Chelsey Alexandra Hockett

[{"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>Chelsey Hockett 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 Hockett'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-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading-bio-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-369636-2025-12-01\" 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-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 am a progressive Texas mom who believes our communities deserve better than cruelty and corruption. I believe healthcare is a human right. I believe workers deserve power. I believe families deserve real economic stability, not lectures about personal responsibility from politicians who have never struggled a day in their lives. I believe in reproductive freedom, immigrant rights, strong unions, fully funded public schools, and a government that actually works for the people who live here. I am running because the future of this state belongs to the people, not the powerful.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading-key-message-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-369636-2025-12-01\" 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-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>I am running because working families deserve a government that protects them instead of protecting corporations and political donors. I will fight for fair wages, affordable healthcare, and real cost of living relief so families in our district can build stable, dignified lives.</li><li>I believe in reproductive freedom, well-funded public schools, safe communities, and a humane border system that values both security and human dignity. We can protect our families without cruelty, and we can build systems that work instead of systems that punish.</li><li>I am committed to progressive values that meet people where they are. That means expanding healthcare, supporting unions, protecting civil rights, and investing in the public institutions that keep our communities strong. I will always stand up for the people who have been ignored, dismissed, or written off by those in power.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading1-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading1-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 am passionate about building a country where every person has dignity, safety, and the freedom to live a full life. I care deeply about reproductive freedom, maternal and child health, and humane immigration policy that protects families. I believe in strong public schools, honest history, and the right to learn without censorship. I value scientific integrity, environmental protection, clean water, and strong public health systems. I support unions, fair wages, and policies that put people first. My work is grounded in truth, justice, and compassion.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading2-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading2-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 the mothers and grandmothers who have spent decades fighting for a future I did not even know they were building for me. The women I have researched laid their lives on the line so I could have a life they could only imagine. Some starved themselves in protest. Some walked straight into danger. Some were erased from history for telling the truth. They pushed my existence closer to freedom while knowing they might never live to see it. I think about them every day. I am in awe of them. I do not want their work to be forgotten or their sacrifices to be wasted. I also look up to the women I stand with today, who fight for their children and their communities with a kind of courage that feels ancient. They remind me that we are carrying torches passed down by women who were never credited, never protected, and never fully seen. I want to honor them by telling the truth, protecting our daughters, and refusing to stay silent in the face of the cruelty this moment demands we confront.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading3-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse3-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading3-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse3-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 most important qualities in an elected official are integrity, accountability, and a real connection to the communities they represent. They should put people over corporate power and tell the truth even when it challenges their own party. They should respect science, protect public schools, and defend the rights and freedoms of every family. They should reject cruelty, reject corruption, and reject policies built on fear. Good leaders serve with compassion, courage, and a commitment to justice and opportunity for all.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading4-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse4-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading4-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse4-369636-2025-12-01\" 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\tA member of Congress must create laws that serve the people, not corporations or special interests. Their responsibilities include protecting constitutional rights, funding public education, healthcare, and social programs, and making sure federal agencies are accountable and effective. They should work to build a humane and functional immigration system, address climate and environmental threats, and support workers with fair wages and strong labor protections. Most importantly, they must listen to their district, tell the truth, and govern with integrity.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading5-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse5-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat legacy would you like to leave?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading5-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse5-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 do not care about a personal legacy. What I care about is whether we leave behind a system that is honest, fair, and impossible to weaponize against the people it is supposed to protect. I want a country where movements for justice are not crushed, where truth is not treated like a threat, and where our children do not have to fight the same battles the generations before them survived. My focus is on joining the people who are already pushing for real change and backing them with everything I have. If anything lasts, it should be the power we build together, not my name attached to it. The fire belongs to the movement, and I want to help it burn hotter.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse6-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading6-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse6-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse6-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading6-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse6-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 first historical event I remember is 9/11. I was 8 years old and living in Maryland. My aunt ran into my school cafeteria calling my name and rushed me out because so much of my family worked in or around government buildings between Washington, DC and Frederick. It was a terrifying day. Cell towers were down and no one could reach my mother. I remember walking into the house and seeing the towers being hit on repeat. Even now, as an adult, I still cry about it. The fear, the confusion, and the weight of that moment never fully leave you.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse7-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading7-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse7-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse7-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading7-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse7-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 at working at a vet clinic as a rescue technician for the rescue organization that boarded there. I was 15 and I spent about two years helping care for the animals in the shelter and another two years working in the grooming area. Most of my work was feeding, medicating, and cleaning up after cats. It was a fulfilling job and also a heartbreaking one. It taught me patience, compassion, and how much care and consistency vulnerable animals need to survive and trust again. I still have two of my cats that I adopted from them when I was 19, Chumley and Dusty.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse8-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading8-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse8-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse8-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat is your favorite book? Why?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading8-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse8-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 love dystopian and fantasy novels. My favorite is probably the Wheel of Time series. I have always been drawn to stories with a real fight in them, where right and wrong are not abstract ideas but choices people have to make over and over again. It feels like a true epic in the traditional sense. The world building, the moral struggle, and the courage of ordinary people facing impossible odds have always stayed with me. Those kinds of stories remind me that the fight for a better world is long, complicated, and worth it.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse9-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading9-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse9-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse9-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tIf you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading9-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse9-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 choose a fictional character, I would choose a woman whose story is built on resilience, truth telling, and refusing to shrink for anyone. I connect with characters like Nesta Archeron and Bryce Quinlan because their arcs are about surviving impossible things and choosing to rise anyway. They carry rage, grief, and love with equal force, and they turn all of it into strength. I love Donna Noble from Doctor Who for the same reason. Her entire story is about an ordinary woman who becomes extraordinary by refusing to accept cruelty as normal. And Leslie Knope is a constant reminder that relentless optimism, stubborn justice, and an unreasonable amount of determination can actually move mountains. These characters all fight hard for their people, speak up when it matters, and take no nonsense from anyone. That is the kind of character I would want to be.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse10-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading10-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse10-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse10-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat is something that has been a struggle in your life?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading10-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse10-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 deepest struggles in my life has been my experience with reproductive health. I have lived through endometriosis, multiple miscarriages, and the fear that comes with knowing your own body can turn on you while politicians try to control it. Both of my children had complications when they were born and spent time in the NICU. I learned very early what it feels like to fight for your health, your dignity, and your right to make decisions about your own body. That struggle shaped everything about the way I see this moment in our country. It is why reproductive rights are not an abstract issue to me. They are personal. They are painful. They are life and death. This is the struggle that pushed me to speak up and refuse to stay quiet.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse11-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading11-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse11-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse11-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading11-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse11-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 is unique because it is designed to reflect the voices of everyday people in real time. It holds the power to fund federal programs, conduct oversight, and write laws that affect every part of American life. Its short terms force members to stay rooted in their communities instead of in donor circles. The House can be a barrier against corruption, censorship, and corporate influence, and it has the potential to advance reproductive freedom, protect democracy, uphold scientific integrity, and center human dignity in national policy. No institution is better positioned to represent the people directly.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse12-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading12-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse12-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse12-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading12-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse12-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 think experience can help, but it should never be a gatekeeper. The House was built for regular people to serve, not just people who have spent their lives in politics. Lived experience matters. Raising a family, working tough jobs, dealing with healthcare, schools, and the cost of living gives you a kind of clarity that political experience alone never will. The people’s house works best when the people are actually in it.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse13-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading13-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse13-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse13-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading13-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse13-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 is breaking the grip that corporate power, extremist ideology, and manufactured cruelty have on our government. We are dealing with rising inequality, climate disruption, attacks on reproductive freedom, and an immigration system built on fear instead of humanity. Our public schools are being censored, scientific work is being undermined, and working families are expected to survive while billionaires hoard wealth. The next decade will force us to decide whether we want a democracy rooted in justice, science, and human dignity, or a system where corporations and extremists write our future. We cannot move forward until we confront greed, racism, censorship, and the deliberate destruction of the public good.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse14-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading14-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse14-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse14-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading14-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse14-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 think the two year term has value because it keeps representatives close to the people. You should not disappear into Washington and forget who you work for. At the same time, the short term forces members to spend too much of their time fundraising instead of governing. The problem is not the length of the term. The problem is the money. If we removed the financial pressure and the constant chase for donations, representatives could stay accountable to voters without being pulled away from the work they were elected to do.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse15-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading15-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse15-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse15-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading15-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse15-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 support term limits, but I do not support the loopholes written into most term limit pledges. Many include a grandfather clause that protects the same long-standing politicians who created the problem in the first place. Real reform means term limits that apply to everyone, combined with strict restrictions on lobbying, corporate PAC money, and the revolving door between Congress and industry. Term limits should strengthen democracy, not shield career politicians while leaving corruption untouched.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse16-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading16-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse16-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse16-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading16-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse16-369636-2025-12-01\" 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\tJohn Lewis is the model for me. He lived for the people, fought for the truth, and carried a kind of moral clarity that never wavered. That is the level of public service I believe in. I also admire Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the same reason. She came into Congress with no political machine behind her and still shook the room by speaking directly for working people. The progressive movement inspires me because it is built on truth, love, and the belief that every person deserves dignity. That is the kind of representative I want to be.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse17-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading17-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse17-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse17-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading17-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse17-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 is only useful when it protects people, not when it forces us to accept harm as the price of getting something done. Too often, “compromise” in Washington means giving corporations more power, watering down protections for families, or allowing extremists to dictate the moral direction of the country. I will work with anyone who shares a commitment to justice, dignity, science, and human rights. But I will not trade away reproductive freedom, immigrant rights, public education, or basic human dignity for the sake of political theater. Some values are non-negotiable.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse18-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading18-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse18-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse18-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading18-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse18-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 have heard so many stories that it is impossible to choose just one. I have talked with teachers who watched students disappear overnight because their families were targeted by immigration. I have met families who have taken in refugee parents and children and shared the heartbreak and confusion they faced while trying to navigate our broken system. I spoke with a mother whose son has a rare brain disease and who watched the research that might have helped him cut by the Trump administration. I have met people who spend their entire lives lifting up their communities with no recognition at all. These stories stay with me because they show the strength and love in this district, and they show how much better our government should be treating the people who carry this country every day.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse19-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading19-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse19-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse19-369636-2025-12-01\" 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=\"heading19-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse19-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 should use its investigative powers to hold people in positions of authority accountable when there are credible claims of abuse, corruption, or violations of human rights. That includes political leaders, federal agencies, contractors, military leadership, and anyone who may have played a role in decisions that harmed civilians or violated international law. Oversight is not a suggestion. It is one of the core responsibilities of Congress. These powers should be used to uncover the truth, protect the public, expose misconduct, and ensure that no one is exempt from accountability because of their title, connections, or partisan alignment.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse20-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading20-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse20-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse20-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tCandidates hear many personal stories from voters. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching or memorable?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading20-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse20-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 have heard stories that stay with me in a way I wish they didn’t. Parents who did everything they could and still got crushed by systems that were never meant to protect them. Families who were split apart for no good reason. Kids who vanished from classrooms and no one ever gave the teachers answers. None of it feels isolated. It all follows the same pattern. People trying their hardest while their government makes life harder for them. I do not have one story that stands out. What hits me is how unnecessary the suffering is and how long people have been expected to just live with it. That is what pushes me to keep going.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse21-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading21-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse21-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse21-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat is an accomplishment that you are proud of?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading21-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse21-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 accomplishment I’m proud of is organizing a protest after my congressman voted for policies that hurt families. I showed up with my baby, told him exactly how his decisions harm women and working people, and politely turned down his handshake. He blasted me online afterward and now his staff tracks my social media. I’m proud of that because it proves advocacy matters and one person can make the powerful uncomfortable.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse22-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading22-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse22-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse22-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat role should the United States government have in the development or use of artificial intelligence?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading22-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse22-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 government should have a strong role in regulating artificial intelligence, not to control innovation, but to protect the public from the harm that powerful corporations can cause. AI should be developed and used in ways that respect human rights, privacy, scientific integrity, and the environment. Right now, the companies driving this technology have enormous influence and almost no accountability. Some of them are polluting our air and water, exploiting workers, and ignoring the communities they affect. The federal government should set clear rules, enforce environmental and safety standards, prevent misuse, and make sure that technology serves people instead of replacing or harming them.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse23-369636-2025-12-01\" id=\"heading23-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse23-369636-2025-12-01\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse23-369636-2025-12-01\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat legislation would you enact related to election administration in the United States?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading23-369636-2025-12-01\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse23-369636-2025-12-01\" 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 would strengthen election administration by expanding access to the ballot while keeping the system secure. Much of the debate around “fraud” is driven by misinformation. Actual voter fraud in the United States is extremely rare, and the consequences for it are already severe. Non-citizens are not allowed to vote in federal elections, and cases are investigated and prosecuted when they occur. It does not make sense to restrict voting for thousands of eligible Americans because of a handful of isolated incidents. Our focus should be on making voting accessible, supporting election workers, improving transparency, modernizing systems, and ensuring every eligible voter can participate without barriers.\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 class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Hockett submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on December 1, 2025.</i></p></div>\n<div class=\"text-center\" style=\"margin-top: 30px\"><button class=\"btn btn-default showResponses text-center\">Show past responses</button><button class=\"btn btn-default hideResponses text-center\">Hide past responses</button></div>\n<div class=\"pastResponses\" style=\"display: none\"><p class=\"large-date\">\tOctober 22 submission</p><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-key-message-369636-2025-10-22\" id=\"heading-key-message-369636-2025-10-22\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-369636-2025-10-22\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-369636-2025-10-22\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\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\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-369636-2025-10-22\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-369636-2025-10-22\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>I’m tired of watching families do everything right and still struggle just to make it. Every person deserves dignity. That means going to go to the doctor without fearing the bill, to raise their kids with some stability, to grow old without losing everything. That shouldn’t depend on your bank account or your zip code. I’m running because our government’s supposed to work for us, not for corporations and billionaires.</li><li>This district doesn’t need another politician who disappears the second the cameras turn off. It needs someone who actually cares about the people who live here. I’ll show up, listen, and fight for the folks who make this community what it is: parents, teachers, farmers, nurses, veterans, and small business owners. I’m not here to play games. I’m here to get things done for real people.</li><li>Our water, our schools, our healthcare, and our democracy aren’t talking points. They’re the things our lives depend on. Politicians have spent years treating them like they’re optional, and families are the ones paying the price. I want to protect what matters most so our kids inherit something worth building on, not something we let crumble.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-369636-2025-10-22\" id=\"heading1-369636-2025-10-22\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-369636-2025-10-22\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-369636-2025-10-22\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-369636-2025-10-22\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-369636-2025-10-22\" 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\tI believe every community deserves the chance to thrive. Our systems protect corporations while leaving minority communities stuck in cycles of neglect. I want to end that. No one should be criminalized for existing. Women deserve control over their own bodies. Unions must have the power to grow and protect workers. Farmers need support to feed our communities. Veterans deserve timely care without endless hoops. When we lift up those pushed aside, we build a stronger future for everyone.\t\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div><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><p><i><b>Note:</b> Hockett submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on October 22, 2025.</i></p></div></div>\n<div><div style=\"margin-bottom:1.5rem\"><h4>Campaign website</h4><p>Hockett'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\"><h3>Working Rights &amp; a Fair Economy</h3><p>Working people deserve power, safety, and a fair share of the wealth they create. I was raised in a working-class family, and my own household depends on fair wages, union protections, and safe working conditions. If you work hard in this country, you should be able to afford housing, healthcare, food, and time with your family. That is the baseline of dignity, not a luxury. Right now, our economy is tilted toward corporations and billionaires who profit while workers fall behind. Wages haven’t kept up with the cost of living, workplaces are less safe, and corporate monopolies drive up prices while suppressing pay. </p><p>As your representative, I will fight to strengthen unions, raise wages, enforce labor and safety laws, break up corporate monopolies, and hold the ultra-wealthy accountable. An economy that works for working people strengthens families, communities, and democracy itself. We need to pass the PRO Act to empower unions so our workers can advocate for themselves, increase Social Security benefits to protect our senior citizens, and to increase the minimum wage so that every job receives the decent wage that we all deserve as hard-working citizens. Going further, we should continue to increase the minimum wage and Social Security whenever the cost of living increases. We all should live with dignity in the workplace and be able to comfortably retire.</p><h3>Dignity &amp; Human Rights</h3><p>As your representative, I will fight for housing as a human right, immigration policies rooted in humanity instead of detention and fear, full reproductive autonomy, and the safety and rights of LGBTQ+ people.</p><p>Every person deserves dignity, safety, and freedom, here and abroad. Human rights are not optional and they are not conditional. Housing, healthcare, privacy, bodily autonomy, and safety are basic needs. No one should be exploited, criminalized, or discarded to serve political convenience, profit, or power, whether through mass incarceration, detention, or violence sanctioned by the state. Our courts are clogged with immigration cases due to our broken system. This not only prevents law enforcement from doing their jobs, but it also puts hard-working people who want to come to this country in a horrible situation. I want to cut through the red tape and provide a pathway to documentation and citizenship. Enough of this legal limbo and unnecessary complexity.</p><p>I oppose U.S. funding for Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and I support a free Palestine. I will vote for legislation like the Block the Bombs Act to bring an end to the atrocities. I reject any foreign policy that fuels war, resource extraction, mass incarceration, and human rights abuses at home and abroad. I will always defend the right to protest, speak freely, and live without intimidation. No one should get thrown under the bus. Ever.</p><h3>Healthcare as a Human Right</h3><p>Healthcare should be based on need, not income or employment. I have lived inside a healthcare system that puts insurance rules, profit, and politics ahead of patients. People delay care because they are afraid of the cost. Families stay in jobs that harm them just to keep coverage. Doctors are forced to make decisions based on what insurance will allow instead of what patients actually need. That is not care. That is a business model. I support Medicare for All. Healthcare is a public good, and everyone deserves comprehensive care without fear of medical debt or losing coverage when life changes. </p><p>As your representative, I will fight for Medicare for All, protect reproductive freedom, expand maternal and mental health care, strengthen rural hospitals, and end medical debt. No one should suffer or die because healthcare was treated as a profit center instead of a human right.</p><p>Our lives do not have to be this difficult. Many other countries have found ways to support government-sponsored healthcare. It is time that we catch up!</p><p>It is ridiculous that Americans have to go to other countries to get their medications and that transgender individuals have to go to other states to get surgeries. Good medical care should be a minimum requirement for our society. It is not some privilege to distribute to the few, it is a right earned by the many.</p><h3>Climate, Infrastructure, &amp; the Green New Deal</h3><p>We can fight climate change while creating good union jobs and rebuilding our communities. Texas families are already living with the consequences of climate failure through extreme heat, unsafe water, grid outages, flooding, and rising utility costs. At the same time, billionaires and corporations are trying to turn basic resources into commodities by buying up land and water, abusing eminent domain, trashing rivers, and draining rural communities to protect their profits. Farmers, ranchers, and small towns are left to deal with the damage while powerful interests walk away richer.</p><p>As your representative, I will fight for a Green New Deal framework that invests in clean energy, strong infrastructure, and good union jobs while protecting our land and water from exploitation. That means defending aquifers and water rights, holding polluters accountable, strengthening and weatherizing the electric grid, expanding broadband, and rebuilding roads and public works that rural and urban communities rely on every day. Climate policy must protect people, land, and livelihoods, not corporate greed. </p><h3>Education</h3><p>Strong public schools are the foundation of a healthy democracy and a strong economy. Texas children, teachers, and families are being set up to fail by chronic underfunding, overcrowded classrooms, and political interference in education. Teachers are stretched thin, students are falling behind, and communities suffer when schools are treated as a budget line instead of a public good instead of an investment in our future.</p><p>As your representative, I will fight to fully fund public education, support and respect educators, and make sure resources go where they belong, into classrooms and student support services. I oppose voucher schemes that drain money from public schools and funnel it into private hands without accountability. I also believe higher education should be free and affordable. Student loan debt has trapped an entire generation, delaying homeownership, family stability, and economic security. Education at every level should open doors, not saddle people with lifelong debt. Investing in students and teachers is how we build a stronger, more just society.</p><p>Education is a human right. Education is freedom.</p><h3>Democracy &amp; Accountability</h3><p>Democracy only works when people can participate freely and trust that the system is fair. Too often, political power is distorted by voter suppression, gerrymandering, and the influence of money. When corporations and billionaires are allowed to spend unlimited money in elections, the voices of working people are drowned out and accountability disappears.</p><p>As your representative, I will fight to protect and expand voting rights, ensure fair and accessible elections, and end partisan efforts to silence voters. This would include legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Everyone deserves a voice in our democracy. </p><p>I support overturning Citizens United, strong ethics laws, transparent government, and real limits on money in politics so corporations and billionaires cannot buy influence. Accountability should apply to everyone, especially those in power. I will cosponsor legislation to ban insider trading as well. It is utterly ridiculous that members of congress can use their influence on government to enrich themselves. Democracy should belong to the people who live under its decisions, not the interests that profit from them.</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\">— Chelsey Hockett's <a href=\"https://chelseyhockettforcongress.com/issues\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">campaign website</a> (February 19, 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\nChelsey Hockett completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hockett's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. I am a progressive Texas mom who believes our communities deserve better than cruelty and corruption. I believe healthcare is a human right. I believe workers deserve power. I believe families deserve real economic stability, not lectures about personal responsibility from politicians who have never struggled a day in their lives. I believe in reproductive freedom, immigrant rights, strong unions, fully funded public schools, and a government that actually works for the people who live here. I am running because the future of this state belongs to the people, not the powerful. 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? I am running because working families deserve a government that protects them instead of protecting corporations and political donors. I will fight for fair wages, affordable healthcare, and real cost of living relief so families in our district can build stable, dignified lives. I believe in reproductive freedom, well-funded public schools, safe communities, and a humane border system that values both security and human dignity. We can protect our families without cruelty, and we can build systems that work instead of systems that punish. I am committed to progressive values that meet people where they are. That means expanding healthcare, supporting unions, protecting civil rights, and investing in the public institutions that keep our communities strong. I will always stand up for the people who have been ignored, dismissed, or written off by those in power. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? I am passionate about building a country where every person has dignity, safety, and the freedom to live a full life. I care deeply about reproductive freedom, maternal and child health, and humane immigration policy that protects families. I believe in strong public schools, honest history, and the right to learn without censorship. I value scientific integrity, environmental protection, clean water, and strong public health systems. I support unions, fair wages, and policies that put people first. My work is grounded in truth, justice, and compassion. Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why? I look up to the mothers and grandmothers who have spent decades fighting for a future I did not even know they were building for me. The women I have researched laid their lives on the line so I could have a life they could only imagine. Some starved themselves in protest. Some walked straight into danger. Some were erased from history for telling the truth. They pushed my existence closer to freedom while knowing they might never live to see it. I think about them every day. I am in awe of them. I do not want their work to be forgotten or their sacrifices to be wasted. I also look up to the women I stand with today, who fight for their children and their communities with a kind of courage that feels ancient. They remind me that we are carrying torches passed down by women who were never credited, never protected, and never fully seen. I want to honor them by telling the truth, protecting our daughters, and refusing to stay silent in the face of the cruelty this moment demands we confront. What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official? The most important qualities in an elected official are integrity, accountability, and a real connection to the communities they represent. They should put people over corporate power and tell the truth even when it challenges their own party. They should respect science, protect public schools, and defend the rights and freedoms of every family. They should reject cruelty, reject corruption, and reject policies built on fear. Good leaders serve with compassion, courage, and a commitment to justice and opportunity for all. What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office? A member of Congress must create laws that serve the people, not corporations or special interests. Their responsibilities include protecting constitutional rights, funding public education, healthcare, and social programs, and making sure federal agencies are accountable and effective. They should work to build a humane and functional immigration system, address climate and environmental threats, and support workers with fair wages and strong labor protections. Most importantly, they must listen to their district, tell the truth, and govern with integrity. What legacy would you like to leave? I do not care about a personal legacy. What I care about is whether we leave behind a system that is honest, fair, and impossible to weaponize against the people it is supposed to protect. I want a country where movements for justice are not crushed, where truth is not treated like a threat, and where our children do not have to fight the same battles the generations before them survived. My focus is on joining the people who are already pushing for real change and backing them with everything I have. If anything lasts, it should be the power we build together, not my name attached to it. The fire belongs to the movement, and I want to help it burn hotter. What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time? The first historical event I remember is 9/11. I was 8 years old and living in Maryland. My aunt ran into my school cafeteria calling my name and rushed me out because so much of my family worked in or around government buildings between Washington, DC and Frederick. It was a terrifying day. Cell towers were down and no one could reach my mother. I remember walking into the house and seeing the towers being hit on repeat. Even now, as an adult, I still cry about it. The fear, the confusion, and the weight of that moment never fully leave you. What was your very first job? How long did you have it? My very first job was at working at a vet clinic as a rescue technician for the rescue organization that boarded there. I was 15 and I spent about two years helping care for the animals in the shelter and another two years working in the grooming area. Most of my work was feeding, medicating, and cleaning up after cats. It was a fulfilling job and also a heartbreaking one. It taught me patience, compassion, and how much care and consistency vulnerable animals need to survive and trust again. I still have two of my cats that I adopted from them when I was 19, Chumley and Dusty. What is your favorite book? Why? I love dystopian and fantasy novels. My favorite is probably the Wheel of Time series. I have always been drawn to stories with a real fight in them, where right and wrong are not abstract ideas but choices people have to make over and over again. It feels like a true epic in the traditional sense. The world building, the moral struggle, and the courage of ordinary people facing impossible odds have always stayed with me. Those kinds of stories remind me that the fight for a better world is long, complicated, and worth it. If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be? If I had to choose a fictional character, I would choose a woman whose story is built on resilience, truth telling, and refusing to shrink for anyone. I connect with characters like Nesta Archeron and Bryce Quinlan because their arcs are about surviving impossible things and choosing to rise anyway. They carry rage, grief, and love with equal force, and they turn all of it into strength. I love Donna Noble from Doctor Who for the same reason. Her entire story is about an ordinary woman who becomes extraordinary by refusing to accept cruelty as normal. And Leslie Knope is a constant reminder that relentless optimism, stubborn justice, and an unreasonable amount of determination can actually move mountains. These characters all fight hard for their people, speak up when it matters, and take no nonsense from anyone. That is the kind of character I would want to be. What is something that has been a struggle in your life? One of the deepest struggles in my life has been my experience with reproductive health. I have lived through endometriosis, multiple miscarriages, and the fear that comes with knowing your own body can turn on you while politicians try to control it. Both of my children had complications when they were born and spent time in the NICU. I learned very early what it feels like to fight for your health, your dignity, and your right to make decisions about your own body. That struggle shaped everything about the way I see this moment in our country. It is why reproductive rights are not an abstract issue to me. They are personal. They are painful. They are life and death. This is the struggle that pushed me to speak up and refuse to stay quiet. What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution? The House is unique because it is designed to reflect the voices of everyday people in real time. It holds the power to fund federal programs, conduct oversight, and write laws that affect every part of American life. Its short terms force members to stay rooted in their communities instead of in donor circles. The House can be a barrier against corruption, censorship, and corporate influence, and it has the potential to advance reproductive freedom, protect democracy, uphold scientific integrity, and center human dignity in national policy. No institution is better positioned to represent the people directly. Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics? I think experience can help, but it should never be a gatekeeper. The House was built for regular people to serve, not just people who have spent their lives in politics. Lived experience matters. Raising a family, working tough jobs, dealing with healthcare, schools, and the cost of living gives you a kind of clarity that political experience alone never will. The people’s house works best when the people are actually in it. 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 is breaking the grip that corporate power, extremist ideology, and manufactured cruelty have on our government. We are dealing with rising inequality, climate disruption, attacks on reproductive freedom, and an immigration system built on fear instead of humanity. Our public schools are being censored, scientific work is being undermined, and working families are expected to survive while billionaires hoard wealth. The next decade will force us to decide whether we want a democracy rooted in justice, science, and human dignity, or a system where corporations and extremists write our future. We cannot move forward until we confront greed, racism, censorship, and the deliberate destruction of the public good. Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives? I think the two year term has value because it keeps representatives close to the people. You should not disappear into Washington and forget who you work for. At the same time, the short term forces members to spend too much of their time fundraising instead of governing. The problem is not the length of the term. The problem is the money. If we removed the financial pressure and the constant chase for donations, representatives could stay accountable to voters without being pulled away from the work they were elected to do. What are your thoughts on term limits? I support term limits, but I do not support the loopholes written into most term limit pledges. Many include a grandfather clause that protects the same long-standing politicians who created the problem in the first place. Real reform means term limits that apply to everyone, combined with strict restrictions on lobbying, corporate PAC money, and the revolving door between Congress and industry. Term limits should strengthen democracy, not shield career politicians while leaving corruption untouched. Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after? John Lewis is the model for me. He lived for the people, fought for the truth, and carried a kind of moral clarity that never wavered. That is the level of public service I believe in. I also admire Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the same reason. She came into Congress with no political machine behind her and still shook the room by speaking directly for working people. The progressive movement inspires me because it is built on truth, love, and the belief that every person deserves dignity. That is the kind of representative I want to be. Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking? I believe compromise is only useful when it protects people, not when it forces us to accept harm as the price of getting something done. Too often, “compromise” in Washington means giving corporations more power, watering down protections for families, or allowing extremists to dictate the moral direction of the country. I will work with anyone who shares a commitment to justice, dignity, science, and human rights. But I will not trade away reproductive freedom, immigrant rights, public education, or basic human dignity for the sake of political theater. Some values are non-negotiable. 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? I have heard so many stories that it is impossible to choose just one. I have talked with teachers who watched students disappear overnight because their families were targeted by immigration. I have met families who have taken in refugee parents and children and shared the heartbreak and confusion they faced while trying to navigate our broken system. I spoke with a mother whose son has a rare brain disease and who watched the research that might have helped him cut by the Trump administration. I have met people who spend their entire lives lifting up their communities with no recognition at all. These stories stay with me because they show the strength and love in this district, and they show how much better our government should be treating the people who carry this country every day. How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers? The House should use its investigative powers to hold people in positions of authority accountable when there are credible claims of abuse, corruption, or violations of human rights. That includes political leaders, federal agencies, contractors, military leadership, and anyone who may have played a role in decisions that harmed civilians or violated international law. Oversight is not a suggestion. It is one of the core responsibilities of Congress. These powers should be used to uncover the truth, protect the public, expose misconduct, and ensure that no one is exempt from accountability because of their title, connections, or partisan alignment. Candidates hear many personal stories from voters. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching or memorable? I have heard stories that stay with me in a way I wish they didn’t. Parents who did everything they could and still got crushed by systems that were never meant to protect them. Families who were split apart for no good reason. Kids who vanished from classrooms and no one ever gave the teachers answers. None of it feels isolated. It all follows the same pattern. People trying their hardest while their government makes life harder for them. I do not have one story that stands out. What hits me is how unnecessary the suffering is and how long people have been expected to just live with it. That is what pushes me to keep going. What is an accomplishment that you are proud of? One accomplishment I’m proud of is organizing a protest after my congressman voted for policies that hurt families. I showed up with my baby, told him exactly how his decisions harm women and working people, and politely turned down his handshake. He blasted me online afterward and now his staff tracks my social media. I’m proud of that because it proves advocacy matters and one person can make the powerful uncomfortable. What role should the United States government have in the development or use of artificial intelligence? The government should have a strong role in regulating artificial intelligence, not to control innovation, but to protect the public from the harm that powerful corporations can cause. AI should be developed and used in ways that respect human rights, privacy, scientific integrity, and the environment. Right now, the companies driving this technology have enormous influence and almost no accountability. Some of them are polluting our air and water, exploiting workers, and ignoring the communities they affect. The federal government should set clear rules, enforce environmental and safety standards, prevent misuse, and make sure that technology serves people instead of replacing or harming them. What legislation would you enact related to election administration in the United States? I would strengthen election administration by expanding access to the ballot while keeping the system secure. Much of the debate around “fraud” is driven by misinformation. Actual voter fraud in the United States is extremely rare, and the consequences for it are already severe. Non-citizens are not allowed to vote in federal elections, and cases are investigated and prosecuted when they occur. It does not make sense to restrict voting for thousands of eligible Americans because of a handful of isolated incidents. Our focus should be on making voting accessible, supporting election workers, improving transparency, modernizing systems, and ensuring every eligible voter can participate without barriers.\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.\nNote: Hockett submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on December 1, 2025.\nShow past responses Hide past responses\nOctober 22 submission 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? I’m tired of watching families do everything right and still struggle just to make it. Every person deserves dignity. That means going to go to the doctor without fearing the bill, to raise their kids with some stability, to grow old without losing everything. That shouldn’t depend on your bank account or your zip code. I’m running because our government’s supposed to work for us, not for corporations and billionaires. This district doesn’t need another politician who disappears the second the cameras turn off. It needs someone who actually cares about the people who live here. I’ll show up, listen, and fight for the folks who make this community what it is: parents, teachers, farmers, nurses, veterans, and small business owners. I’m not here to play games. I’m here to get things done for real people. Our water, our schools, our healthcare, and our democracy aren’t talking points. They’re the things our lives depend on. Politicians have spent years treating them like they’re optional, and families are the ones paying the price. I want to protect what matters most so our kids inherit something worth building on, not something we let crumble. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? I believe every community deserves the chance to thrive. Our systems protect corporations while leaving minority communities stuck in cycles of neglect. I want to end that. No one should be criminalized for existing. Women deserve control over their own bodies. Unions must have the power to grow and protect workers. Farmers need support to feed our communities. Veterans deserve timely care without endless hoops. When we lift up those pushed aside, we build a stronger future for everyone. Note: 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. Note: Hockett submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on October 22, 2025.\nCampaign website Hockett's campaign website stated the following: Working Rights & a Fair Economy Working people deserve power, safety, and a fair share of the wealth they create. I was raised in a working-class family, and my own household depends on fair wages, union protections, and safe working conditions. If you work hard in this country, you should be able to afford housing, healthcare, food, and time with your family. That is the baseline of dignity, not a luxury. Right now, our economy is tilted toward corporations and billionaires who profit while workers fall behind. Wages haven’t kept up with the cost of living, workplaces are less safe, and corporate monopolies drive up prices while suppressing pay. As your representative, I will fight to strengthen unions, raise wages, enforce labor and safety laws, break up corporate monopolies, and hold the ultra-wealthy accountable. An economy that works for working people strengthens families, communities, and democracy itself. We need to pass the PRO Act to empower unions so our workers can advocate for themselves, increase Social Security benefits to protect our senior citizens, and to increase the minimum wage so that every job receives the decent wage that we all deserve as hard-working citizens. Going further, we should continue to increase the minimum wage and Social Security whenever the cost of living increases. We all should live with dignity in the workplace and be able to comfortably retire. Dignity & Human Rights As your representative, I will fight for housing as a human right, immigration policies rooted in humanity instead of detention and fear, full reproductive autonomy, and the safety and rights of LGBTQ+ people. Every person deserves dignity, safety, and freedom, here and abroad. Human rights are not optional and they are not conditional. Housing, healthcare, privacy, bodily autonomy, and safety are basic needs. No one should be exploited, criminalized, or discarded to serve political convenience, profit, or power, whether through mass incarceration, detention, or violence sanctioned by the state. Our courts are clogged with immigration cases due to our broken system. This not only prevents law enforcement from doing their jobs, but it also puts hard-working people who want to come to this country in a horrible situation. I want to cut through the red tape and provide a pathway to documentation and citizenship. Enough of this legal limbo and unnecessary complexity. I oppose U.S. funding for Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and I support a free Palestine. I will vote for legislation like the Block the Bombs Act to bring an end to the atrocities. I reject any foreign policy that fuels war, resource extraction, mass incarceration, and human rights abuses at home and abroad. I will always defend the right to protest, speak freely, and live without intimidation. No one should get thrown under the bus. Ever. Healthcare as a Human Right Healthcare should be based on need, not income or employment. I have lived inside a healthcare system that puts insurance rules, profit, and politics ahead of patients. People delay care because they are afraid of the cost. Families stay in jobs that harm them just to keep coverage. Doctors are forced to make decisions based on what insurance will allow instead of what patients actually need. That is not care. That is a business model. I support Medicare for All. Healthcare is a public good, and everyone deserves comprehensive care without fear of medical debt or losing coverage when life changes. As your representative, I will fight for Medicare for All, protect reproductive freedom, expand maternal and mental health care, strengthen rural hospitals, and end medical debt. No one should suffer or die because healthcare was treated as a profit center instead of a human right. Our lives do not have to be this difficult. Many other countries have found ways to support government-sponsored healthcare. It is time that we catch up! It is ridiculous that Americans have to go to other countries to get their medications and that transgender individuals have to go to other states to get surgeries. Good medical care should be a minimum requirement for our society. It is not some privilege to distribute to the few, it is a right earned by the many. Climate, Infrastructure, & the Green New Deal We can fight climate change while creating good union jobs and rebuilding our communities. Texas families are already living with the consequences of climate failure through extreme heat, unsafe water, grid outages, flooding, and rising utility costs. At the same time, billionaires and corporations are trying to turn basic resources into commodities by buying up land and water, abusing eminent domain, trashing rivers, and draining rural communities to protect their profits. Farmers, ranchers, and small towns are left to deal with the damage while powerful interests walk away richer. As your representative, I will fight for a Green New Deal framework that invests in clean energy, strong infrastructure, and good union jobs while protecting our land and water from exploitation. That means defending aquifers and water rights, holding polluters accountable, strengthening and weatherizing the electric grid, expanding broadband, and rebuilding roads and public works that rural and urban communities rely on every day. Climate policy must protect people, land, and livelihoods, not corporate greed. Education Strong public schools are the foundation of a healthy democracy and a strong economy. Texas children, teachers, and families are being set up to fail by chronic underfunding, overcrowded classrooms, and political interference in education. Teachers are stretched thin, students are falling behind, and communities suffer when schools are treated as a budget line instead of a public good instead of an investment in our future. As your representative, I will fight to fully fund public education, support and respect educators, and make sure resources go where they belong, into classrooms and student support services. I oppose voucher schemes that drain money from public schools and funnel it into private hands without accountability. I also believe higher education should be free and affordable. Student loan debt has trapped an entire generation, delaying homeownership, family stability, and economic security. Education at every level should open doors, not saddle people with lifelong debt. Investing in students and teachers is how we build a stronger, more just society. Education is a human right. Education is freedom. Democracy & Accountability Democracy only works when people can participate freely and trust that the system is fair. Too often, political power is distorted by voter suppression, gerrymandering, and the influence of money. When corporations and billionaires are allowed to spend unlimited money in elections, the voices of working people are drowned out and accountability disappears. As your representative, I will fight to protect and expand voting rights, ensure fair and accessible elections, and end partisan efforts to silence voters. This would include legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Everyone deserves a voice in our democracy. I support overturning Citizens United, strong ethics laws, transparent government, and real limits on money in politics so corporations and billionaires cannot buy influence. Accountability should apply to everyone, especially those in power. I will cosponsor legislation to ban insider trading as well. It is utterly ridiculous that members of congress can use their influence on government to enrich themselves. Democracy should belong to the people who live under its decisions, not the interests that profit from them. — Chelsey Hockett's campaign website (February 19, 2026) Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source."}]