When I first ran for State House in 2014, I was unsure. I had never run for office and wasn’t closely following state politics—I had a business to run and mostly followed national news.

I thought on it a while and realized we had a shortage of “regular people” in state politics—folks who’ve had to balance a budget, make payroll, and deal with hundreds of employees, thousands of customers, and even a few rock stars. I figured I could bring some sense to the political culture and maybe, with a level-headed approach, solve a few problems on behalf of my constituents.

I won that first election and haven’t lost since, winning 3 more times.

When I look to Congress today, I see the same problem: not enough regular people and a shortage of common sense.

The question that Alaskan voters face is simple: who can win the U.S. Congress seat that isn’t a far-right conservative? I am a true moderate.

Looking at the current field of candidates, it reminds me of Congress: a shortage of regular folks and not many with a common-sense approach. Since I went to the legislature in 2014, I’ve earned a reputation for bringing state dollars to my district—boosting local institutions like UAF and Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, fighting for families and working people, and knowing that I always stand up for my principles and don’t pander for votes.

Our national politics has injected partisanship in way too many issues. I’ll stick to issues that affect working people, families, and our next generation. I’ll leave the pointless bickering to others. I believe good ideas come from many places, and that questioning our assumptions, even our facts sometimes, helps to get stuff done.

My voters seem to like that approach. I consistently win bipartisan support in my district in Fairbanks, getting more votes in 2014 than Don Young, more votes in 2016 than Donald Trump (who won the district) and more votes in 2020 than Joe Biden.

I’m ready for the big leagues. Sure, the pitching is faster and there’s more people in the stands, but I’ve shown I can step up to the plate, dig in, and make things happen