A Leader who Listens

The foundation of the Northland's economy is our land. I will support forestry, tourism, and the responsible use of minerals, while ensuring these industries never threaten our forests, waters, and wilderness.

I believe the Northland is uniquely positioned to grow new industries built on our abundant natural resources and our skilled workforce. From green steel, e-waste processing, biomass, and other renewable energy, there's a real opportunity to build American industries, run by American companies, that keep wealth circulating locally.

I believe health care is a fundamental human right and Northland residents should have access to high-quality, affordable health care. Rural hospitals are the backbone of our communities — they're among the largest employers, offering high-paying jobs that keep families rooted here.

Yet rural Minnesotans have struggled for decades to access the care they need. Losing a hospital or clinic doesn't just mean losing care — it could mean losing a town. Protecting rural health care is protecting rural Minnesota itself.

For too long, the Northland has sent its wealth to the metro and out of state — our timber, our ore, our seasonal property taxes — while getting little back beyond grant applications we have to compete for. We need to keep more of what we generate right here at home.

While the proposed constitutional amendment to increase the annual payout rate of the Minnesota Public School Fund (PSF) will provide critical budgetary relief across rural Minnesota, sparsely populated school districts still face higher per-student operational overhead costs compared to densely packed metro districts. Additional funding is needed to cover these costs, without increasing taxes for local residents.

District 3A is a popular destination for recreational property owners, yet taxes generated by those seasonal homes flow straight into the state’s General Fund instead of staying in the district. I believe more of those dollars should fund the infrastructure here in the Northland that full-time residents, second homeowners, and tourists all depend on.

I will support high quality, affordable childcare that allows children to learn and grow. Minnesota has some of the most expensive childcare in the country. I will work to ensure children can get the best start they deserve, and parents have the opportunity to pursue their careers by providing affordable, accessible childcare and early learning opportunities.

A young family sometimes can't take a job because childcare doesn't exist; state support for creating childcare programs and incentives can ease that bottleneck and help the broader economy grow.

The deepest fix for housing is still jobs — the best way to attract residential development is local job growth. I believe regulatory policy should work to keep housing available and affordable for everyone in northern Minnesota — not create barriers to it. That means building and maintaining a wider variety of housing options to meet the needs of college students, seasonal workers, and full-time residents alike.

I support a statewide framework that sets clear standards while still allowing room for local creativity — giving communities the flexibility to implement solutions that fit their needs within consistent state-level guardrails that discourage discrimination and protect fair access to housing.

I am committed to maintaining Minnesota's reputation for high-quality education right here in the Northland. That starts with keeping more of our local revenue, so our elementary and secondary schools are fully funded. It also means valuing the people who make our schools work — dedicated teachers and educational professionals deserve living wages and real support, not just recognition.

While the proposed constitutional amendment to increase the annual payout rate of the Minnesota Public School Fund (PSF) will provide critical budgetary relief across Greater Minnesota, sparsely populated rural districts still face higher per-student operational overhead costs compared to densely packed metro districts.

We need a bi-partisan representative in the Capitol. I have decades of experience bringing people together across parties and communities to fight natural disasters, keep residents safe, and deliver real results.

This election is about trust. The voters have lost trust in their elected officials. They want to know that a candidate will follow through with promises and work hard for them in an open and transparent way. Every day I am showing that I am willing to do the hard work. My record of building trust is well known. People respect that they can talk with me and know that I am listening.

I have direct experience with tribal consultation processes and a deep respect for treaty rights. I understand these aren't just legal formalities — they're federal obligations that Minnesota has a responsibility to honor fully, not just symbolically. Too often in the past, "consultation" meant checking a box rather than genuinely inviting tribal nations into the decision-making process.

In my role as District Ranger, I worked on a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bands of the Lake Superior Chippewa regarding the activities taking place on the Superior National Forest. This is what real engagement looks like — an ongoing relationship built through monthly meetings with tribal specialists and quarterly meetings with tribal leadership across a range of issues.

Our elected officials need to look beyond taconite and towards the future. Supporting mining does not mean just defending mining. We need to have leaders with vision to bring people together to solve the problems that will unlock our wealth. Politicians have been pro-mining for a hundred years, during that time we have lost tens of thousands of jobs. We need leaders who are looking out for workers. Let’s actually make more jobs!!

Since we are natural resource based, and I have a long history in the field of natural resources, this would be a focus. Forestry, responsible minerals, and tourism are fields in which I’m comfortable as a leader. This will require bringing people together to support industries that are compatible with our values and workforce and find ways to retain our wealth and jobs in Minnesota.

Previously, I have worked in Washington, D.C. for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which is the agency that oversees minerals under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to balance resource extraction with environmental protection. I worked at the highest levels of many mining projects across the country including copper nickel in Minnesota.

As the District Ranger for the Kawishiwi District of the Superior National Forest, I supervised the environmental review of numerous permits for mineral exploration and development. I approved permits for helium and copper nickel exploration for several companies, including Twin Metals, NewRange and Pulsar Helium. I know that in order to move forward public trust must be the top concern. This requires a transparent process, with public and tribal involvement, and flexibility on the part of industry. This is a policy area in which I'm well-versed and exceedingly capable. The residents of District 3A and the entire state of Minnesota need leaders who can speak with all interested parties, listen to what they have to say, and bring them together in agreement to move the right projects forward in a sustainable way.

Fraud at all levels of government is unacceptable — period. I spent twenty-three years as a police officer arresting people who thought they were above the law, and I'll bring that same experience and resolve to the State House. When elected, I will work to protect taxpayer dollars, hold fraudsters accountable, and put responsible oversight systems in place that stop fraud before it happens, rather than chasing it after the damage is done. Together, we can eliminate fraud in the first place.

Immigration has become a hot topic in Minnesota as a result of the Department of Homeland Security’s large-scale immigration enforcement campaign, Operation Metro Surge, in late 2025 and early 2026. I have voiced my concern about federal overreach during these recent events and believe that constitutional rights must be upheld for everyone in the United States.

District 3A shares an international border with Canada. Our communities have a direct stake in ensuring our borders are secure and properly protected. At the same time, our hospitality, caregiving, and construction industries depend on immigrant and foreign workers. The Northland's history and prosperity were built on the backs of immigrant labor. I believe we can secure our borders and uphold the rule of law while still honoring the vital contributions immigrants have made — and continue to make — to our communities and our economy.