Mainstreet Republicans
1) How do your issues and values align with the issues and values of the Mainstream Republicans? Please make sure you address the values stated on the Mainstream Republican Website found at https://washingtonmainstream.org/issues/
Social Moderation
Mainstream provides a voice for socially moderate Republicans in our state, so we avoid both far-right and far-left politics. “The Winners are in the Middle” has been a long-time slogan. Because of this, it is our belief that social issues should be depoliticized, so that government can focus on fiscal responsibility through balancing the budget and boosting the economy. Mainstream supports marriage equality, racial justice and a common sense approach to immigration. We reject litmus tests and believe that moderation is not just about social issues.
While I am technically a registered Democrat, I believe in the middle of the road. The challenge is that our country is so divided and it can be hard for some people to see other points of view. I believe the far left and the far right do have one thing in common - looking out for themselves. Misinformation and skewed studies have also played a role in this division.
I do not accept donations to my campaign because I want to be open-minded and not have any reason to be swayed to anything I do not believe in.
I believe that if people from one side could hear the challenges and issues from people on the other side, we may all come to an agreement. This will be a challenge. I will always stand up for the people, and I cannot be bought by government or big business. I will always stand up for what is right, and I will always value the opinions of others.
I support all people being treated equally - racial equality, marriage equality, and social equality.
Strong Public Education
Long before the hallmark McCleary decision, the Mainstream Republicans of Washington called for education to be the first priority of our state government. We’ve seen years of Democratic budgets fail our schools and kids, now it’s the responsibility of moderates in both parties to correct this problem.
Strong Public Education is a bigger issue today than ever. Due to Covid, we have lost many hours and days of student education. I do not believe that this is due to Democrats - many Repbulican states have lower test scores than Democrcrat states. This comes down to government in general not spending our tax dollars efficiently, and also the fact that schools weigh so heavily on test scores. My son is in high school, and has some pretty amazing teachers, however they are also hyper-focused on the results of standardized testing. When the focus is only on the result of a single test, we lose some of the ability to promote thinking and teaching outside the box.
Fiscal Conservatism
Government should ensure that it is living within its means by producing a balanced and reasonable budget. This is true for federal, state and local governments. In fact, the national debt is a greater threat to America than any foreign power.
I absolutely agree. I do also think the largest budget cuts need to be from the Military budget. I say this, as my husband is a 2-tour wartime Veteran in Iraq, and served in the Army from 2000-2008.
I believe that until we can make sure our economy is thriving we should discontinue programs such as Space Force.
These are of course not the local issues that I will be voting on, but I understand excessive spending in general is a problem. I will always vote for what is right and fair, and best for my community.
2) As a candidate and/or elected official, please share your personal and political viewpoints/values regarding the level of government you are seeking office for, and what do you view as your role in that position?
My viewpoints seem to align very well with the Mainstreet Republicans. The only topic that was not touched on is homelessness and environmental issues. (I’ll touch on homelessness below). I want everyone to have access to clean water and be able to access beautiful parks/nature. For this reason I do not support pipelines, the coal industry, or fracking.
3) What is the most important issue in your campaign and why?
Homelessness. Regardless of where you are in the political spectrum, everyone realizes homelessness is a growing problem for Clark County. There are 2 basic viewpoints to this, and I agree with them both.
Every single human being deserves the right to food and shelter, regardless of anything else. We even shelter and feed our criminals.
The homeless do not have safe or available ways to use a toilet, or throw away their trash. This is leading to garbage and toxic waste being left scattered around our community and is a nuisance for the nearby homeowners and business owners.
We need to have adequate resources to address the problem, and would likely need to start with more available mental health and addiction options - for both the homeless now, and the people who would become homeless in the near fut