Policies and Beliefs
Keeping America's Promise
My family's story is the American story. On one side, immigrants and refugees who fled rising authoritarianism in Europe—my maternal grandfather's family escaped Germany on a midnight train to Paris in 1936, the day before the SS came to arrest them. They survived because America opened its doors. Then both my grandfathers volunteered to go back overseas during World War II to defend the freedom that saved them. One earned two Bronze Stars and was offered a battlefield commission for valor.
On the other side of my family, generations whose service stretches back to the Revolution and the House of Burgesses in 1650s Virginia. Together, that history taught me a simple truth. America's promise isn't inherited, it must be defended and renewed, generation after generation.
That promise is the belief that legitimate power flows from the consent of the governed. That freedom must be protected by justice. That "We the People" means all the people. It's the Declaration's call for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and the Constitution's framework for self-government and the rule of law. These values endure because they provide us a basis to grow and change while steering us forward as a nation worthy of its founding promises.
Policies
Restore and Protect Voting Rights: Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore federal preclearance and defend the right to vote from suppression and intimidation.
Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment: Finally enshrine gender equality in the Constitution, making clear that equal protection under the law is not optional.
Humane, Lawful Immigration Reform: Modernize the immigration system to reduce family backlogs, protect Dreamers, establish a clear path to citizenship, and dismantle ICE and replace it with a lawful, accountable immigration enforcement agency focused on due process, oversight, and public safety.
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Defending Our Democracy
I spent 23 years defending the Constitution. I didn't learn about protecting democracy from a book, I lived it every day. I swore an oath to defend it, that oath matters to me. Particularly at a time when our Constitution is under attack.
Democratic institutions are the bedrock of American freedom, born of revolution against concentrated power and designed to ensure a government of, by, and for the people. Their strength lies in the courage of those who serve within them to put constitutional principle over partisanship and country over self. Lawmakers and judges must be empowered to act with integrity and independence. Accountable to the Constitution and the people, not to loyalty tests or fear of reprisal.
But this is not a moment to just rebuild what we've lost. It's an opportunity to build something better—to fulfill the founding promise of this nation. That means a rebirth of freedom: restrictions on presidential powers like pardons, making clear that no one is above the law, and expanding opportunity with protections like the Equal Rights Amendment and voting rights. American Democracy isn’t intended to be stagnant, we must learn from the past, not yearn for it.
Policies
Limit Abuses of Presidential Power: Reform pardon authority, emergency powers, and war powers so no president can place themselves above the law or bypass Congress.
Enforce Ethics at the Highest Levels: Require a binding Supreme Court ethics code, ban congressional stock trading, and strengthen emoluments and anti-corruption enforcement.
Protect Free and Fair Elections: Fund election security, expand voter access, protect election workers from threats, and end partisan gerrymandering through independent redistricting commissions.
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Protecting Virginia’s Families
Security starts at home. Virginia families deserve the stability to plan for the future, the confidence that hard work leads somewhere, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing you can provide for the people you love.
Right now, instead of that, we have a government that creates fear and demands compliance while lining the pockets of billionaires, including President Trump, rather than looking out for everyday Americans. To me, "better" looks like an America where opportunity is there for everyone to be recognized with dignity and have an affordable chance to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.
I've managed programs where failure wasn't an option. Lives depended on getting it right. That's the discipline I'll bring to securing affordability and opportunity for every Virginia family. Economic vitality means predictable conditions that allow families to plan ahead, businesses to invest with confidence, and communities to thrive. It requires investments in infrastructure, scientific advancement, and sustainable industries that prepare us for the challenges ahead. For Virginia's families, failure is not an option.
Policies
Lower Healthcare Costs and Guarantee a Path to Universal Coverage: Protect ACA subsidies, expand Medicare drug negotiation, cap insulin and essential medications, defend Medicare and Medicaid, and build toward universal healthcare through a strengthened public option.
Make Housing and Childcare Affordable: Support the ROAD to Housing Act, build more housing near transit, cut red tape that drives up costs, and expand childcare tax credits and affordable childcare infrastructure.
Fair Taxes for Working Families: No increased taxes on individual income below $400,000, close billionaire capital gains loopholes through the ROBINHOOD Act, end corporate welfare by requiring large employers to reimburse taxpayers for public assistance their full-time workers rely on, and fully fund IRS enforcement to go after wealthy tax cheats, not working families.
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Strengthening Our Security
I've spent my career protecting Americans. I deployed to combat zones hunting IEDs to keep our convoys safe. I led billion-dollar national security programs—missile warning systems that gave our forces enough time to take cover when under attack. At the Pentagon, I helped plan the future of American defense by defining capabilities the Space Force will need far into the future. I know what real security looks like and what threatens it, both internally and externally.
True security is the collective ability of Americans to live free from fear, coercion, or disruption by hostile forces. We achieve it through deterrence, cooperation, and the strength of shared purpose. America's real power comes not from raw military force, but from our economic strength, our cultural influence, and our willingness to do good in the world. We must build the tables that allow us to sit down and solve complex problems together.
Security is not about being the biggest or most aggressive force. It's not about dominating others or withdrawing from the international organizations we literally built. That is not strength, it is petulance and weakness. Lasting security comes from trust, cooperation, and the confidence that comes with principled strength. The military exists not to fight wars, but to prevent them.
Policies
Maintain America’s Technological and Energy Edge: Invest in space capabilities, cyber defense, clean energy, and next-generation power technologies to deter conflict and ensure America leads the future.
Secure and Modernize the Electric Grid: Modernize the electric grid to support growing demand from digital infrastructure, while protecting against cyberattacks, extreme weather, and foreign interference, without shifting costs onto families or destroying Virginia’s natural beauty.
Support Service Members, Veterans, and Smart Global Leadership: Ensure competitive pay, quality housing, and family support for service members; fully fund the VA and expand mental health care; restore alliances, support Ukraine against Russian aggression, compete with China through innovation, and reduce nuclear risk through arms control.
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Ensuring Everyone Belongs
When I was allowed to serve authentically in uniform, my performance improved, my teams thrived, and my colleagues had my back. But for nearly 15 years before that, I carried the burden of hiding who I was. When you're hiding something about yourself, you can be good at your job, you can be great at your job, but you cannot be your best. Because you're spending energy protecting your identity rather than putting it into the mission.
In 2025, my service was abruptly ended. Not because of how I served, but because of who I am. In my final meeting at the Pentagon, after informing a room full of admirals and generals this would be my last meeting, each got up, shook my hand, and said with sadness: "It's been an honor to have served with you." None of those people saw a transgender woman, they saw a Colonel who was there to do her job.
That's how I know we've won within the military. Those attitudes have changed. They saw the excellence that trans people showed over nine years serving authentically.
Every American deserves the right to speak, worship, love, access healthcare, and exist in public without fear. No child should ever have to wonder whether their country has room for them. America should be a beacon to refugees—not a source of them. Our commitment must be to a just and pluralistic society that defends both freedom and dignity as essential to the American promise.
Policies
Protect Equality: Pass the Truman Amendment to ensure Americans who are capable of serving are given the opportunity to do so, defending marriage equality, banning conversion therapy for minors, opposing laws that target transgender youth, ensuring access to HIV care and eradicating the disease.
Defend Reproductive Freedom and IVF: Codify Roe v. Wade, protect access to contraception, safeguard IVF and fertility treatments, and end the Hyde Amendment’s restrictions on care.
Common-Sense Gun Safety: Universal background checks, red flag laws, and responsible ownership standards that respect the Second Amendment while reducing gun violence.
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Delivering Good Government
I've seen government at its best. Teams delivering under pressure, protecting lives, making a real difference. I've also seen what happens when politics get prioritized over public service. Government should work for the people it serves. It should be there when you need it. Whether that's getting a Social Security appointment when you need it, not 60 days in advance, or silently watching your back, protecting you from war, natural disasters, and disease or investing in the science, healthcare, and infrastructure that allows you to live a life where you can pursue your dreams.
Effective government means a federal workforce focused on meaningful outcomes rather than compliance with outdated procedures. It means leveraging technology to simplify laws, promote transparency, and provide equitable access. Too often, complex legal and regulatory frameworks favor the wealthy and well-connected.
Trust in government is shaped by the responsiveness of agencies like Social Security, the VA, the IRS, and FEMA. When these organizations are understaffed, use outdated technology, or operate with deliberate opacity, Americans suffer and lose faith.
The public servants who quietly make government work under pressure deserve our respect and support, not political attacks that weaken the institutions keeping Americans safe and prosperous.
Policies
Protect the Professional Civil Service: Block Schedule F, defend federal benefits, ensure continuity across administrations, and support fair pay for federal workers.
Modernize and Fix Federal Agencies: Upgrade federal IT systems, reduce wait times at the SSA and VA, simplify access to earned benefits, and establish enforceable customer service standards.
Deliver for Virginia: Secure long-term WMATA and VRE funding, invest in transportation infrastructure across the district, support climate resilience projects, protect national parks, and ensure federal dollars support the entire district.