Election Process Reform

• Our election system is the foundation of our republic, and it is crumbling. Fixing it is not “wasteful spending”; it is a critical, one-time infrastructure investment in accountability.

• My platform is a two-part reform:

• First, a “Top-Four” Non-Partisan Primary that allows all voters to participate.

• Second, a STAR Voting general election. This 0-5 scoring method is the most secure and least manipulable system available.

• This reform ensures winners are accountable to the entire citizenry, not just a partisan base. A one-time investment to secure a representative government for 50 years is the most fiscally responsible spending we can do.

Representative Voting Districts

• Gerrymandering is a fundamental conflict of interest. Politicians must not choose their voters.

• In 2018, the people of Utah passed Proposition 4 to solve this, creating a citizen-led commission. The legislature acted in bad faith, ignoring the people's will to rig its own maps. The subsequent court battle only resulted in a different flawed map.

• Both sides have failed to respect the people.

• My solution is simple: we must adopt the official, non-partisan maps submitted by the Utah Independent Redistricting Commission (UIRC) in 2021. These are the only maps created through the transparent, citizen-led process Utahns demanded. I will also fight to restore the commission's permanent, binding authority, ensuring this process is free from all political manipulation for good.

Representative Voting Methods

• The “lesser of two evils” dilemma is not a failure of voters; it's a feature of plurality voting. This system is designed to trap us, forcing a strategic, insincere vote and making a 'wasted vote' a rational fear. This is how the two-party duopoly maintains power.

• My solution is a two-part reform. First, our "Top-Four" Non-Partisan Primary advances the most viable candidates, regardless of party. Then, the general election uses STAR Voting.

• This combination mechanically liberates the voter. STAR (Score Then Automatic Runoff) allows you to score all four finalists from 0-5. You can give your true favorite a “5” and an acceptable compromise a “4.” Your vote is never wasted. It expresses your full, honest preference and ensures the candidate with the broadest support wins. This is how we vote our conscience and win.

Campaign Finance Reform

• I believe in radical transparency and severing the “pay-to-play” culture that allows special interests to buy access. My solutions require no new taxes, only the political will to hold power accountable.

• First, I will champion a "Top 3 Donors" law. This requires all political ads—TV, web, or mail—to clearly list the top three donors funding the message, ending the power of shadowy PACs.

• Second, I will fight to dismantle the lobbyist-to-lawmaker pipeline. This includes a strict "pay-to-play" ban, prohibiting donations from any entity holding a state contract. Critically, it will also ban "model legislation," making it illegal for legislators to introduce bills written by lobbyists or special interests. All bills must be drafted by neutral, non-partisan staff.

Expand Voter Participation

• Utah is a leader in voter participation, and we should be proud. We have universal vote-by-mail and same-day registration. Our “opt-in” system balances access with the personal responsibility inherent in voting. The debate over 'barriers' is often partisan noise.

• The real threat to voter participation in Utah isn't registration; it's the legislature's open hostility to the will of the people. When citizens work to pass a ballot initiative like Prop 4, only to have the legislature nullify it, the message is clear: your vote doesn't matter. This is the ultimate barrier.

• I will fight to protect the citizen initiative process from all legislative overreach, ensuring that the people's right to reform their government is respected.

Government Transparency

• My commitment to accountability starts with transparency. I pledge to provide a daily video update during the legislative session and publish a weekly list of all meetings held by my office.

• This is part of a zero-tolerance policy for bad-faith pressure. I will openly defend “win-win” compromises that serve the people. But I will not tolerate being privately “pressured” to support a bad bill—I will make any such attempt public.

• Finally, I will champion two systemic reforms: a mandatory 72-hour “public review” period for all bills, and a real-time disclosure law for all political donations over $1,000, including aggregated “bundled” donations, so all financial influence is immediately known.

Limit Partisan Influence

• Partisan labels should not exist for jobs that demand non-partisan stewardship. When we elect an Attorney General—the state's top lawyer—or a school board member through a closed partisan primary, we create a fundamental conflict of interest. Their loyalty is forced to a party, not the people they serve. This practice is a direct threat to the rule of law and the autonomy of our local schools.

• My solution is simple and comprehensive: apply the “Top-Four” Non-Partisan Primary to all state-level races.

• By putting all candidates on one ballot and letting all voters participate, we break the two-party duopoly's grip on these critical offices. This reform ensures the winner is accountable to the entire citizenry, not just their party's base, restoring neutrality and independence to our government.

Separation of Powers

• In Utah, the legislative branch has overstepped its boundaries by acting in bad faith, ignoring citizen-passed laws like Prop 4. This legislative overreach then forces the judicial branch into an activist role, resulting in flawed, court-imposed solutions that also overstep their bounds.

• My solution is to restore true independence.

• First, I will ban "model legislation." This makes our legislature truly strong and independent by forcing them to write their own laws, not just rubber-stamp bills from partial, outside interests.

• Second, my "Top-Four Non-Partisan Primary" for all state offices, including the Attorney General, will de-politicize our government. It ensures officials are loyal to the Constitution, not just a party, restoring a true separation of powers.

Government Accountability

• Utahns deserve a constitutional mechanism to remove officials who act in bad faith. I support a recall, but not the political circuses seen in other states.

• My solution is a “for-cause” recall, modeled on states like Washington. This system is not a tool for partisan disagreements; it is a legal check on misconduct. This process would require citizens to petition a court and prove a high, legal standard, such as malfeasance, gross neglect of duty, or a significant violation of their oath of office.

• Only after a judge validates the legal sufficiency of the charge could a recall election proceed. This gives the people a powerful tool to remove corrupt officials while preventing the system from being weaponized for purely political games.

Fiscal Responsibility

• A “fiscally responsible” government is one that is held accountable. This requires high-value investments in transparency.

• My policy is to end “back room” spending deals. First, I will fight to make all budget negotiations public and live-streamed.

• Second, I will champion a “Radical Transparency Portal.” This is a one-time, high-value investment to create a searchable public database for every state expenditure, contract, and payment.

• Finally, this must apply to debt. I will require a public “bond dashboard” that details all underwriting fees and tracks all spending. This is the only way to ensure “No Cronyism” and true long-term balance.

Taxes and Regulations

• My “No Cronyism” platform demands a tax code that is simple, transparent, and fair—not a weapon for special interests.

• First, I will fight to simplify the tax code, eliminating the “back-room deal” loopholes and carve-outs that rig the system for a favored few. A simple, fair code is the only way to ensure a “fair contribution from all.”

• Second, to fight “top-down” government bloat, I will champion an Automatic “Sunset” Law. This “no-cost” accountability reform forces every state regulation to be publicly justified and re-approved, or it automatically expires. This ensures our laws are relevant and not just bureaucratic dead weight.

Housing Availability

• Housing prices are not a “bankster” problem; they are a supply problem. Government, through over-regulation, has made it illegal to build the modest, affordable housing we need.

• My solution is a “no-cost,” anti-regulation, pro-property-rights reform: legalize the "Missing Middle."

• I will champion a state law that restores the right to build modest duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes in any residential area. This is not a “one-size-fits-all” plan for giant complexes; it is a simple reform that allows the free market to build homes that fit our neighborhoods. This is the only sustainable, “no-cost” way to create affordable housing for families.
  

Education Funding

• My platform is not about spending more; it's about spending smarter. We must fund students, not top-heavy administrative systems.

• My solution is a “No Cronyism” reform package:

• First, I will champion a “Radical Transparency Portal” to mandate every school district post every dollar spent in a searchable public database.

• Second, I will introduce a “Districts of Innovation” Act. This “no-cost” bill empowers schools to opt out of state-level regulations, bypassing the bureaucracy.

• Finally, I will fight to reform our funding formula to be 100% “portable,” so state and local money follows the student to any public or charter school they choose. This creates true free-market accountability.

Healthcare 

• The current healthcare system is failing our middle class. Self-employed and healthy families are priced out, forced to pay exorbitant premiums for “coverage” that only begins after a high deductible is met.

• My first priority bill is a “no-cost” reform to unlock Direct Primary Care (DPC). This is a “gym membership” model for your doctor: you pay a flat monthly fee for 24/7 access and zero co-pays, bypassing the insurance bureaucracy. This model is designed to be paired with an HSA and a low-cost “catastrophic” plan for emergencies.

• My bill is a “clean” deregulation, clarifying in state law that DPC is not an insurance product. This legal fix unlocks the free market, giving Utahns the freedom to choose an affordable, transparent option the current system has denied them.

Immigration

• My personal experience with our broken immigration system is twofold: I’ve navigated the costly, bureaucratic “legal” path with my spouse, and I’ve watched a friend’s family be torn apart by the “illegal” path and the threat of deportation. This system is a humanitarian and bureaucratic crisis.

• The vitriol is a political distraction; these are not criminals, but contributing members of our community.

• As a state senator, I will champion a “Utah Way” resolution urging Congress to fix this mess. This includes reinstating a pre-2001 provision allowing long-term, contributing residents to rectify their status by paying a fine. This, plus a permanent solution for “Dreamers,” is the humane, commonsense path. At the state level, I'll support programs that meet our economic needs while ensuring immigrants are treated with dignity.

Homelessness

• Homelessness is a complex issue that we cannot solve with old, failed policies. My platform is a 'no-cost' reform that attacks the problem at its root.

• First, we must prevent it. My "Missing Middle" housing plan creates affordable housing options, and my Direct Primary Care (DPC) bill stops medical and mental health crises from leading to financial ruin.

• Second, for those already in crisis, we must offer compassion with accountability. I will champion "step-up" programs, like the successful model in San Antonio, where individuals are given a safe place but must engage in services to earn their way toward self-sufficiency. This is the “personal responsibility” path to exiting the system.

Environment

• My environmental platform is not about “cronyist” incentives; it's about “no-cost” reforms that attack the root cause of our problems: sprawl and over-regulation.

• The single “best” solution for our air quality is Zoning Reform. My “Missing Middle” housing plan is a pro-property-rights bill that legalizes duplexes, allowing growth within our existing infrastructure. This is a free-market solution to the car-dependent sprawl that pollutes our air.

• Finally, to support the “local, ethical products” this priority demands, I will champion an expansion of the “Food Freedom Act.” This “no-cost” deregulation empowers our local farmers and producers by getting government out of the way.

Great Salt Lake

• Saving the Great Salt Lake requires accountability from everyone, not just taxpayers.

• First, corporate accountability: We must stop giving “back room deals” to the mineral companies. I will support regulations that hold them accountable for their water use.

• Second, market-based reform: I will champion the Water Banking Act. This is a “no-cost” law that unlocks a free market by empowering farmers to lease their water without losing their property rights.

• This is not a new government subsidy. This market is funded through a public-private Trust that leverages private donations, minimizing the taxpayer burden. This, plus tiered water pricing for personal responsibility, is the sustainable, fiscally-responsible solution that respects property rights.

Energy

• My energy policy is a “no-cost,” anti-subsidy platform. For too long, “green” energy has been a “back room deal,” hiding massive environmental costs from manufacturing and disposal.

• The government should not be picking winners. I will fight to end all special-interest subsidies—for both legacy fuels and renewables. This is the only way to stop the system of cronyism that rigs the market.

• Instead, I will champion deregulation to create a true free-market, “all of the above” playing field. This “no-cost” reform will unleash innovation in reliable, 24/7, zero-pollution energy. It will empower superior technologies being developed right here in Utah, like geothermal and advanced nuclear, to compete fairly on their own merits.