KEY CONCERNS

As a brand-new Army mom with three young sons that entered basic training earlier this year, I have a deep personal connection to the military that shapes my priorities. Though our service members stand ready to defend America, I fear that misguided leaders undermine their ability to fulfill this solemn duty because they are more interested in padding their pockets, promoting woke indoctrination, and protecting political agendas then preparing our warfighters for battle. This is an atrocity for our troops, and I will not stand for it! Our troops deserve leaders wholly committed to preparing them for their mission.

The slogan "America First" has varying meanings for different people. For Kristi, it signifies prioritizing the well-being of Americans over global interests. She believes the U.S. government's foremost responsibility is caring for its citizens, from rural communities to major cities across the country. Kristi feels that all Americans deserve protection, security, and the ability to pursue life, liberty, and happiness in a nation governed by the rule of law.

The greatest concern our nation faces from within is destruction of our nation through indoctrination. The liberal, anti-American agenda weaponized by the left has fostered an environment ripe for the explosion of wokeism by exploiting personal grievances as pseudo social concerns. This indoctrination of the young and impressionable threatens our nation by stifling critical thinking and objective analysis. While woke advocates profess to fight for victims, their anger lacks empathy or genuine concern. 

Though many Americans have lost trust in government, it remains a vital part of our society. To rebuild this trust, as Congresswoman Kristi pledges transparency through local town halls and open meetings in every county. She believes that as a government "of the people and for the people," citizens have an inherent right to know what happens in government. As their representative, Kristi will make it her mission to restore openness and accountability in the 8th district.

Kristi's pro-life stance is grounded in her faith-based conviction that life begins at conception, when God forms each child in the womb. However, her political concerns extend beyond personal beliefs. Kristi believes the pro-life movement must address the troubling fact that abortion clinics target and exploit vulnerable populations. According to the Guttmacher Institute, most women seek abortions because they feel unable to afford or properly care for a child. To Kristi, this tendency reveals moral failings in society that underscore the pro-life cause.

Kristi believes American students have the potential to lead the world, but our educational system needs reform to fully develop that potential. She recognizes that with the right education, American students can compete globally. However, refocusing on core subjects like reading, writing, math and science is critical. Politicizing education harms students and the nation's future. America has bright students who deserve an education that equips them to reach their potential, compete internationally, and lead our nation and world. Kristi understands schools must identify students' strengths and weaknesses, train them transparently toward their goals of trades or higher education, and equip teachers to facilitate this process.

Small business owners are entrepreneurs who employ workers and strive to support their families. Kristi advocates for fostering a robust climate for entrepreneurship, seeking more constructive approaches to raising wages and fighting poverty while minimizing distortions and manipulations in the labor market. America requires a new labor movement that cultivates a thriving job market with abundant work opportunities, paired with reasonable safety nets that do not hinder the future economy. Our way forward is to build resilience in the American market and reclaim a prominent position for American-Made goods and services.

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Kristi strongly believes that the right to bear arms emphatically belongs to individuals for self-defense. "When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny." Thomas Jefferson

The key indicators of a weak economy that people can readily see include:

• stagnant wages despite rising corporate profits

• increasing personal debt as people struggle to get by

• declining employment rates

• job creation lagging behind population growth

• a rise in poverty (exacerbated by increased immigration)

• rising healthcare costs plus reduced employer-provided insurance eroding already strained family incomes

As the political parties argue and blame one another, Americans face diminishing freedom and opportunity - the American Dream once envied worldwide slips away. It is time for Congress to make difficult decisions for the public good to restore economic prosperity.

The Founders understood wisdom as the guiding principle for dealing with friends and foes in an ever-changing world. As common sense dictates, America cannot foresee the extent, priority, or pressing needs of its security in relation to other nations, lacking a crystal ball into the future balance of global powers. With no ability to anticipate every country's long-term aims, Kristi believes readiness and preparation, not complacency, are imperative. An isolationist perspective no longer suits our now-merged, technologically borderless world. Rather than regress, she recognizes America must lead in cyber infrastructure and security, carefully considering the wisest course in each foreign relationship.

An individual's choice to get vaccinated is a private medical decision between them and their doctor that should be free from judgment. Forcing people to receive an experimental vaccine or discharging service members for asserting their rights is an egregious government overreach. Vaccines typically undergo 5-10 years of rigorous safety testing and clinical trials before approval, but these COVID vaccines did not.

The United States, as an advocate for freedom and liberty, should view China as an adversary. Given China's opposition to American ideals, it is imperative that we limit CCP land ownership and Confucius Institute influence in the U.S. China's lack of transparency regarding the pandemic's origins further indicates their ill intentions toward America.

As a small business owner, Kristi is intimately familiar with the challenges that small enterprises face, including burdensome regulations, long work hours, and rising costs. Her firsthand experience managing employees, overseeing operations, and fostering a positive work culture will inform her advocacy for small business interests in Congress. Kristi recognizes that small businesses are vital to America's economy, but excessive regulations often hinder their growth and competitiveness. With insights from both the employee and employer perspectives, she is well-positioned to fight for pragmatic policies that support small business success while protecting workers and consumers.

Since 2010, Kristi has repeatedly cautioned conservatives that unchecked government spending would lead to a doubling of the national debt within a decade—a prediction realized, as the debt now exceeds $26 trillion. With debt ballooning, Kristi recognizes that reining in federal spending, while unpopular in the short-term, is imperative to relieve the enormous tax burden being imposed on current and future generations. Though difficult, making prudent budget cuts now will strengthen the economy, empower taxpayers, and prevent fiscal calamity down the road.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has found that the United States has large domestic oil reserves. Kristi believes that as a leading producer of coal and oil, America should export more of its energy resources rather than relying so heavily on imports. She will work with other members of Congress to make the U.S. more energy independent and less reliant on foreign oil which can incapacitate the US. Kristi does not oppose green energy, but she does oppose poorly-studied policies and corrupt deals that benefit special interests with multi-million-dollar pocket-lining at the expense of taxpayers. She believes the viability of renewable energy should be determined by the free market through private research and consumer demand, not by government intervention.

Kristi understands the value of international trade from firsthand experience, as she has directly witnessed the growth opportunities provided by exports. As the world's largest economy and trader of goods and services, the United States cannot sustain economic growth or increase wages without reaching beyond our borders to sell products and provide services globally. International trade is critical for America's prosperity because it spurs economic growth, supports U.S. jobs, raises living standards, and enables Americans to provide for their families. As we limit relations with China, we will have the opportunity for the once proud "Made In America" banner to rise again!