Primary Election Date: 04/12/2012
General Election Date: 04/12/2012

Who Am I?

I am a progressive student seeking to be elected as a male delegate for Ohio's 15th district on the postprimary caucuses on April 12th.

I am pleased to announce that former Congresswoman, and member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Mary Jo Kilroy has endorsed me. I believe I will gain the endorsement of my local Education Association, a county commissioner and I expect to bring about seventy supporters to the caucuses, an impressive number for any candidate, let alone a Ohio State student, when one considers 300 is considered a very large crowd size for the caucuses.

Why Am I Running?

I'm running to be a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. We are a big-tent Party and that is good, it's how we win. But even the mightiest tent will collapse without a spine and our Party's spine is the quadrennial Democratic National Convention and I want to make sure our spine is strengthened by progressive values and planks in a progressive platform.

Hold Me Accountable!

During my time at the convention I will push for an electable, progressive platform that vocalizes the hopes and dreams of millions of Americans and Democrats.

My second goal is to seek out other like-minded Young Democrats at the Convention so we can present a unified bloc in order issues that impact all Americans, but specifically Young Americans, are entered into the platform. Typical issues such as voting-rights and tuition assistance but also issues such as the environment, the deficit and debt. Issues that impact us all but will impact the young more than the elderly.

My DFA values:

My campaign is comprised of people who believe in me and the reasons I am running to be a delegate.

We as a society are judged by how we treat the least among us. The Democratic Party is THE Party for the least among us and I think that some of us have forgotten that in our pursuit of corporate money. I am not decrying a big-tent Party or Blue Dogs or New Democrats, far from it. We need to welcome differing opinions in order to have a Party that truly represents America. Our Party's desire for collective security is writ in our very name, the Democratic Party. We do not give the votes of the wealthy more status than the votes of the poor, all are equal and democratic.

Personal liberty is at the heart of my political ideology. Women should be free to decide what happens to their own body, all should be free to marry the partner of whatever gender, workers should be free to bargain as a collective for a basic living wage and all of us, human beings and not just Americans, should be free to enjoy a planet not contaminated beyond repair.

My Campaign is People-Powered!

I am relying on friends and family to come support me, I hold neither office in government nor office in the Party so I must get people to caucus for me because they believe in me and what I am trying to do in terms of shaping the Democratic Party. I cannot rely on people caucusing for me because I am an elected official and somehow 'deserve' it.

I cannot expect big-name endorsers and establishment politicians and groups to come to me for endorsements, I must go to them. I cannot get their support by promises of donations for runs for office or jobs for them or their family, I convince them through my vision, my organization and the support I am so lucky to have from friends, family and more.

My campaign to be a delegate is not powered by the Democratic Party, it is not powered by the Establishment or a few unions, it is powered by ordinary citizens who want to get their voice heard.