Dear District 2, 

It’s been an honor to serve as your Hennepin County Commissioner since 2018 and as Board Chair since 2023, and I am working hard to earn your support again as I run for re-election in 2026.

The stakes in this moment are real. People are feeling stretched by rising costs, federal attacks, increasing fear, and a growing understanding that our systems are not working the way they should. And the taxpayer-funded violence we are experiencing is inhumane, unlawful, and unconstitutional.

When everyday life becomes harder to manage and trust in institutions is strained, strong, local, and care-centered leadership matters most in moments like these. I am deeply inspired by Minnesotans’ bravery on behalf of our neighbors and toward justice.

Counties are where the government most directly affects your life. County decisions shape whether you can access affordable housing, receive healthcare access, and whether or not public systems protect you when you are most vulnerable. With the current and continuous harm at the federal level, local government is both our first and last line of defense. 

What we accomplished

As County Board Chair, I’ve focused on building systems that are equitable and work toward long-term stability for residents and families. During my tenure, I have focused on the following areas: 

• Supporting Immigrants: I helped make clear that county property cannot be used for ICE raids and expanded access to legal help so immigrant families are not forced to face the system alone. 

• Defending Democracy: I acted to protect critical services when federal funding was cut, helping the County to secure court orders to keep $170M in place and expanding legal support so people can defend their rights. 

• Domestic Violence and Reproductive Justice: I pushed for a clear look at how the county responds to domestic violence and helped protect access to reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare so people can make decisions about their own bodies. 

• Housing and Homelessness: I led major investments in affordable housing and shelter that helped cut family homelessness by more than half and focused resources on people with the greatest need.

• Healthcare and Public Health: I helped keep the region’s safety-net hospital open and financially stable while strengthening mental health care, recovery services, and maternal health. 

• Transit and Infrastructure: I helped reset the Blue Line Extension so that transit investment goes hand in hand with keeping people in their homes and supporting the communities along the route. 

Across all of this work, I have consistently invested upstream–focusing on prevention, early support, and building systems that work together–so that everyday life is more stable, affordable, and manageable for our families and residents.

Why I’m running for re-election

I’m running for re-election because I know firsthand that counties are where democracy becomes real. Democracy doesn’t fail because people don’t care. It fails when systems aren’t designed to support the people who rely on them.

In this moment of federal harm and constitutional crisis, people don’t just need leaders who care; we need systems built with care and competence at the center. I am and will continue to work unwaveringly to ensure people experience safety, dignity, and opportunity. 

I renew my promise to advocate for those who are marginalized or disenfranchised, to partner across all layers of government to advance our most complex issues, and to expand who sees themselves in the story of leadership and politics.

It would be an honor to continue serving you. I believe our shared humanity will prevail – and that the most impactful way forward is when we choose to be brave together.