the dollar’s buying power and causes inflation. She will also stop the unrealistic environmental policies that drive up energy prices and the prices of goods—from the factory to the farm. She will also work with President Trump to ensure that working people benefit from economic prosperity, not just the wealthy and well-connected.    </p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Protecting Social Security and Medicare</strong></h2><p>In Congress, Alea will fight to protect the benefits Ohio seniors have paid into and been promised. <strong>She will oppose any cuts to Social Security benefits</strong> and work to stop the reckless spending threatening these programs so they remain healthy for today’s seniors and future generations. </p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Rebuilding America’s Crumbling Infrastructure</strong></h2><p>While Washington wastes hundreds of billions of dollars on handouts to liberal organizations, poorly planned foreign aid, and rampant waste, fraud and abuse, America’s infrastructure – which should be a top priority of the federal government – has crumbled.</p><p><br/></p><p>In Congress, Alea will support more investment in America’s roads, bridges, ports, and airports to ensure our infrastructure supports job growth. These investments help create jobs, rebuild struggling communities hit hard by bad trade deals and failed economic policies, and strengthen our defense industrial base to confront 21st-century threats like China.    </p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Strengthening Ohio’s Farms and Agriculture</strong></h2><p>During the Biden years, Congresswoman Kaptur was complicit as extreme liberals declared war on American agriculture. The U.S. agricultural trade deficit was $21 billion in 2023 –a 4x increase over previous yearly averages, thanks to the Biden administration’s unwillingness to demand better deals for American farmers. The Biden administration’s Green Energy agenda included restrictions on oil and natural gas production and their regulations, like the Waters of the United States, increased fuel, fertilizer, and compliance costs, reducing farmers’ profitability.   </p><p><br/></p><p>Alea will fight for Ohio’s rural communities and Ohio farmers by working to reduce Biden’s environmental and energy regulations that increase the cost of doing business. Alea will advocate for a comprehensive farm bill, promote fair trade for American farmers, fight for tax code changes to help family farms, work toward more predictable, consistent relief for farmers in the wake of natural disasters, and support rural broadband expansion.</p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Supporting Ohio’s Small Businesses</strong></h2><p>Under Biden and Kaptur, big businesses did great. Massive corporations can afford the lawyers, accountants, and lobbyists to navigate the maze of new regulations and tax hikes—even capitalizing on these regulations and taxes to drive small and medium competitors out of business. </p><p><br/></p><p>We can’t allow that to happen. Small businesses create new jobs. Since 2019, 71 percent of new jobs have come from small businesses. In Congress, Alea will work with President Trump to advocate for small businesses, including flooding America with affordable energy, reducing burdensome regulations, cutting taxes for small businesses, and working to bring down health insurance costs.    </p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Securing the Border and Stopping Illegal Immigrant Crime</strong></h2><p>The Biden administration spent 4 years opening America’s borders and flooding the United States with at least 8 million illegal immigrants, drugs, human trafficking, and violent crime. It’s had a real negative impact on Ohio communities – especially fentanyl and illegal drugs. Marcy Kaptur did nothing to hold Biden accountable. </p><p><br/></p><p>Alea believes immigrants have made valuable contributions to the United States throughout our history, but <strong>there is a huge difference between legal immigration and illegal immigration</strong>. </p><p><br/></p><p>It is unfair to allow people into the country illegally while people follow the rules and wait in line, sometimes for many years, for a chance to contribute to our society and live the American Dream.  </p><p><br/></p><p><strong>Alea opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants, and she fully supports President Trump’s efforts to secure the border and stop incentivizing illegal immigrants to enter our country</strong>. Alea supports the Trump administration’s efforts to deport violent criminals and gang members responsible for flooding our communities with drugs and killing our loved ones. She will vote to ban sanctuary cities and strip funding from states and localities which obstruct federal immigration enforcement.</p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Unleashing American Energy</strong></h2><p>For the last four years, Biden and Kaptur have waged war on American energy. Their Green New Deal has driven up prices and utility bills, sent American jobs overseas, and attacked the American auto industry with unworkable EV mandates—trying to force Americans into cars they neither want nor can they afford. These are the types of ill conceived policies that have hollowed out manufacturing in northwest Ohio. </p><p><br/></p><p>Alea will work with President Trump to unleash American energy. Cheap energy brings down the prices of everything else. The United States has vast energy resources, and we need to use them to power our manufacturing, agricultural, and high-tech sectors, rebuild the middle class, and make the United States stronger and more self-reliant in a dangerous world.</p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Protecting the Great Lakes and the Environment</strong></h2><p>Alea believes we have a responsibility to protect our natural treasurers starting with the Great Lakes. In Congress, Alea will support efforts to protect our water quality, and ensure that future generations have the opportunity to enjoy the recreation and industry the Great Lakes provide. Alea knows we have a responsibility to be a good steward of the natural resources God has given us, and we can do that without hurting our economy and quality of life.</p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Reforming Our Broken Education System</strong></h2><p>America’s education system is leaving our children behind – especially those who come from poor rural and inner-city communities. We spend more money per student than nearly every other developed country. Yet, the results in reading and math continue to get worse. The statistics are alarming, but the human toll is heartbreaking. Millions of children are being robbed of their future potential – while political considerations supersede reforms needed to make sure every child can access a good school.</p><p><br/></p><p>In Congress, Alea will work to reduce wasteful bureaucracy to ensure more money makes it directly to students. She believes local control is best for education – in the hands of parents and teachers. Alea supports increasing teacher pay and benefits to attract and retain the best and brightest teachers.</p><p><br/></p><p>Alea also recognizes the importance of career and technical education and labor unions in teaching our young Americans skilled trades and will work to increase federal resources in those areas.</p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Protecting Girl’s Sports</strong></h2><p>This year, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which keeps men out of women’s sports – putting her far-left agenda before the women and girls of Ohio. Alea will protect the integrity of women’s sports.</p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Making Government Better, Not Bigger</strong></h2><p>In 1983, when Congresswoman Kaptur took office, the national debt was $1.4 trillion. Today, it’s $36.1 trillion! That’s a 2,500% increase during Congresswoman Kaptur’s 42 years in Congress. On Kaptur’s watch, reckless spending has spiraled out of control, and the middle class is paying the price. Kaptur’s reckless spending causes inflation and soaring prices, threatens Social Security and Medicare, and poses a grave risk to the freedom and opportunity that should be the birthright of every American.</p><p><br/></p><p>In Congress, Alea will set priorities like providing for our education funding, national defense, securing our border, rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, and protecting Medicare and Social Security. She will support President Trump’s efforts to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse and work to make the government better and more efficient, not bigger.</p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Defending the Second Amendment</strong></h2><p>The data is clear. Nine out of ten gun crimes are committed with illegal guns, Congresswoman Kaptur believes law-abiding Americans are the problem, not criminals with illegal firearms. Kaptur is putting extreme left-wing politics before common sense, and she threatens the rights of law-abiding Americans. </p><p><br/></p><p>A military officer, Alea understands the importance of our Second Amendment freedoms. She will support the rights of law-abiding gun owners to defend themselves and their families and exercise their Constitutional right to keep and bear arms.</p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Improving Healthcare and Making America Healthy Again</strong></h2><p>Americans are less healthy on several key metrics than nearly every country in the developed world. Our life expectancy is 6 years younger than the average of the developed world, we lead the world in obesity, and we have alarmingly high rates of chronic diseases and drug overdoses despite leading the world in per capita health care spending. </p><p><br/></p><p>Alea believes we need to reform health care and the federal bureaucracy to focus on health care outcomes, <strong>not on how much money the federal government allows big healthcare monopolies to extract from taxpayers through special interest handouts</strong>. She supports empowering Americans by making healthcare pricing more transparent, giving patients more choices, and focusing on preventative medicine. Alea supports ensuring the Medicaid safety net exists for those in need but cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse that undermine the program’s integrity for those who need it the most. </p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Honoring Ohio’s Veterans</strong></h2><p>In Congress, Alea will fight to ensure America keeps its promises to our veterans. The United States has an obligation to the brave men and women who’ve served and put themselves in harm’s way to defend freedom. She knows firsthand that the VA system needs to do better for our veterans and do a better job supporting veterans to reduce suicide, mental health issues, and drug addiction and help veterans transition from active duty to civilian life.</p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Strengthening the Military and Putting America First</strong></h2><p>Alea believes in peace through strength and an America First foreign policy. The stronger our military, energy, and economic position, the better we can deter aggressive regimes around the world. From 2017-2021, we saw the world at peace. The last four years under Biden were just the opposite. In Congress, Alea will work with President Trump to strengthen our military and ensure the men and women who put on the uniform are focused on lethality and winning the conflicts America engages in to protect our people and interests. </p><p><br/></p><p>Alea supports President Trump’s effort to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, and that we ensure American taxpayers are not continuing to write a blank check without a plan to end the conflict. European allies need to do more to provide for Europe’s defense. Poland is an example of a European country dramatically increasing defense spending. The war has become a World War I-style stalemate that is costing tens of thousands of lives per month on both sides. We need a realistic plan to achieve peace through negotiation and help Ukraine keep as much of its territory as possible.</p><p><br/></p><p>China is America’s most significant challenge; our military posture should reflect that. Alea supports aggressive efforts to maintain our technological and logistical superiority over China, including President Trump’s effort to crack down on China through trade policy. She will advocate for modernizing our military and ensuring we have the industrial base to build future weapon systems.</p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Achieving Middle East Peace</strong></h2><p>Alea understands regimes throughout the Middle East respect strength, and strength brings peace. She believes President Trump is best positioned to achieve peace in the Middle East. Alea supports holding Iran accountable for its efforts to destabilize the region and its support for terrorism against Jews, Muslims and Christians. She supports President Trump’s policy that Iran cannot under any circumstance be permitted to have a nuclear weapon.</p><p><br/></p><p>Alea believes President Trump’s leadership gives us the best chance to achieve a lasting peace deal in the region so Jews, Muslims, and Christians can live together in peace and prosperity.</p><p><br/></p><p>Alea recognizes Israel is America’s most reliable ally in the Middle East, and Iran is the greatest obstacle to achieving peace in the region. She supports American aid to Israel in its fight against Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists. Alea wants to help President Trump achieve a peace deal in the Middle East.</p><p><br/></p><h2><strong>Embracing Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies</strong></h2><p>Alea will support policies that will help Ohio and the United States lead the world’s next technological revolution – artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain technology, and cryptocurrency. Ohio has emerged as a leader in AI, including academic research, educational programs, and startups. Additionally, Ohio is developing significant capabilities in Bitcoin mining. </p><p><br/></p><p>Alea will support clear and reasonable regulation to protect Americans from bad actors and cybercriminals while giving innovators and entrepreneurs the tools to ensure the United States is the global leader in these areas and Americans benefit from the jobs and economic opportunities these technologies will unleash. </p></blockquote><div style=\"text-align: right; font-size: 0.9em; color: #555; margin-top: 0.5em;\"><p style=\"font-size:0.9em;color:#555\">— Alea Nadeem's <a href=\"https://aleaforcongress.com/issues/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">campaign website</a> (April 24, 2026)</p></div></div></div><div style=\"text-align: center; font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0.5em;\"><i>Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.</i></div></div>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nAlea Nadeem completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Nadeem's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. Veteran. Patriot. Political Outsider. Alea Nadeem is a proud daughter of Ohio, a military officer, and an independent-minded conservative who has never forgotten her roots—or why America must come first. Raised in Toledo in a hardworking union family. In response to the 9/11 attacks, she answered the call to defend our country by enlisting in the United States Air Force. Now a Lieutenant Colonel and Commander. Alea has held critical roles as a special agent, intelligence officer, advising on military strategy and national security policy at the Pentagon, worked a policy advisor at the White House National Security Council, and deployed to defeat terrorism. Alea has served all around the United States, but brought her Midwest work ethic with her and she knows how to Get Stuff Done! A former Military Congressional Fellow & U.S. Senate Air Force liaison, she understands how Washington works—and how it fails the American people. Throughout her career, Alea has fought to ensure our servicewomen were equipped to be lethal and effective—not political pawns in a progressive agenda. As a lifelong athlete and advocate for women, she believes the DEI agenda went too far and is having the same negative impact on women in the military as it is on girls’ sports. Alea’s story is one of survival and strength. As a child, she endured life under Saddam Hussein in Iraq—including a period of captivity—after being kidnapped and rescued. Alea is grateful she lives under the U.S. flag. 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? Manufacturing. Ohio has lost roughly 400K blue collar jobs since the 1980s and we need to ensure the U.S. has a strong manufacturing base for generations to come, instead of shipping them to Mexico and China. Fentanyl. Ohio is number seven in the U.S. for overdoes related to fentanyl; this is why it is imperative we have secure borders. These drugs will destroy our communities and work force, if we do not get serious about addressing this issue. National Debt. The national debt has ballooned to 38 trillion. At some point our country will collapse because of financial crisis; we need Congress to act and address this issue or America as we know it, will not exist for generations to enjoy, like we have. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? (1) Fixing the National Debt (2) Manufacturing (3) Military What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official? High character; ethical; moral; willing to do the right thing at personal cost. What was your very first job? How long did you have it? Food town bagger What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade? National Debt What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign? U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (ID); U.S. Senator John Boozman (AR), Congressman Zach Nunn (IA-3); The Guardian Fund\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.\nCampaign website Nadeem's campaign website stated the following: Creating Jobs and Rebuilding Ohio Manufacturing In 1983, when Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur took office, Ohio had over 1.1 million manufacturing jobs. Today, only about 680,000. That’s over 400,000 manufacturing jobs lost on Kaptur’s watch. In 40 years, she’s lost touch. Her continued votes to allow liberals from California and New York to set the agenda in Washington have been devastating. Instead of standing up for Ohioans, she’s stood with the career politicians and DC elite. Alea will stand with President Trump to protect American industries and make the United States more competitive, helping to bring back good middle-class jobs that we’ve seen go offshore. That means actual fair trade policies that protect American workers from China and other foreign bad actors, cuts to taxes and regulations that make it easier for small and medium-sized companies to manufacture in the United States, and flooding the American economy with affordable energy. Alea will stand up for Ohio’s working class, representing their economic best interests and values. Reducing Prices and Making Life More Affordable Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur voted for the Biden agenda over 90% of the time. On every significant issue, she sided with the extreme liberals in Washington, not the people of northwest Ohio. Kaptur voted in support of AOC’s Green New Deal that incentivizes companies to ship jobs out of the country and drive up energy prices, impacting the cost of everything from food to utilities to household goods. And Kaptur voted for trillions in reckless spending that sent inflation and prices soaring to 30-year highs. She can’t fix the economy because she helped break it. Alea will vote to reduce reckless spending that devalues the dollar’s buying power and causes inflation. She will also stop the unrealistic environmental policies that drive up energy prices and the prices of goods—from the factory to the farm. She will also work with President Trump to ensure that working people benefit from economic prosperity, not just the wealthy and well-connected. Protecting Social Security and Medicare In Congress, Alea will fight to protect the benefits Ohio seniors have paid into and been promised. She will oppose any cuts to Social Security benefits and work to stop the reckless spending threatening these programs so they remain healthy for today’s seniors and future generations. Rebuilding America’s Crumbling Infrastructure While Washington wastes hundreds of billions of dollars on handouts to liberal organizations, poorly planned foreign aid, and rampant waste, fraud and abuse, America’s infrastructure – which should be a top priority of the federal government – has crumbled. In Congress, Alea will support more investment in America’s roads, bridges, ports, and airports to ensure our infrastructure supports job growth. These investments help create jobs, rebuild struggling communities hit hard by bad trade deals and failed economic policies, and strengthen our defense industrial base to confront 21st-century threats like China. Strengthening Ohio’s Farms and Agriculture During the Biden years, Congresswoman Kaptur was complicit as extreme liberals declared war on American agriculture. The U.S. agricultural trade deficit was $21 billion in 2023 –a 4x increase over previous yearly averages, thanks to the Biden administration’s unwillingness to demand better deals for American farmers. The Biden administration’s Green Energy agenda included restrictions on oil and natural gas production and their regulations, like the Waters of the United States, increased fuel, fertilizer, and compliance costs, reducing farmers’ profitability. Alea will fight for Ohio’s rural communities and Ohio farmers by working to reduce Biden’s environmental and energy regulations that increase the cost of doing business. Alea will advocate for a comprehensive farm bill, promote fair trade for American farmers, fight for tax code changes to help family farms, work toward more predictable, consistent relief for farmers in the wake of natural disasters, and support rural broadband expansion. Supporting Ohio’s Small Businesses Under Biden and Kaptur, big businesses did great. Massive corporations can afford the lawyers, accountants, and lobbyists to navigate the maze of new regulations and tax hikes—even capitalizing on these regulations and taxes to drive small and medium competitors out of business. We can’t allow that to happen. Small businesses create new jobs. Since 2019, 71 percent of new jobs have come from small businesses. In Congress, Alea will work with President Trump to advocate for small businesses, including flooding America with affordable energy, reducing burdensome regulations, cutting taxes for small businesses, and working to bring down health insurance costs. Securing the Border and Stopping Illegal Immigrant Crime The Biden administration spent 4 years opening America’s borders and flooding the United States with at least 8 million illegal immigrants, drugs, human trafficking, and violent crime. It’s had a real negative impact on Ohio communities – especially fentanyl and illegal drugs. Marcy Kaptur did nothing to hold Biden accountable. Alea believes immigrants have made valuable contributions to the United States throughout our history, but there is a huge difference between legal immigration and illegal immigration . It is unfair to allow people into the country illegally while people follow the rules and wait in line, sometimes for many years, for a chance to contribute to our society and live the American Dream. Alea opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants, and she fully supports President Trump’s efforts to secure the border and stop incentivizing illegal immigrants to enter our country . Alea supports the Trump administration’s efforts to deport violent criminals and gang members responsible for flooding our communities with drugs and killing our loved ones. She will vote to ban sanctuary cities and strip funding from states and localities which obstruct federal immigration enforcement. Unleashing American Energy For the last four years, Biden and Kaptur have waged war on American energy. Their Green New Deal has driven up prices and utility bills, sent American jobs overseas, and attacked the American auto industry with unworkable EV mandates—trying to force Americans into cars they neither want nor can they afford. These are the types of ill conceived policies that have hollowed out manufacturing in northwest Ohio. Alea will work with President Trump to unleash American energy. Cheap energy brings down the prices of everything else. The United States has vast energy resources, and we need to use them to power our manufacturing, agricultural, and high-tech sectors, rebuild the middle class, and make the United States stronger and more self-reliant in a dangerous world. Protecting the Great Lakes and the Environment Alea believes we have a responsibility to protect our natural treasurers starting with the Great Lakes. In Congress, Alea will support efforts to protect our water quality, and ensure that future generations have the opportunity to enjoy the recreation and industry the Great Lakes provide. Alea knows we have a responsibility to be a good steward of the natural resources God has given us, and we can do that without hurting our economy and quality of life. Reforming Our Broken Education System America’s education system is leaving our children behind – especially those who come from poor rural and inner-city communities. We spend more money per student than nearly every other developed country. Yet, the results in reading and math continue to get worse. The statistics are alarming, but the human toll is heartbreaking. Millions of children are being robbed of their future potential – while political considerations supersede reforms needed to make sure every child can access a good school. In Congress, Alea will work to reduce wasteful bureaucracy to ensure more money makes it directly to students. She believes local control is best for education – in the hands of parents and teachers. Alea supports increasing teacher pay and benefits to attract and retain the best and brightest teachers. Alea also recognizes the importance of career and technical education and labor unions in teaching our young Americans skilled trades and will work to increase federal resources in those areas. Protecting Girl’s Sports This year, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which keeps men out of women’s sports – putting her far-left agenda before the women and girls of Ohio. Alea will protect the integrity of women’s sports. Making Government Better, Not Bigger In 1983, when Congresswoman Kaptur took office, the national debt was $1.4 trillion. Today, it’s $36.1 trillion! That’s a 2,500% increase during Congresswoman Kaptur’s 42 years in Congress. On Kaptur’s watch, reckless spending has spiraled out of control, and the middle class is paying the price. Kaptur’s reckless spending causes inflation and soaring prices, threatens Social Security and Medicare, and poses a grave risk to the freedom and opportunity that should be the birthright of every American. In Congress, Alea will set priorities like providing for our education funding, national defense, securing our border, rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, and protecting Medicare and Social Security. She will support President Trump’s efforts to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse and work to make the government better and more efficient, not bigger. Defending the Second Amendment The data is clear. Nine out of ten gun crimes are committed with illegal guns, Congresswoman Kaptur believes law-abiding Americans are the problem, not criminals with illegal firearms. Kaptur is putting extreme left-wing politics before common sense, and she threatens the rights of law-abiding Americans. A military officer, Alea understands the importance of our Second Amendment freedoms. She will support the rights of law-abiding gun owners to defend themselves and their families and exercise their Constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Improving Healthcare and Making America Healthy Again Americans are less healthy on several key metrics than nearly every country in the developed world. Our life expectancy is 6 years younger than the average of the developed world, we lead the world in obesity, and we have alarmingly high rates of chronic diseases and drug overdoses despite leading the world in per capita health care spending. Alea believes we need to reform health care and the federal bureaucracy to focus on health care outcomes, not on how much money the federal government allows big healthcare monopolies to extract from taxpayers through special interest handouts . She supports empowering Americans by making healthcare pricing more transparent, giving patients more choices, and focusing on preventative medicine. Alea supports ensuring the Medicaid safety net exists for those in need but cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse that undermine the program’s integrity for those who need it the most. Honoring Ohio’s Veterans In Congress, Alea will fight to ensure America keeps its promises to our veterans. The United States has an obligation to the brave men and women who’ve served and put themselves in harm’s way to defend freedom. She knows firsthand that the VA system needs to do better for our veterans and do a better job supporting veterans to reduce suicide, mental health issues, and drug addiction and help veterans transition from active duty to civilian life. Strengthening the Military and Putting America First Alea believes in peace through strength and an America First foreign policy. The stronger our military, energy, and economic position, the better we can deter aggressive regimes around the world. From 2017-2021, we saw the world at peace. The last four years under Biden were just the opposite. In Congress, Alea will work with President Trump to strengthen our military and ensure the men and women who put on the uniform are focused on lethality and winning the conflicts America engages in to protect our people and interests. Alea supports President Trump’s effort to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, and that we ensure American taxpayers are not continuing to write a blank check without a plan to end the conflict. European allies need to do more to provide for Europe’s defense. Poland is an example of a European country dramatically increasing defense spending. The war has become a World War I-style stalemate that is costing tens of thousands of lives per month on both sides. We need a realistic plan to achieve peace through negotiation and help Ukraine keep as much of its territory as possible. China is America’s most significant challenge; our military posture should reflect that. Alea supports aggressive efforts to maintain our technological and logistical superiority over China, including President Trump’s effort to crack down on China through trade policy. She will advocate for modernizing our military and ensuring we have the industrial base to build future weapon systems. Achieving Middle East Peace Alea understands regimes throughout the Middle East respect strength, and strength brings peace. She believes President Trump is best positioned to achieve peace in the Middle East. Alea supports holding Iran accountable for its efforts to destabilize the region and its support for terrorism against Jews, Muslims and Christians. She supports President Trump’s policy that Iran cannot under any circumstance be permitted to have a nuclear weapon. Alea believes President Trump’s leadership gives us the best chance to achieve a lasting peace deal in the region so Jews, Muslims, and Christians can live together in peace and prosperity. Alea recognizes Israel is America’s most reliable ally in the Middle East, and Iran is the greatest obstacle to achieving peace in the region. She supports American aid to Israel in its fight against Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists. Alea wants to help President Trump achieve a peace deal in the Middle East. Embracing Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies Alea will support policies that will help Ohio and the United States lead the world’s next technological revolution – artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain technology, and cryptocurrency. Ohio has emerged as a leader in AI, including academic research, educational programs, and startups. Additionally, Ohio is developing significant capabilities in Bitcoin mining. Alea will support clear and reasonable regulation to protect Americans from bad actors and cybercriminals while giving innovators and entrepreneurs the tools to ensure the United States is the global leader in these areas and Americans benefit from the jobs and economic opportunities these technologies will unleash. — Alea Nadeem's campaign website (April 24, 2026) Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source."}]