Get Big Money Out of Politics

Who Gets Heard?

When I first ran for Congress in 2018, I made a decision: I wouldn’t take any corporate PAC money.

People told me I was crazy. They said I’d never raise enough to compete. And they were mostly right. I didn’t raise as much as the big-name candidates.

But something else happened.

I got to look every donor in the eye. I got to hear their stories. I got to remember who I was running for.

And it wasn’t corporations.

I believe our democracy works best when regular people have the biggest voice. But right now, that’s not how it works.

Big money sets the agenda.

Wealthy donors and corporate PACs pour money into campaigns. And that money buys access. It buys meetings, influence, and a seat at the table most people never get near.

And if you can’t afford access, you’re left hoping someone else speaks for you.

If you’ve ever wondered why politicians don’t listen to you, this is a big reason why.

I’m running for Congress because I want to change that. I want to help build a democracy where people come before profits.

Here’s what that requires:

• No corporate PAC money, so elected leaders answer to people, not big donors

• Clear rules and full transparency, so money can’t hide behind the scenes

• Real pathways for everyday people to run for office, not just the wealthy and well-connected

This isn’t just about fairness. It’s about who gets heard.

Because when money decides who gets access, it also decides whose problems get solved.

I’ve seen the other side of that.

As a pastor, I’ve sat with people facing medical debt, job loss, and housing insecurity. I’ve watched how decisions made in Washington show up in real lives.

And I’ve seen who gets left out.

When lobbyists help shape the laws, and billionaires fund the campaigns, regular people don’t just lose influence. They get ignored.

Their stories don’t make it into the room.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

We’ve seen what happens when campaigns are built differently. When teachers, nurses, veterans, and students show up. When small-dollar donors power something bigger than themselves.

It changes what gets talked about. It changes what becomes possible.

I don’t have a billionaire backing me. I don’t have corporate PAC money.

What I have is a belief that you should have the loudest voice in your own government.

So I’m running this campaign the way I believe government should work. Open. Accountable. Grounded in real people.

Because when money stops calling the shots, people finally get heard.

And that’s when democracy starts to work again.