Civil Rights "Today, there are elected officials at all levels of government trying to divide our country and rob us of our rights. To fend off these attacks, we need a progressive representative who will be a consistent leader on issues of equality, choice and social justice. I will fight for these important issues and always be a progressive vote you can count on."

Supporting Choice
I am pro-choice. I support a woman's right to choose, and to make medical decisions about her body. Couples need access to good information and safe, effective and affordable contraception which can reduce the likelihood of unwanted pregnancies and help prevent the spread of sexually-transmitted disease. In the days when abortions were illegal, women sometimes died from the complications of back alley, unsafe abortions. Meanwhile, the wealthy would fly to other countries where abortion was legal. We can't go back. Women must have the right to control their own bodies, and make their own judgments.

Strengthening Marriage
I support treating people equally, regardless of sexual orientation. For that reason, I support the rights of gays and lesbians to codify their relationships with the bonds of marriage. Marriage entitles committed couples to critical legal benefits and protections, like the right to be at a loved one's side in the hospital. Strengthening the bonds between people will help build stronger families.

Stopping Gun Violence
I support efforts to keep guns off the streets and out of the hands of children and criminals. I support strong gun control to keep out community safe.

Opposing the Death Penalty
I am against the death penalty for several reasons. The death penalty devalues human life, costs states more money than life imprisonment without parole, risks the taking of innocent life through mistakes in the justice system, and fails to deter crime. Life imprisonment without possibility of a parole is a wise alternative to capital punishment.

The imposition of the death penalty is often both racially and economically biased. Defendants who are people of color are more likely to receive death sentences than others who committed similar crimes. Ninety-eight percent of all death row defendants were people who could not afford their own attorneys.