Matt Dodson

[{"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>Matt Dodson 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 Dodson'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-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading-bio-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-401727-2026-04-23\" 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-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-401727-2026-04-23\" 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 Matt Dodson. I am proudly running as a Democratic Socialist for U.S. Senate. I am taking no corporate or AIPAC money and I am too pissed off to be bought off. I am grew up in Nebraska. I am a USAF Veteran where spent 2 1/2 killer years in Germany and traveling around Europe including driving through East Germany to West Berlin and going through Check Point Charlie to experience East Berlin. I hold a Bachelors in History from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. I have lived in New Mexico for over thirty-five years. I am a business owner and community organizer. I worked for several years as a server. I have been a truck driver for several years. If elected, I will be the only person in Congress with a CDL (Class A CDL). I worked in Oil &amp; Gas for over twenty years from drilling to production. The small company I worked for allowed us to buy into wells, leases, and projects. It was very difficult being an environmentalist in O&amp;G. But, I can not be bs'd about how much subsidies O&amp;G gets. We buy junk properties, fix them up, and rent them out. I have run for office several times in a very conservative area. I have knocked on thousands of doors. I have registered over a thousand people to vote, most under the age of thirty. I have a strong sense of justice and injustice. I am not afraid to take on the difficult fight.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading-key-message-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-401727-2026-04-23\" 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-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-401727-2026-04-23\" 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 taking no corporate or AIPAC money and I am too pissed off to be bought off. The DNC just voted to keep taking AIPAC money. WTF? None of NM's 5 members of congress can call the genocide in Gaza a genocide. Everyone responsible for the genocide need to be prosecuted for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. This includes President Biden who could have ended it on day two! Nothing good will come from the war on Iran. This war is going to lead to a world wide crash and depression. Everyone responsible for it must be prosecuted. We must put people back to work building coast-to-coast high speed rail and to all major cities, hospitals and clinics, making the USA a leader in renewable energy, etc.</li><li>My main issues are universal healthcare, money out of politics, tax the billionaires, and free college (including eliminating all college debt). I don't want to be asked how we will pay for universal healthcare--we will save money having it and prevent over 60,000 deaths per year do to lack of access to healthcare and prevent over 500,000 Americans going bankrupt every year because of medical dept. Most of them have insurance! This is BS. Taxing the rich, eliminating foreign wars of aggression, and reducing our military budget will pay for everything that needs to be done to help Americans lead decent and respectable lives including housing first for the homeless, good paying jobs for everyone, and so much more.</li><li>We must get money out of politics. The billionaires, corporations, and Israel own our politicians and run the U.S. Citizens United must end. Congress can pass a bill stating corporations are not people, money is not free speech, and any corporation spending money in an election will have its corporate charter revoked (ending that corporation). And we must pass a law for publicly funded elections. We must enact RCV. Article III, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution states Congress shall set the rules for the Supreme Court. In these laws it must state that the Supreme Court can not adjudicate these laws. This has been added in laws passed by Congress before. Who came up with this legal theory? John Roberts, now Chief Justice John Roberts.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading1-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-401727-2026-04-23\" 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=\"heading1-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-401727-2026-04-23\" 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\tIt too often requires a common enemy to unite people. That enemy that we need to begin fighting now is Climate Change! We can and must unite the world in fighting this critical issue. Building public transportation, pedestrian and bicycle friendly cities, high speed rail; upgrading all buildings to be energy efficient; making the U.S. a leader in renewable energy by building out solar, wind, geothermal, and individual and grid scale batteries; building publicly owned, zero emission housing; and the list goes on. These are all jobs that will be needed to put people world wide back to work to get us out of the coming depression. And we can unite the world doing it! This is not utopian, this is doable.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading2-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-401727-2026-04-23\" 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=\"heading2-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-401727-2026-04-23\" 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\tFrances Perkins, FDR's Labor Secretary and the brilliant mind behind much of The New Deal. Frances Perkins fought for workers rights. She did not enrich herself through the position she held for thirteen years!\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading3-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse3-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse3-401727-2026-04-23\" 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=\"heading3-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse3-401727-2026-04-23\" 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\tBold. Not bought off. Fighter (for the average person and family). Sincere. Authentic. Honest. Not in it for themselves.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading4-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse4-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse4-401727-2026-04-23\" 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=\"heading4-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse4-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tTo fight for the average person and family.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading5-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse5-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse5-401727-2026-04-23\" 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=\"heading5-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse5-401727-2026-04-23\" 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\tPass FDR's second bill of rights.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse6-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading6-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse6-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse6-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat was your very first job? How long did you have it?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading6-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse6-401727-2026-04-23\" 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 started delivering newspapers everyday in Nebraska on bicycle, even in the snow at 7:00 before school. I then started washing dishes at fourteen, became a cook less than a year later and did that through high school for four years.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse7-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading7-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse7-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse7-401727-2026-04-23\" 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=\"heading7-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse7-401727-2026-04-23\" 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\tBeing told daily that I don't fit in. I am mostly told indirectly (knowing I was not supposed to be that blunt after saying something), and sometimes directly (why are you so loud?), that I don't fit in. I now know that I am autistic and have ADHD (AuDHD). My very strong sense of justice and injustice makes it very difficult to tolerate where we are today.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse8-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading8-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse8-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse8-401727-2026-04-23\" 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=\"heading8-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse8-401727-2026-04-23\" 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\tOvercoming fear, hate, racism, bigotry. Taking climate change seriously enough to completely change our lifestyles.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse9-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading9-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse9-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse9-401727-2026-04-23\" 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. Senate possess that makes it unique as an institution?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading9-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse9-401727-2026-04-23\" 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 U.S. Senate is an absolutely undemocratic institution. Fourteen of its members represent over 50% of the U.S. population. Which means 86% its members represents less than 50% of the U.S. population.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse10-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading10-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse10-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse10-401727-2026-04-23\" 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=\"heading10-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse10-401727-2026-04-23\" 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\tThere is no compromising with bullies until they learn to compromise.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse11-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading11-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse11-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse11-401727-2026-04-23\" 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=\"heading11-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse11-401727-2026-04-23\" 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\tProgressive Victory, We Love Deep Canvassing, and Basically Income PAC\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse12-401727-2026-04-23\" id=\"heading12-401727-2026-04-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse12-401727-2026-04-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse12-401727-2026-04-23\" 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 the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading12-401727-2026-04-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse12-401727-2026-04-23\" 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 can remember POWs from Vietnam coming home to American soil, stepping off the plane and kissing the ground.\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 style=\"clear:both;\"></div>\n<p>Matt Dodson did not complete <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection</a> survey.\n</p>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nMatt Dodson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dodson's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. I am Matt Dodson. I am proudly running as a Democratic Socialist for U.S. Senate. I am taking no corporate or AIPAC money and I am too pissed off to be bought off. I am grew up in Nebraska. I am a USAF Veteran where spent 2 1/2 killer years in Germany and traveling around Europe including driving through East Germany to West Berlin and going through Check Point Charlie to experience East Berlin. I hold a Bachelors in History from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. I have lived in New Mexico for over thirty-five years. I am a business owner and community organizer. I worked for several years as a server. I have been a truck driver for several years. If elected, I will be the only person in Congress with a CDL (Class A CDL). I worked in Oil & Gas for over twenty years from drilling to production. The small company I worked for allowed us to buy into wells, leases, and projects. It was very difficult being an environmentalist in O&G. But, I can not be bs'd about how much subsidies O&G gets. We buy junk properties, fix them up, and rent them out. I have run for office several times in a very conservative area. I have knocked on thousands of doors. I have registered over a thousand people to vote, most under the age of thirty. I have a strong sense of justice and injustice. I am not afraid to take on the difficult fight. 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 taking no corporate or AIPAC money and I am too pissed off to be bought off. The DNC just voted to keep taking AIPAC money. WTF? None of NM's 5 members of congress can call the genocide in Gaza a genocide. Everyone responsible for the genocide need to be prosecuted for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. This includes President Biden who could have ended it on day two! Nothing good will come from the war on Iran. This war is going to lead to a world wide crash and depression. Everyone responsible for it must be prosecuted. We must put people back to work building coast-to-coast high speed rail and to all major cities, hospitals and clinics, making the USA a leader in renewable energy, etc. My main issues are universal healthcare, money out of politics, tax the billionaires, and free college (including eliminating all college debt). I don't want to be asked how we will pay for universal healthcare--we will save money having it and prevent over 60,000 deaths per year do to lack of access to healthcare and prevent over 500,000 Americans going bankrupt every year because of medical dept. Most of them have insurance! This is BS. Taxing the rich, eliminating foreign wars of aggression, and reducing our military budget will pay for everything that needs to be done to help Americans lead decent and respectable lives including housing first for the homeless, good paying jobs for everyone, and so much more. We must get money out of politics. The billionaires, corporations, and Israel own our politicians and run the U.S. Citizens United must end. Congress can pass a bill stating corporations are not people, money is not free speech, and any corporation spending money in an election will have its corporate charter revoked (ending that corporation). And we must pass a law for publicly funded elections. We must enact RCV. Article III, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution states Congress shall set the rules for the Supreme Court. In these laws it must state that the Supreme Court can not adjudicate these laws. This has been added in laws passed by Congress before. Who came up with this legal theory? John Roberts, now Chief Justice John Roberts. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? It too often requires a common enemy to unite people. That enemy that we need to begin fighting now is Climate Change! We can and must unite the world in fighting this critical issue. Building public transportation, pedestrian and bicycle friendly cities, high speed rail; upgrading all buildings to be energy efficient; making the U.S. a leader in renewable energy by building out solar, wind, geothermal, and individual and grid scale batteries; building publicly owned, zero emission housing; and the list goes on. These are all jobs that will be needed to put people world wide back to work to get us out of the coming depression. And we can unite the world doing it! This is not utopian, this is doable. Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why? Frances Perkins, FDR's Labor Secretary and the brilliant mind behind much of The New Deal. Frances Perkins fought for workers rights. She did not enrich herself through the position she held for thirteen years! What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official? Bold. Not bought off. Fighter (for the average person and family). Sincere. Authentic. Honest. Not in it for themselves. What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office? To fight for the average person and family. What legacy would you like to leave? Pass FDR's second bill of rights. What was your very first job? How long did you have it? I started delivering newspapers everyday in Nebraska on bicycle, even in the snow at 7:00 before school. I then started washing dishes at fourteen, became a cook less than a year later and did that through high school for four years. What is something that has been a struggle in your life? Being told daily that I don't fit in. I am mostly told indirectly (knowing I was not supposed to be that blunt after saying something), and sometimes directly (why are you so loud?), that I don't fit in. I now know that I am autistic and have ADHD (AuDHD). My very strong sense of justice and injustice makes it very difficult to tolerate where we are today. What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade? Overcoming fear, hate, racism, bigotry. Taking climate change seriously enough to completely change our lifestyles. What qualities does the U.S. Senate possess that makes it unique as an institution? The U.S. Senate is an absolutely undemocratic institution. Fourteen of its members represent over 50% of the U.S. population. Which means 86% its members represents less than 50% of the U.S. population. Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking? There is no compromising with bullies until they learn to compromise. What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign? Progressive Victory, We Love Deep Canvassing, and Basically Income PAC What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? I can remember POWs from Vietnam coming home to American soil, stepping off the plane and kissing the ground.\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.\n\nMatt Dodson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey."}]