Responses to the 2026 Wisconsin Young Voter Candidate Questionnaire,
published exactly as submitted, in the candidate's own words.
Submitted July 2026.
01
Why are you running for office, and how does your background and experience shape your ability to be an effective public servant, specifically when it comes to serving young people, specifically under the age of 35, in BIPOC, working-class, rural, and immigrant communities of Wisconsin?
I'm the tenth of eleven kids, and I worked five jobs to get through college. I know what it's like to do math that doesn't add up, and to grow up in a family where every dollar mattered. That's not abstract for me — it's how I was raised.
Over the last 25 years, I've run the largest science museum in the state, expanding STEM access for thousands of kids who never saw themselves as scientists or engineers. I led the Greater Milwaukee Committee, bringing together businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders across one of Wisconsin's most diverse cities. And as Governor Evers' top cabinet official, I helped rebuild Wisconsin's finances after years of mismanagement — turning a fiscal mess into a nearly $4 billion surplus.
None of that happened in a boardroom disconnected from real communities. It happened by sitting across the table from working-class families, rural business owners, immigrant entrepreneurs, and young people trying to build a future here. I know how state government actually works, and how to make it work for people who've been told to wait their turn.
02
What do you believe to be the top concerns and specific challenges facing young people under the age of 35, in communities across Wisconsin? How would you prioritize and advance these priorities once in office?
Housing, healthcare, and good jobs — in that order, based on what I hear from young Wisconsinites everywhere I go. When I was 20, the average age of a first-time home buyer in Wisconsin was 28. 5 years ago, it was 33. Last year, it grew to 40. An entire generation is being told homeownership isn't for them.
I'd prioritize housing first: putting WHEDA's low-interest mortgage programs to work for first-time buyers and baby boomers, cracking down on out-of-state investors buying up our neighborhoods, and pushing the zoning reforms that spur additional construction. Wisconsin is underbuilt by at least 70,000 homes; that must change.
On healthcare, I'd expand Medicaid, something Wisconsin should have done 12 years ago, and guarantee continuous health coverage for every Wisconsin kid regardless of income.
On jobs, I'd expand apprenticeship and technical education pathways so a four-year degree isn't the only route to a good career and remove degree requirements for state jobs where they aren’t necessary. Young people don't need more speeches about their future — they need a state government that builds the housing, expands the healthcare, and opens the job pathways they're asking for.
03
How do you assess the current state of housing affordability in Wisconsin as it relates to residents under the age of 35? What factors do you believe are contributing to rising housing and rental costs, and what specific policies or actions would you support to make housing more affordable and accessible?
Wisconsin is underbuilt by at least 70,000 homes, and we see the challenges that creates all around the state for families, employers, schools and entire communities. 5 years ago, the average first-time homebuyer here was 33 years old. Last year it was 40 — 7 years lost to rising costs and a housing shortage that's been allowed to fester.
A few things are driving this: local zoning rules that block the kind of missing-middle housing (duplexes, ADUs, smaller starter homes) that used to be normal to build; out-of-state investment firms buying up single-family homes and treating Wisconsin neighborhoods like investment portfolios; and a mortgage market that's locked young buyers out even when they're ready to buy.
As governor, I'd put WHEDA's low-interest mortgage programs to work specifically for first-time buyers and baby boomers sitting on larger homes. I would push zoning reforms that let communities build more housing where they want it — local control, not a state mandate — and crack down on out-of-state investors buying up Wisconsin housing stock at scale. I'd also invest in workforce housing near job centers, so young workers aren't priced out of living near where they work.
04
Climate and environmental decisions made today will have long-term impacts on Wisconsin residents under the age of 35, including energy costs, public health, infrastructure, and economic opportunity. As Wisconsin sees growth in large-scale developments, including data centers and other energy-intensive projects, how would you balance economic development with environmental sustainability and affordability? What specific policies or actions would you support, and how would you measure their impact on young adults?
The legislature opened Wisconsin up to the data center industry without setting any rules, and young Wisconsinites are the ones who'll pay higher utility bills for decades if that doesn't change. I'd pause new data center approvals until real guardrails are in place: data centers cover 100% of their energy costs, generate at least 30% of their power on-site, commit 30% of their demand to grid response programs, meet clean energy and water standards, and use Wisconsin union labor to build them. And the era of non-disclosure agreements is over; communities get a real voice before projects are approved.
I'll require through legislation that Wisconsin utilities achieve 100% clean energy by 2050, with 70% as a near-term benchmark. Renewables are now the cheapest resources available, so doing this right actually lowers costs over time.
I'd measure success the way young adults actually experience it: are utility bills going down or up? Are Wisconsin workers getting the new clean energy and data center jobs? Is the grid reliable enough that businesses keep investing here? "Economic development" that shifts costs onto ratepayers is just a bill with someone else's name on it.
05
How do you assess the current state of employment, education, and workforce training opportunities for Wisconsin residents and what actions would you support to improve outcomes specifically for young adults under the age of 35?
Wisconsin has too often treated a four-year degree as the only real path to a good career, and it's failed a lot of young people. I'd expand the state's Youth Apprenticeship program — which already has more pathways than most states — and fund more slots so more students can earn while they learn. I'd remove four-year degree requirements from state government jobs that don't actually need one, opening thousands of positions to workers without a degree, the way other states already have.
I'd expand Career and Technical Education starting earlier, in middle school, and build dual-enrollment programs so students can graduate high school with both a diploma and an industry credential in hand. I'd push for employer incentives that make it easier for businesses to launch their own apprenticeship programs, especially in the trades, healthcare, and manufacturing, where Wisconsin has real workforce shortages right now.
You earn while you learn, you come out with a real skill, and you don't carry the debt. That's not a fallback option — for a lot of young Wisconsinites, it's the smarter path.
06
Rural communities across Wisconsin face unique challenges in accessing education, training, and career opportunities. How do you assess these barriers for residents under the age of 35 in rural communities, and what specific policies would you support to improve access to technical education and workforce pathways?
Rural young adults face a version of this problem that's about distance and access as much as cost. If the nearest technical college campus or apprenticeship program is 45 minutes away, and you don't have reliable transportation or broadband, the opportunity might as well not exist.
I'd start with broadband, treating it like infrastructure, the way we treat roads and water, and making sure the state fills any gap left by federal funding cuts so rural buildout doesn't stall. Reliable internet is critical for remote coursework, dual enrollment, and hybrid apprenticeship programs in rural Wisconsin. We made some measurable progress in the Evers Administration but have a long way to go.
I'd also push to expand satellite technical college programming and mobile training units that bring credentialing programs directly to smaller communities instead of requiring young people to relocate. I'd also expand pre-apprenticeship partnerships between rural high schools and local employers in the trades, agriculture, healthcare, and manufacturing; that way, students could build real skills and relationships before they graduate instead of feeling like they have to leave home to build a career.
07
Wisconsin’s statewide safety net - including healthcare access, unemployment benefits, housing assistance, and education or job training opportunities - helps people navigate periods of transition and hardship. How well do these systems meet the needs of Wisconsin residents specifically under the age of 35, what gaps exist, and what specific policies would you support to make these resources more accessible and effective for young adults?
These systems matter enormously for young adults navigating job changes, family formation, and economic setbacks — and right now, several have real gaps. On healthcare, BadgerCare and Medicaid income thresholds leave too many young workers, especially those piecing together gig or part-time work, without an affordable option. I'd expand Medicaid, establish a public option built off the state employee health plan and guarantee continuous coverage for every Wisconsin kid regardless of family income, which helps young parents directly. The lack of a coherent statewide policy on childcare also hurts young people and growing families, often keeping people out of the workplace entirely.
On housing assistance, I'd expand WHEDA's programs for first-time buyers and invest in workforce housing near job centers. On FoodShare, I'll use every legal and executive tool available to protect it from federal cuts — 700,000 Wisconsinites depend on it, and a lot of them are young workers and families.
08
What do you believe are the primary drivers of affordability challenges for Wisconsin residents under the age of 35, and what specific policy solutions would you pursue to lower costs and improve economic security for young adults?
Wisconsin families — especially young ones just starting out — are getting squeezed from every direction at once: rent and home prices outpacing wages, childcare costing more than a mortgage in a lot of counties, prescription drug and healthcare costs, and utility bills climbing while big new data centers get built on someone else's dime.
My plans tackle these issues directly. On housing: WHEDA support for first-time buyers and baby boomers, zoning reform, and cracking down on out-of-state investors. On childcare: restoring the Child Care Counts program, capping what families pay out of pocket at 7% of income, and building a cost-sharing model between the state, employers, and families. On healthcare: expanding Medicaid and capping prescription drug costs for insulin, inhalers, and EpiPens. On utilities: making data centers pay their own way instead of shifting costs to ratepayers, and expanding weatherization assistance so families use less energy and pay less for it.
None of this is too complicated to be able to fix. It's about making sure the systems the state actually controls are built around what families need, not what's easiest to leave alone.
09
As governor, what steps would you take to engage young adults under the age of 35, outside of electoral cycles to strengthen year-round participation in community and civic life?
Most engagement with young voters happens for about six weeks every two years and then disappears — that's backwards, and it's part of why a lot of young Wisconsinites feel like state government - and our elected officials - only show up when they want something.
As governor, I'd create a standing Young Wisconsinites advisory council — not a ceremonial one, but one with a real seat at the table on the issues that affect this age group most directly: housing, workforce, and higher ed policy — and I'd meet with it regularly, not just at a launch event. I would also ensure that my cabinet and agency leadership gives young Wisconsinites a true seat at the decision table - there is nothing better than offering up true authority to demonstrate how young people will shape our future.
I'd also make state government itself more accessible: holding regular office hours and town halls on campuses and in communities across the state, not just in Madison and Milwaukee, and making sure state agencies are showing up at the events and organizations young people are already part of, rather than expecting young people to come find state government.
10
If Wisconsin residents between the ages of 18 and 35 take away just one message from your responses, what do you hope it is, and why?
My message would be that you have lots to be angry about, because “leaders” have created numerous problems for you to face now and into the future. And you need partners to help fix what is broken. I've spent 30 years solving problems, not just talking about them — and I know how to make Wisconsin work for young people, because I've done it before. I helped rebuild Wisconsin's finances after years of mismanagement, turning a fiscal disaster into a nearly $4 billion surplus. That's proof I know how state government works and how to make it deliver.
Young Wisconsinites don't need another candidate promising a different future. You need a governor who can actually build it — more housing you can afford, healthcare that doesn't bankrupt you, apprenticeships and job pathways that don't require debt, and a state government that shows up for you in the years between elections, not just during them.
I grew up one of eleven kids, working five jobs to get through college. I know what it means to do math that doesn't add up. As governor, I'll make sure Wisconsin works for people building a life here, not just people who already have one.
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