The most immediate and pressing challenge is the state's budget deficit. We must resist calls for cuts to essential services and instead explore progressive revenue enhancements. I will advocate for a budget that:

• Protects Core Services: We must safeguard funding for education, healthcare, and infrastructure. The "Blueprint for Maryland's Future" is a landmark education reform, and we must ensure its long-term funding is secure.
• Seeks New Revenue Streams: Rather than cutting services that thousands of Marylanders rely on, we should consider reforms to our tax structure. This could include a sales tax on services, corporate tax reform, and a more progressive income tax on the wealthiest Marylanders. We must also explore new funding mechanisms for transportation to address the declining revenue from the gas tax.
• Prioritizes Responsible Spending: While avoiding cuts to critical programs, we can and should make government more efficient. I will support initiatives that streamline processes and eliminate wasteful spending to ensure every taxpayer dollar is used effectively.

In an era where federal protections are under threat, Maryland must be a champion for healthcare access and personal autonomy. I am committed to:

• Safeguarding Reproductive Rights: We must protect  access to reproductive healthcare, including a patient's right to an abortion and the legal protection of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other fertility treatments.
• Expanding Healthcare Access: I will work to protect the Affordable Care Act at the state level and support initiatives that improve access to care and lower prescription drug costs.
• Ensuring Public Health: We must continue to invest in public health, including addressing the opioid and substance use disorder crisis and strengthening our public health infrastructure.
• Improving Mental Health: I will prioritize mental health by pushing for a comprehensive, accessible, and affordable behavioral healthcare system. This means advocating for increased funding to expand mental health services in our schools and communities, especially for young people. I will also work to ensure that our mental health crisis response system emphasizes "help, not handcuffs" by diverting individuals in crisis away from the criminal justice system and toward the care they need.

A progressive Maryland is one where every person has the opportunity to thrive, not just survive. I will champion policies that:

• Support Working Families: This includes increasing the availability of affordable childcare, expanding collective bargaining rights for workers, and fighting for fair wages and safe working conditions.
• Create Good Jobs: We must invest in programs like the RAISE Act to expand registered apprenticeships and prepare our workforce for the jobs of the future. This will not only grow our economy but also create pathways to the middle class for thousands of Marylanders.
• Advance Consumer Rights: I will fight for legislation that protects consumers from predatory practices, such as "bait-and-switch" tactics by third-party energy suppliers, and ensures greater transparency in pricing and lending.

Maryland has a responsibility to lead on climate change. A progressive agenda means continuing to take bold action to protect our environment and build a sustainable future. I will support:

• Investing in Renewable Energy: We must accelerate our transition to clean energy by supporting community solar projects, attracting wind energy companies, and promoting advanced battery storage.
• Holding Polluters Accountable: I will advocate for stronger regulations to fight water pollution and address contamination from harmful chemicals like PFAS. We must ensure that the burden of environmental cleanup does not fall on our communities.
• Promoting Sustainable Infrastructure: We need to find new ways to fund our transportation system that reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, while also investing in public transit and infrastructure projects that make our state more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Maryland has been a leader for our LGBTQIA residents. We must continue to champion legislation that expands and protects these rights. I will advocate:

• Building on Maryland's Existing Protections: I will fight for policies that further safeguard gender-affirming care from out-of-state legal challenges and ensure that our schools are safe and inclusive for all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. I believe we must proactively defend the rights of our LGBTQIA+ community against any federal attempts to roll back our progress.

Our state is stronger because of our immigrant community. I am dedicated to ensuring that our neighbors, who are currently undocumented, are also treated with fairness and respect. 

• Expanding Essential Services: I will support legislation that expands access to essential services, such as healthcare and education, regardless of immigration status. 
• Law Enforcement: We need to limit the voluntary cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, ensuring that our immigrant communities feel safe and empowered to report crimes without fear of deportation.

International relations must be grounded in the principles of human rights, justice, and peace—not militarism and perpetual conflict. As a progressive Democrat, I believe our foreign policy should reflect our deepest values and serve the interests of the diverse families in Maryland. This means prioritizing diplomacy, human rights, and humanitarian aid over military intervention.

When we look at the genocide in Gaza, we are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe of unimaginable scale. The loss of life, the widespread destruction of homes, hospitals, and infrastructure, and the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid are actions that international bodies and human rights organizations have widely condemned.

We must call this what it is: a genocide. The United States must use its immense influence to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire. We must also condition all military aid to Israel, ensuring that U.S. taxpayer dollars are not used to perpetuate the violence and the occupation. I stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination, and I support a just and lasting peace that guarantees dignity and security for all people in the region.

The conflicts in Sudan and Congo are also unacceptable, and as a state delegate, I recognize the importance of promoting diplomacy and humanitarian aid to help achieve peace and stability. While my focus remains on serving the people of our state, I will advocate for policies that support a more just and equitable world and encourage the next generation to safely protest injustice, ensuring our international engagement reflects our values of human rights and compassion. A true progressive foreign policy recognizes that our security is interconnected with the security of the entire world. When we support human rights and justice globally, we build a more stable and peaceful world for everyone. My commitment is to policies that truly serve humanity.