Why I’m Running

I am running for Congress because we need an economy that works for all of us, not just a wealthy few.

We must end the decades-old pattern of out-of-state corporations coming to West Virginia to extract wealth from our state and exploit our people. We must build up local businesses that will reinvest in the local economy. We can bring in federal investment in the infrastructure needed to grow diverse sectors of our economy, including tourism, farming, forestry and manufacturing.

Combined with a functional healthcare system, strong public education, healing from the addiction epidemic, support for worker’s rights, and an end to corporate tax loopholes, we can build a strong economy that works for all West Virginians.

We have seen this level of economic transformation before, when the New Deal put West Virginians back to work and created state parks, bridges, dams, schools and other infrastructure across our state that we still rely on today. We can catalyze this kind of economic transformation in our state again.

Achieving this vision of an economy that works for all of us won’t be easy. It will take all of us coming together across our differences to take on the billionaire few that are profiting off our pain and corrupting our democracy.

I am running because I believe in West Virginians’ ability to come together and demand change. West Virginia reminded the world what that looks like with our historic school employee strikes of the last two years. Imagine how much more would be possible if more of our elected representatives responded to the needs of the people instead of corporate donors.

I’ve been working alongside everyday West Virginians for the past 9 years — fighting monopoly utility rate hikes, advocating for safe water, and organizing in solidarity with striking school employees. But I can’t deliver on fundamental change for West Virginia as one person. Lasting change in this country has only ever come about through social movements. This campaign is part of a growing movement of West Virginians who know that we all need to work together to turn things around.