• I understand the difficulties that regular people face just trying to survive.

• I believe one of the strongest headwinds that people face are the forces of political parties and special interests that seek to divide and conquer. For Virginia to get back on its feet, we must break down those barriers and find ways to work together as one people.

• People should listen to their common sense telling them that a leader does not have to be a member of a political party, nor have to have political experience to be a successful leader. Life experience, integrity, leadership skills and character are what is needed, and I believe I have those attributes.

Children cannot learn in crumbling schools or with underpaid or under-performing educators. There is a huge discrepancy between the support given to rural southwestern and urban north Virginia schools. This needs more balance. In additional, the traditional role of college needs to be examined since the costs of obtaining a degree can be such a burden to a post-college life.

Our workforce is changing and many of the jobs lost during the pandemic won't be coming back. These folks are going to need to be retrained for new careers to get back into the workforce. I want to invest in programs that give them the opportunity to take care of themselves and their families. The pandemic has opened the door for many businesses to reduce their workforce and replace them with artificial intelligence and other technology that will become permanent.