Service to communities
Always.

We're in a race. I want to start out by simply saying good evening, my friends, my neighbors, my fellow Michiganders. Thank you for being here tonight. Your presence sends an important and powerful message — that Michigan's future matters, and together we are ready to build something better. I stand here humbled by your support, inspired by the commitment.

I'm excited by the future that we can build in Michigan together. So for the big point of this evening: I am officially announcing my candidacy for the Michigan State Senate, District 8. In this newly formed district, we need to take it back.

I'm running because I think we can do better. I'm running because I believe that Michigan stands at a defining moment. We have an opportunity to create good-paying jobs, strengthen our economy, and leave our children a state that's stronger than the one we are currently experiencing.

I believe that families should be able to afford groceries, gasoline, housing, and healthcare without worrying about how to make ends meet. I believe that our children deserve schools that prepare them for success. I believe our neighborhoods should be safe, our roads should be repaired and maintained, and our government should be accountable to the people that pay all of those bills.

I believe that young people should see a future here in Michigan and not feel compelled to move elsewhere for opportunities. That future belongs with leadership that embraces innovation, economic growth, and common-sense solutions.

Inflation has caused too many Michigan households to stretch budgets and struggle. Small businesses are facing rising costs. They're closing. Employers are struggling to find skilled workers. And despite our state's incredible strengths, too many young people graduate and immediately seek opportunities elsewhere.

Honestly, we love them — but I am very tired of having to travel to the Dallas area to visit our grandkids. This has got to change. And the only way that it's going to change is to make Michigan the place to stay.

Three simple principles

One: economic opportunities for all. Two: safe, healthy, and prosperous communities. Three: protecting individual liberties and responsible government.

1. Economic Opportunities for Everybody

We must help working families get ahead again. Our government does not create prosperity — working people create prosperity. That means we have to lower the tax burden on our families and our businesses. We have to encourage investment and create an environment where entrepreneurs can thrive. We need policies that put more money back into the pockets of Michigan families, not put obstacles in their way.

Michigan ranks far too low in reading proficiency. When nearly half of our kids cannot read at grade level, that is a problem. And it's not just an education problem — it's an economic problem, a workforce problem, a future problem. Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and every child deserves the tools to reach their potential.

We need stronger schools, greater transparency for parents, and an education system with options that allow every family to choose the best path forward for their kids. It's ridiculous that we have allowed our state to drop to 44th in K–12 education. We can and must do better.

We can create jobs and create talent right here in Michigan if we build the skilled workforce that employers need. Let's expand apprenticeships, technical training, and career opportunities. Let's make Michigan the place where young people want to build a career, buy a home, raise a family, and pursue their dreams. We need to expand broadband access across the state so that every student, worker, and small business has access to the digital economy.

2. Safe, Healthy, and Prosperous Communities

One of the first driving principles of any elected official is the safety, health, and welfare of the community. To do that, we have to strengthen our communities.

Everyone deserves to live in a safe neighborhood, and that starts with supporting law enforcement and all of our first responders that protect us. Across our state, departments are struggling to recruit and retain qualified officers. We need to restore respect for those who put on uniforms every day and run toward danger while everybody else runs away.

We must ensure that law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS remain valued professions, and provide them with the resources they need to serve and protect us. We must work with the legal system to ensure that violent criminals are held accountable, and that public safety remains a top priority. Safe communities attract businesses, strengthen families, and improve quality of life.

Infrastructure matters, too. For decades, politicians have promised to fix the damn roads. I've heard a little bit tonight that the traffic was a little rough getting here. It's time to stop talking and start delivering. Families should be able to drive to work, to school, to church, and home again without dodging potholes or damaging their vehicles. We need better roads, better planning, and better accountability.

How about we change that little mantra to "fix the damn government"? We must reverse those things that are driving away economic growth — reduce the bureaucracy, reduce regulations, reduce ridiculous practices.

As an example, back in November of 2023, Michigan's healthy climate legislation was passed, requiring all of our energy to be produced by wind and solar by 2040. As a scientist, I can tell you that the technology needed to accomplish this is not only not reliable, it's not available, and the expense will be absolutely enormous. It sounds like a good idea, but we have to change that law. We have to bring investment back to the state. This kind of regulation does not meet the common-sense smell test.

Healthcare has to be part of this vision, too. Too many communities lack adequate access to doctors, specialists, and mental health services. We have to expand access to healthcare regardless of zip code, and finally address Michigan's broken mental health community — every income level, every age group.

It's one reason that here in Farmington Hills, we have an effective mental health program called SAFE. We have to expand programs like that, not treat this kind of crisis as an afterthought.

We must stand with our first responders who face unimaginable stress and trauma. When firefighters, police officers, and medics suffer from PTSD because of job experiences, they shouldn't have to worry about a long-outdated issue of presumption. We have to cover them.

We must strengthen our families. That means supporting foster care. I would like to make adoption easier and ensure every child grows up in a safe and loving home. Every kid deserves a forever family.

3. Protect Our Liberty and Responsible Government

We have to restore trust in our government. Government needs to live within its means, just like we and our families do. One important lesson I learned during my years on city council and as mayor is that government must limit debt, spend taxpayer dollars responsibly, and remain accountable to the people it serves. Every dollar from our taxpayers should be treated with respect and used wisely.

Government also needs to ensure that we protect the rights that our Constitution provides us. That includes protecting the rights of workers to pursue opportunities and make a good living; defending the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens; and ensuring public safety measures are implemented in a way that respects due process and individual freedoms. Liberty and responsibility are not opposing views — they are complementary, and a free society requires both.

A vision for Michigan

As I close, I want to say I have a vision for Michigan. My friends, this election is not about specific political parties. It is about electing good candidates who have vision and the desire to usher in common-sense changes.

I'm proud to be endorsed by the Farmington Hills Professional Firefighters, the Farmington Hills Police Officers Association, and the Farmington Area Republicans. These endorsements mean a great deal because they come from people who understand service, sacrifice, leadership, and accountability. They know what it takes to keep our communities safe, strong, and moving forward. Their confidence in this campaign is both humbling and motivating, and I want to thank them for their trust.

But I need all of your support — and that of your friends and your neighbors. This election is about a turning point. It's about whether Michigan will be a state where families can afford to live, where businesses want to invest, where communities are safe, where government remembers who it works for. It is about whether our children will see Michigan as a place of opportunity, or the place they have to leave behind.

I believe in Michigan. I believe in our workers, our farmers, our teachers, our entrepreneurs, our first responders, and our families. I believe we can create an economy that works for all of the above. I believe in building safer communities. I believe we can restore trust in government. And I believe that our best days are still ahead of us.

Tonight, as I announce this campaign, I ask for your vote, your support, and your partnership. Together we build a Michigan that is stronger, safer, more prosperous, and full of opportunity. Together we make Michigan great and move it forward again.

Thank you. God bless you, and God bless Michigan.