+ Do I live in your district?

Indiana’s third congressional district is made up of ten complete counties and two counties that are split with other congressional districts. If you live in Adams, Allen, Dekalb, Huntington, Jay, Lagrange, Noble, Steuben, Wells, and Whitley county, then you will have the option to vote for Chip this November. If you live in Blackford or Kosciusko county, you may have the option of voting for Chip, depending on where you live in those counties. You can find more about your district and who will be on your ballot at indianavoters.com.

+ Have you run for office before?

No; I am a career public servant, having spent 22 years as either a teacher, a member of the United States Army, or as a healthcare worker. I am not bringing years of political training into this race, but rather, I’m a neighbor working to make my community better and give voice to communities that have been left behind by both parties. I believe my experience has prepared me for this role because I understand the issues Congress makes decisions about from direct experience. If elected, I would be the only Member of Congress with experience as a frontline worker in public education, the military, and healthcare.

+ Why are you running to be a member of the United States Congress?

I see a need in Northeast Indiana for a voice in Washington who is there to work for them, not party leadership or personal ambition. Specifically, I got into this race because my family saw firsthand how our healthcare system fails far too many, and our leaders in DC tend to over promise and under deliver. My top prority is to help find a solution so that all Americans will have affordable healthcare, not just the “healthy and the wealthy,” and to be an honest, responsive voice for all Hoosiers in the district

+ What is your stance on women’s reproductive rights?

I personally do not feel it is my role, nor do I believe it is the job of a Congressman to tell women what they can and cannot do with her body. Decisions on birth control, family planning, and abortion are not my place to dictate decisions that should be made between the women, her God, and her physician. Therefore, I am pro-choice. But I do believe the desire to reduce the number of abortions comes from the right place for most voters who are pro-life, and believe we can work together to ensure all women have the resources, healthcare and family planning access, and community support to make whatever decision is right for them.

+ What is your stance on the Second Amendment…the right to bear arms?

As a gun owner myself, I believe that if you can pass a background check that you have the right to purchase a handgun, a shotgun, and even a rifle. However, I believe that we need 100% background checks. In addition, I believe that law enforcement officials should have the ability to use red flag laws for certain potentially dangerous situations where gun owners are involved.

+ Are you accepting money from political action committees (PACs)?

We are not accepting any corporate PAC money. We are funded by voters like you and folks working to represent the working class, not corporate special interests.Once elected to Congress, I will not be tied down by having to return favors to corporate America for being elected.

+ What is your stance on climate change and the environment?

As a science teacher, I can tell you that without a doubt, climate change is real, it is man-made, and it is a threat not only to our environment, but to our health, our economy, our farmers, and our national security. We must find solutions to our fossil fuel dependence in order to ensure we leave our children and our grandchildren a planet that is sustainable for life. The longer we wait to acknowledge and fix this problem, the harder it will be to reverse the effects.
Too many politicians are bought and paid for by the fossil fuel industry, taking money in exchange for denying climate change, eliminating environmental protections, and most dangerously, blocking the study, development, and investment in renewable energy. Renewable energy manufacturing and sustainable agriculture have the opportunity to bring hundreds of thousands of good-paying, modern jobs to Midwestern communities like ours, while also fighting climate change and protecting against the kind of environmental contamination that led to the water crisis in Andrews, Indiana. It is time for your representative to know the science, understand the threats and opportunities, and work with our communities to be a part of the solution.

+ How will you help Hoosiers of Indiana’s Third Congressional District?

First and foremost, by listening to the constituents of the third district. I have pledged to have a town hall meeting at least four times a year, and at times and places that normal, working class Hoosiers can attend. I believe the role of a Representative is to work for the people they elect, not use them to advance a political career.

In addition, I will fight for all Americans to have affordable healthcare, to have the ability to join unions, to have a minimum wage of $15 per hour, as well as protect social security from becoming privatized.

+ What is the role of government as it pertains to education at the K-12 level?

As a federal legislator, my role is to support state and local decision-making on K-12 education. Local school districts and local educators know what is best for their communities and their students. I know that, because I am a public school teacher myself. But that doesn’t mean federal legislators don’t have a job to do. Congress has the power of the purse, and should be working with state and local governments to make sure they have the resources they need to educate their students effectively--especially in school districts that need the most help.

Education touches every part of our lives and our communities. Studies have shown that one in ten men who dropout of high school end up in jail at some compared to just one in 35 graduates. We’re seeing now in the pandemic that when schools suffer and don’t have effective partners in Washington, our students suffer. I believe that Congress has a duty to help it’s citizens be as productive as possible, and that starts with making sure public schools are fully funded and have the full support of the federal government to aid their planning. My goal as a federal legislator will be to provide as many funds as possible to the world of K-12 education and make sure Washington isn’t handing down additional mandates that make the jobs of teachers and administrators more difficult.

+ Why should I vote for you and not the “other guy?”

I am going to listen to your concerns, regardless of who you voted for last time, regardless of your profession and income level, regardless of the color of your skin, or your sexual orientation. I will take your concerns to Washington and do my best to make the lives of Northeast Indiana Hoosiers better than they are today. We may not always agree on everything, but I will be honest and forthright, i will listen and respond, and I will always make sure you understand that my votes, my legislation, and my work does not come with strings attached, but is a direct response to the needs and concerns I hear from everyday Hoosiers.