PRIORITIES
An Economy that Works for All of Us
Hard work should pay off for everyone, but the system is rigged to benefit greedy corporations and the ultra-wealthy. Working families are having trouble keeping up no matter how hard we try. We need an economy with real opportunity, fair wages, union rights, job training, and thriving small businesses so everyone can prosper and build their Michigan dreams. READ MORE.
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Healthcare for All
Our healthcare system is broken. Michiganders have a right to health, well-being, and human dignity. Let’s build a smart new system - with a public option - that guarantees healthcare for everyone. READ MORE.
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Paid Family and Medical Leave
The months after birth or adoption are essential for parents and infants. Everyone should have protected, paid time off from work to care for a new child, an ill loved one, or their own health emergency. READ MORE.
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Free Childcare
Raising a family has never been more expensive. Parents need free, high-quality childcare near where they live and work so they don’t have to choose between raising kids and building careers. READ MORE.
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Pre-K for All and World-Class Education
Every four-year-old should have access to public, high-quality, local pre-K so they arrive at kindergarten ready to learn. Let’s prepare our kids for future success with the best teachers at state-of-the-art schools. READ MORE.
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Bring Down Housing Costs
The dream of home ownership is out of reach for too many Michiganders. Let’s build affordable housing, modernize zoning, and drive down rents, so people build financial security and generational wealth. READ MORE.
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Defend the Right to Vote
Our right to vote is under attack by an unstable President and a hostile U.S. Supreme Court. Michigan must fight back to keep our elections secure from interference and intimidation, and to ensure every vote counts. READ MORE.
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Protect Michigan's Water, Air & Future
Let’s protect Michigan’s Great Lakes by making polluters pay to clean up toxic contamination, establishing Michigan’s first statewide septic code to stop water pollution, safeguarding our lakes and groundwater from excessive corporate water withdrawals, and advancing clean energy that creates good-paying union jobs while protecting our natural resources. READ MORE.
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Fight for Common-Sense Gun Safety
Let’s continue passing common-sense gun safety laws that protect families while respecting responsible gun ownership. I voted to expand background checks, enact red flag laws, require safe firearm storage and keep guns away from domestic abusers. Now, let’s continue that work while also supporting community violence prevention programs that interrupt cycles of violence before they begin. READ MORE.
Read More: An Economy that Works for All of Us
Michiganders are angry. For too long, we’ve been told that if we work hard, play by the rules, and do everything right, we'll get ahead. But for Michigan families who work for a living, that promise has been broken. Wages haven't kept pace with the cost of living, housing and childcare have become increasingly unaffordable, and while we all struggle, the wealthiest corporations and billionaires continue to reap record profits.
It doesn't have to be this way. Markets are created by people, and we can build an economy that rewards work instead of wealth, values people over corporate profits, and creates opportunity for everyone.
For years I've stood on picket lines with workers fighting for dignity on the job because the people who create our prosperity deserve their fair share.
We need to lead with our values so our investments and our policies reflect our core principles. In the State Senate, I'll continue fighting to grow the middle class. We can accomplish our bold goals with reforms like these:
Wage Policies to Ensure a Fairer Distribution of Economic Growth
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Create a tax system to strongly encourage large businesses to implement employee profit-sharing plans.
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Develop a more sophisticated minimum wage system that encourages step increases for skilled and tenured workers
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Raise the minimum wage and abolish the subminimum wage for tipped workers – so they get to keep all their tips.
Labor Policies to Strengthen Worker Power
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Ease restrictions on union formation and place worker representatives on corporate boards. We need to restore workers’ rights and ensure that as many people as possible have access to fair wages and a strong union contract, because we know that unions raise the standard of living for all workers.
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Establish a Paid Family and Medical Leave program so people can take time off from work to care for a new child, an ill loved one, or their own health emergency.
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Repeal the Republican local labor law preemption law (aka the Death Star Bill) with a “Skywalker Bill.” Local governments should be allowed to pass their own project labor agreement, prevailing wage, minimum wage, and fair scheduling ordinances.
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Further limit noncompete agreements to allow for free labor mobility and improve worker leverage.
Progressive Tax Reforms
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A state constitutional amendment to allow for a progressive state income tax in Michigan modeled on the federal system.
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Optimize the inheritance and wealth transfer taxes to break up sheltered wealth concentration and equalize the tax burden on capital and labor by increasing the capital gains tax.
I’ve never been afraid to stand up to the powerful on behalf of people, and I won’t start now. I’ve fought:
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Against Greedy Corporations by ending union busting policies, raising the minimum wage, and requiring paid sick time
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Against Exploiters by re-writing child labor laws
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Against Big Tech by voting No on data center tax breaks
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Against Big Coal and Oil by requiring 100% clean energy
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Against Big Pharma by suing opioid pushers and winning
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Against Polluters by forcing them to clean up PFAS
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Against Trump by beating back ICE and defending voting rights
Michigan succeeds when working families succeed. We don't need an economy built around trickle-down promises—we need one built around opportunity, fairness, and the simple belief that everyone who works hard deserves the chance to build a secure and fulfilling life.
Read More: Healthcare for All
Healthcare is a human right. Period.
Right now, we're watching the consequences of cruel choices. Donald Trump and his servile Republicans are ripping health coverage away from working families, starving providers like Planned Parenthood, and forcing people to jump through more hoops just to keep Medicaid.
Thousands of our neighbors have already lost coverage. That's not just heartless – it’s terrible policy. When people can't afford preventive care, they stay home until they’re extremely sick, end up in emergency rooms in need of costlier interventions, and while they have worse outcomes for their own health, the rest of us all pay more. The Republican plan only makes our country sicker and poorer.
I've spent my time in the Legislature fighting for better healthcare:
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I fought to restore collective bargaining rights for Michigan's home care workers because seniors and people with disabilities deserve stable, well-trained caregivers, and those caregivers deserve fair pay and respect.
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I’ve supported programs like Rx Kids, doula licensure, and the Momnibus legislation because no mother should die from preventable complications, and no family should be left behind because of racial disparities in healthcare.
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I'll always defend reproductive freedom and access to comprehensive healthcare, including Planned Parenthood.
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I support safe nurse staffing because patients deserve quality care and nurses deserve safe workplaces.
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And, I am all-in for building a federal system that allows anyone who wants Medicare to access it.
We can do better. We should guarantee healthcare for every Michigander, strengthen Medicaid instead of dismantling it, invest in the healthcare workforce, and put people ahead of insurance company profits. A healthier Michigan is a stronger Michigan.
Read More: Paid Family and Medical Leave
No one should have to choose between their paycheck and their health, between keeping a job and caring for a newborn, or between paying the bills and being there for a loved one in their time of need. That's not pro-worker. It's not pro-family. And it certainly isn't the Michigan we want for future generations.
The first weeks after the birth or adoption of a child are irreplaceable. The same is true when a spouse is diagnosed with cancer, an aging parent needs care, or you experience a serious illness yourself. In those moments, people shouldn't have to fear losing their income or their job simply because life happened.
We've made progress. Michigan restored earned sick time protections, and Governor Whitmer ensured that every State of Michigan employee receives 12 weeks of paid family leave. But your ability to care for your family shouldn't depend on whether you happen to work for an employer with a generous benefits package.
Every Michigander deserves paid family and medical leave. Republicans will tell you that it’s too expensive and too inefficient for businesses to provide their employees with fair benefits—these are more trickle-down lies. Thriving families strengthen the economy. Paid family and medical leave strengthens families, improves health outcomes for parents and children, helps businesses retain talented employees, and allows people to return to work without sacrificing their financial security.
A few proposals to establish statewide paid family and medical leave have been on the table in Michigan since 2022, but none of them have made it across the finish line. Finishing this work so families can flourish is a top priority for me in the State Senate.
Read More: Free Childcare
Childcare should be a public good – not a privilege reserved for families who can afford it. Every child deserves a strong start in life, and every parent should have the freedom to work, build a career, or pursue an education without worrying about whether they can afford safe, high-quality care. This has been a passion project of mine since I helped pass the Ready by 5 Early Childhood Initiative in Kent County.
Michigan has made important progress by expanding free preschool through the Great Start Readiness Program, but we can't stop there. I believe we should continue expanding publicly funded childcare, beginning with families who need it most, until every Michigan family has access to free, high-quality early childhood education and care.
This is about both helping parents and investing in our future. High-quality early learning improves educational outcomes, supports healthy child development, and prepares children to succeed in school and beyond. At the same time, free childcare allows parents to stay in the workforce, strengthens family finances, helps businesses find and retain employees, and grows our economy.
We have to acknowledge that this public infrastructure also requires dedicated teachers and caregivers who want to make early childhood development a career. Right now, the field is massively undervalued and underpaid. We must raise the pay for these jobs to recognize the true value of the contribution of early childhood workers.
We've accepted that every child deserves a free K-12 education because it's good for children and good for our society. I believe we should apply that same principle to the earliest years of a child's life.
Read More: Pre-K for All and a World-Class Education
Every Michigan child deserves a world-class public education that helps them discover their talents, reach their full potential, and prepare for a lifetime of opportunity. That starts with investing in students, but it also means investing in the educators who make that success possible every single day.
During my time in the Legislature, we've made real progress. We fully funded free Pre-K through the Great Start Readiness Program, expanded literacy instruction based on the science of reading, strengthened support for students with the greatest needs through weighted school funding, and increased investments in special education, mental health, and student success. These are the kinds of investments that change lives.
But we can't stop there. Michigan should be the best place in America to learn and the best place to teach. That means recruiting and retaining outstanding educators with competitive pay, strong benefits, manageable class sizes, and the professional respect they deserve. It means ensuring every classroom has the resources teachers need and every student has the support to succeed. It means keeping our teachers’ collective bargaining rights – which I worked with them to expand – strong.
As technology, our economy, and our communities continue to evolve, our schools must continue preparing students with strong academic foundations, critical thinking skills, creativity, civic responsibility, and opportunities to explore careers, college, and the skilled trades. By supporting great teachers and giving every student the opportunity to thrive, we can grow the next generation of innovators, builders, caregivers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders who will shape Michigan's future.
Read More: Free Childcare
Childcare should be a public good – not a privilege reserved for families who can afford it. Every child deserves a strong start in life, and every parent should have the freedom to work, build a career, or pursue an education without worrying about whether they can afford safe, high-quality care. This has been a passion project of mine since I helped pass the Ready by 5 Early Childhood Initiative in Kent County.
Michigan has made important progress by expanding free preschool through the Great Start Readiness Program, but we can't stop there. I believe we should continue expanding publicly funded childcare, beginning with families who need it most, until every Michigan family has access to free, high-quality early childhood education and care.
This is about both helping parents and investing in our future. High-quality early learning improves educational outcomes, supports healthy child development, and prepares children to succeed in school and beyond. At the same time, free childcare allows parents to stay in the workforce, strengthens family finances, helps businesses find and retain employees, and grows our economy.
We have to acknowledge that this public infrastructure also requires dedicated teachers and caregivers who want to make early childhood development a career. Right now, the field is massively undervalued and underpaid. We must raise the pay for these jobs to recognize the true value of the contribution of early childhood workers.
We've accepted that every child deserves a free K-12 education because it's good for children and good for our society. I believe we should apply that same principle to the earliest years of a child's life.
Read More: Bring Down Housing Costs
Everyone deserves a safe, stable place to call home. But today, Michigan families are faced with skyrocketing costs that force them out of the communities they love because we simply haven't built enough housing to meet demand.
We need to increase housing stock and build homes that working families, seniors, young professionals, and first-time homebuyers can actually afford. That means giving communities the tools they need to increase housing supply, redevelop vacant and underutilized property, and make affordable housing projects financially feasible.
I've worked to do exactly that. I authored the legislation that allowed cities like Grand Rapids to establish land banks to transform vacant properties into community assets and create more housing opportunities. I also supported bipartisan legislation to streamline Michigan's Housing and Community Development Fund so projects can move forward more quickly, and communities have greater flexibility to meet local housing needs. And I voted to establish a Michigan Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, leveraging federal investment to close financing gaps and make more affordable housing developments possible.
There's no single solution to Michigan's housing shortage, but there is a clear path forward: build more housing, preserve existing affordable homes, expand homeownership opportunities, and give communities the resources they need to grow responsibly.
Read More: Protect the Right to Vote
Our democracy is under attack by Donald Trump and his Republicans, who know they can't win if everyone votes.
Across the country, we've watched a coordinated Republican effort to make voting harder, undermine confidence in elections, intimidate election workers, break down civil rights progress, and convince Americans to distrust the results whenever their party loses. It's a blatant attempt to hold onto power by making our democracy weaker.
I refuse to back down from this war on our elections.
The right to vote is the foundation of the American system of government. I'll fight any attempt to make it harder for eligible Michiganders to cast a ballot, whether that's restricting access to voting, attacking election officials who are simply doing their jobs, or trying to interfere with the administration of Michigan's elections.
I fully recognize that voting rights and civil rights were not gifted to people of color. Power was built through sacrifice, strategy, courage, and collective action and we owe that struggle more than silence while it’s being systematically attacked and gutted by Republicans in the White House, the Supreme Court and state capitols around the country.
Democrats have expanded voting rights while maintaining secure, accurate elections because those goals are not in conflict. Democracy is strongest when every eligible voter can participate without intimidation and every lawful vote is counted.
I didn't run for office to watch powerful people rewrite the rules for their own benefit. I ran to fight for the people who believe government should answer to voters. I'll never back down from defending the Constitution, protecting the freedom to vote, and standing up to anyone who threatens our democracy, no matter how powerful they are.
Read More: Protect Michigan's Water, Air, and Future
Michigan’s natural resources are not commodities to be exploited. They are part of who we are – and we have a responsibility to protect them for future generations.
As State Representative, I have fought for clean water, clean energy, environmental justice and strong protections for the Great Lakes. In the State Senate, I will continue standing up to corporate polluters, investing in sustainable infrastructure and making sure every Michigan family – regardless of ZIP code – has clean air to breathe and safe water to drink.
Make Polluters Pay
When a corporation contaminates our water or poisons our land, taxpayers should not be left with the bill.
I introduced legislation as part of Michigan’s Polluter Pay package requiring polluters to clean up the environmental damage they cause. Michigan once had one of the strongest Polluter Pay laws in the nation, but in 1995, Governor John Engler and Republican legislators gutted those protections.
Since then, corporations have too often been allowed to leave behind PFAS, carcinogens and other toxic contamination while Michigan residents pay for containment and cleanup. I am fighting to restore real accountability: polluters – not families and taxpayers – must pay to clean up their messes.
Build a Clean-Energy Economy
The transition to clean energy is both an environmental necessity and an economic opportunity. Michigan can lower energy costs, create good-paying union jobs and reduce climate pollution by expanding renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and modernizing our electric grid.
I authored the bill that passed into law that greatly expanded the ability to construct major solar and wind farms. I also voted for the historic requirement for 100% clean energy generation by 2040 and I will do everything in my power to ensure that the utilities live up to these requirements. I will continue to push for both aggressive and responsible development of solar, wind, geothermal and battery storage projects while ensuring local communities have a meaningful voice and that projects protect farmland, wildlife and natural resources. I also support community solar projects (smaller than utility scale projects) and roof-top and so-called balcony solar (single home “distributed” generation).
Protect Michigan’s Water from Data-Center Overuse
Data centers can consume enormous amounts of water, and Michigan must not allow private corporations to drain our lakes, rivers or groundwater for their own profit.
I support requiring any data center approved by a local community to use municipal water systems rather than directly withdrawing water from Michigan’s lakes, rivers or underground aquifers. Communities must also have access to complete information about proposed water and energy use before approving a project.
Economic development should never come at the expense of our drinking water, our Great Lakes or the long-term health of surrounding communities.
Protect Our Water from Failing Septic Systems
Michigan is the only state without a uniform statewide septic code. Hundreds of thousands of septic systems operate without regular inspections, creating a serious threat to our rivers, lakes, groundwater and public health.
I have authored legislation establishing a statewide septic code with periodic inspections of septic tanks and drain fields. Failing and unregulated septic systems contribute to widespread fecal contamination in Michigan waterways. We cannot protect the Great Lakes while ignoring one of the largest sources of preventable water pollution.
A statewide standard will help identify failing systems, protect drinking water and give homeowners a clear, consistent process for keeping their systems safe.
Advance Environmental Justice
For generations, low-income communities and communities of color have carried a disproportionate share of Michigan’s pollution. They are more likely to live near highways, industrial facilities, contaminated sites and other sources of harmful emissions.
Environmental protection must include environmental justice. That means enforcing pollution laws, directing investments toward communities that have suffered the greatest harm and giving residents a real voice in decisions affecting their health and neighborhoods.
Clean air and clean water are not privileges. They are fundamental rights.
Defend the Great Lakes
Michigan is home to 20 percent of the world’s surface freshwater. Protecting the Great Lakes and our inland lakes and rivers is one of our greatest responsibilities.
I will fight efforts to weaken environmental safeguards, oppose policies that allow corporate interests to put our water at risk and work to prevent invasive species, toxic contamination and reckless water withdrawals.
We do not inherit the Great Lakes from previous generations. We hold them in trust for the generations that come after us.
Read More: Fight for Common-Sense Gun Safety
Every Michigan family deserves to feel safe at school, at home, at work and in their community. Protecting that freedom requires leaders who are willing to stand up to the gun lobby and pass common-sense laws that save lives while respecting responsible gun ownership.
In the wake of the tragic killings at Michigan State University, I voted for four major gun-safety reforms enacted in 2023. These laws:
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Closed loopholes in Michigan’s background-check system.
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Established Extreme Risk Protection Orders, often called “red flag” laws, allowing a judge to temporarily remove firearms from someone who poses a serious danger to themselves or others.
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Required safe firearm storage in homes and vehicles where minors are present.
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Removed guns from homes where someone has been convicted of a domestic-violence felony or misdemeanor.
These reforms were important steps, but our work is not finished.
I have introduced legislation to prohibit the open carry of firearms within 300 feet of schools, universities and government buildings. Students, teachers, public employees and residents conducting ordinary business should not be subjected to intimidation or unnecessary danger from openly carried weapons.
I am also working to strengthen safe-storage requirements for firearms left in vehicles—even when a minor is not present. Vehicle break-ins are a leading way stolen guns enter illegal markets and end up in the wrong hands. Responsible gun ownership means securely storing a weapon wherever it is kept.
Finally, I have introduced legislation to repeal Michigan’s Stand Your Ground law and restore a duty to retreat when a person can do so safely. Deadly force should be a last resort, not the first response to a confrontation.
As State Senator, I will continue fighting for evidence-based gun-safety policies, stronger protections for survivors of domestic violence and communities where children can learn and families can live without fear of gun violence.
I am proud to have the support of Moms Demand Action in this race, and I will keep working alongside survivors, parents, educators and advocates to make Michigan safer.