After many years of contemplating, I have made the decision to seek election to the US House of Representatives, representing the 6th Congressional District of the Great State of Oregon, as an independent candidate, unaffiliated with any party in 2026.

I love this state, and I love this country. I have served alongside those who have given the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of this nation. We owe it to them, to our children, and to ourselves, to be a nation worthy of such sacrifice. Today's version of America is far from the best version of itself, but it's not too late if we simply choose to break the cycle of reelecting people who serve party over nation, and special interests instead of the People. We can find common ground, and we must.

Is this winnable?  Absolutely, especially in Oregon's 6th Congressional District.  See why here: Why This is Winnable

A VIABLE, COMMON SENSE, UNIFYING ALTERNATIVE TO A SELF-SERVING TWO-PARTY DUOPOLY 
The political parties in power today have polarized this nation, pandered to the most extreme factions, and convinced us that our neighbors are our enemies if they think differently than we do—all to stay in power. Your voice has been drowned out by special interests and high-dollar campaign donors. That is the polar opposite of what our Founders intended. 

Those who hold office today have demonstrated time and again that their allegiance is to party, not nation; their goal is to retain their positions of power, not serve the people. They are reliant on party funding, party infrastructure, and ideology in order to stay in power. I refuse to bend my knee to a party or to be complicit in continuing the status quo. I intend to represent you, the People--not a party--the way our nation was intended to be: by, for, and of the People.

WE NEED COURSE CORRECTION QUICKLY
What the Founders created was extraordinary.

The declaration that human beings were not meant to be subjects of a king—that each of us is born equal, with inherent dignity and the opportunity to prosper—and that a nation could be governed by, for, and of the People was radical and bold in its time. It remains one of the most powerful ideas in human history. In the 18th century, those ideas were revolutionary. In the 21st century, they should simply be the way our nation works.

Yet today, many Americans feel the promise of this country slipping further out of reach. The gap between those who have and those who have not continues to widen. Our middle class—the backbone of our nation—is under constant pressure, while small businesses struggle to compete. At the same time, an ever-growing share of wealth and power is being concentrated in the hands of a very small number of individuals and corporations, and our Supreme Court has disastrously decided that those special interests and corporations should have nearly unlimited ability to impact our elections (it's time for a Constitutional Amendment to overturn Citizens United).

We have reached a moment when many young Americans are struggling just to achieve the same quality of life their parents had—let alone the expectation that each generation should do better than the one before it. That is not the American promise we were meant to pass down.

The United States has long been a beacon of strength and principle when the world needed it most. But today, I believe we have drifted away from the best version of ourselves—both at home and abroad. We are better than this.

It is time for new leadership. It is time to remember that under our Constitution, the true power of this nation belongs to the People—not political parties, not special interests, and not those who cling to power by auctioning their votes to donors and party leadership. It is time to restore a government that answers to the people it serves.

AN INSURGENT
For nearly 27 years I have served this country in uniform, to include combat tours with a mission of rebuilding fractured nations and fighting insurgents. Today, my mission is to rebuild our own fractured nation; but this time, I am the insurgent. A long-shot newcomer with no party backing. I'm not a lifelong politician, I'm one of you.

OF THE PEOPLE, NOT A PARTY
I run unaffiliated and independent as a loud reminder that the choice between two extreme political parties is a FALSE CHOICE. (Fun Fact: As of February 2026, of the registered voters in Oregon's 6th Congressional District, 38.52% are unaffiliated with a party, while 29.75% are registered as Democrat, and 24.78% are registered as Republican.  We Can Do This.)

COMMON SENSE, CENTRIST POLITICS AND UNITY
My candidacy is a referendum on my belief that the vast majority of Americans live somewhere in the middle, and I intend to offer an alternative to divisiveness, and a step toward “putting some unum back in this pluribus.” 

WHAT IS NEXT
We have registered with the Federal Election Commission and the State of Oregon. What we need now is as much energy as we can muster.  We need...

• Door Knockers and Signature Collectors - by this summer, we need 3,532 signatures from registered voters in the 6th Congressional District in order to appear on the ballot for the general election on November 3, 2026. I need your help to get them! Register your willingness to collect signatures here.
• Donations - We are up against Big Party Machinery and Big Party Money. One of my first goals upon election is to introduce legislation capping campaign spending and advocating for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. Until we take power back and change the rules of the game, this is the game we have to play. It makes me incredibly uncomfortable to ask for your hard-earned dollars, but I simply cannot do this without you.
  • Reaction to my campaign has been overwhelming.
  • People everywhere are tired of the status quo.
  • They need to know they have a real, viable option as al alternative to this self-perpetuating, polarizing, two-party madness.

Help me let everyone in the 6th District know that there is a third way, and a better way. Your donation, no matter how large or small, is valuable and I am deeply grateful. Donate, then tell your friends and family to donate as well. We can do this, together. Contribute here: Donate

Grassroots. Bootstraps. Shoe leather. The odds are stacked against us. I will have no party funding, and I am not owned by special interests. So, I need you. Take America Back with me... one step at a time.

More to come. Eternally grateful to you all. Let's do this, together.