John, I know the burdens that so many Virginia families face — because I have lived them.
Growing up, my family was always struggling to make ends meet. When my first child was born, I was working at a gas station and had no health insurance (I would not be where I am today had Medicaid not saved us).
The truth is, our political system tends to keep people like me out of the halls of power. When I started my first campaign in 2017, I had just sixty-eight dollars to my name — and it wasn't easy at all to gain visibility or hire the big consultants.
My first election taught me the true power of grassroots donors, and it proved that even in our broken campaign finance system, ideas, conscience, and work ethic can matter more than the size of one's bank account.
Too often, people from humble beginnings are actively dissuaded from running for office. We're discouraged by the prevalence of big money in politics. We are told that we are not fit to govern our neighbors and that we must instead be governed by our circumstances.
But when we do get to the decision-making table, policies can change. Working-class families are seen and heard. I'm running for State Senate because Richmond still needs to hear those voices — particularly in the face of Glenn Youngkin's efforts to roll back healthcare and economic progress for so many.
