<h1>Civil Liberties</h1>

Header

<h2>Headline Text Here</h2>

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Nobody consented to this. </h4>Artificial intelligence has made it trivially easy to fabricate explicit images of real people who never agreed to any of it. The targets are overwhelmingly women and girls — one study found tens of thousands of fake intimate images of members of Congress, nearly all of them women. The TAKE IT DOWN Act, now in effect, finally makes this a federal crime and forces platforms to pull the images within 48 hours. That's a start, not a finish. Victims still often can't sue the people who made the images. The DEFIANCE Act would fix that, and it's stuck in the House. Pass it. And don't let a giveaway buried in some tech bill — a moratorium banning states from regulating AI — quietly wipe out the protections survivors just won.

Deep Fakes

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<h4 style="text-align: center;">They're welding the front door shut. </h4>The same people who demand immigrants "do it the legal way" are dismantling every legal way to do it. In June 2026, the Supreme Court let the government turn asylum seekers away at the border before they can even ask for protection — ruling that a person physically blocked at a port of entry hasn't legally "arrived." The same day, it let the administration strip Temporary Protected Status from roughly 350,000 Haitians and Syrians who fled gang slaughter and civil war, and held that no court is even allowed to review the decision. Refugee resettlement has been gutted. The immigration courts meant to hear these cases are starved while enforcement drowns in cash. Restore the right to seek asylum. Protect TPS holders and give those families a permanent status Congress can't strip on a whim. Rebuild refugee resettlement, and fund the courts to actually function. A legal system you've quietly demolished isn't a legal system anyone can use.

Protections

<h1>New Page</h1>

<h4 style="text-align: center;">The cuts are already here. </h4>This isn't a someday problem. The budget bill Congress passed in 2025 cut Medicaid by roughly $900 billion. Maryland alone stands to lose up to $2.7 billion a year — nearly a fifth of its Medicaid budget — and five Maryland hospitals are already on the list of those at risk of closing. Nearly one in four Marylanders is on Medicaid. Half of them are children. In the western counties, where the hospital is often the only one for forty miles and the largest employer in town, a closure isn't an inconvenience. It's a death sentence with a commute. They cut the care and called it savings.

Medicaid

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Equality</h2>Equality means the law treats you as a full and equal person — no matter who you are, who you love, what your body needs, or how you move through the world. Right now that promise is being revoked in real time, one Supreme Court ruling and one executive order at a time. The people doing it say it's about protecting someone. It's really about deciding who counts, and who doesn't.

Introduction

<h4 style="text-align: center;">The real money is the money you can't see.</h4>Refusing corporate checks is the easy part. The harder problem is the spending nobody discloses at all. In 2024, secret donors poured a record $1.9 billion into federal elections — nearly double four years earlier, and that's only what anyone could trace. It moves through shell companies and nonprofits that never name a single funder, washed through super PACs until the original source vanishes. The Supreme Court promised in Citizens United that this money would at least be transparent. It wasn't. You have a right to know who's trying to buy your government. Overturn Citizens United, pass the DISCLOSE Act, and drag every dollar into the light. And yes — my own side does this too. That's the whole reason I won't.

Dark Money

<h4 style="text-align: center;">They're watching. We mapped it.</h4>Automated license plate readers track where you drive and when, logging the movements of ordinary people across Maryland with no warrant and almost no oversight. Most residents have no idea how many cameras are aimed at them or who keeps the data. So we found out. The MD-06 Privacy Project documents the surveillance infrastructure already installed across this district, camera by camera, at <a href="http://deflock.ethanformd.com">deflock.ethanformd.com</a>. You can't consent to what you can't see.

ALPRs

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Show up. </h4>Accountability isn't only&nbsp;what's written into law.&nbsp;It's whether you'll stand in&nbsp;a room and answer for&nbsp;your record when the room is&nbsp;angry. Between 2015 and&nbsp;2022, members of Congress held&nbsp;more than 25,000 town halls.&nbsp;Then, in early 2025, as&nbsp;constituents packed those rooms&nbsp;furious over cuts to Medicaid and&nbsp;Social Security, House Republican&nbsp;leaders told their members to&nbsp;stop — to switch to call-in&nbsp;events where staff screen the&nbsp;questions and a tough one gets&nbsp;cut off with a click. The&nbsp;instinct to manage voters instead of facing them runs&nbsp;through both parties, not one.&nbsp;I held town halls in&nbsp;counties candidates write off, and&nbsp;I took the questions I didn't&nbsp;see coming. That shouldn't be&nbsp;remarkable. The bar is on&nbsp;the floor. You don't get to&nbsp;represent people you refuse to&nbsp;face.

Accountability

<h4 style="text-align: center;">No kid learns hungry. </h4>Maryland fed every student free during the pandemic, and it worked — better attendance, better grades, less shame in the lunch line. Then the state let it lapse, and has tried and failed twice since to bring it back. Nine other states got it done. A child who skips lunch because the money ran out isn't a budget line. They're a kid who can't focus in fourth period. Free breakfast and lunch for every student — in Maryland, and nationwide through the Universal School Meals Act. We can afford to feed children. We're choosing not to.

Lunch & Breakfast

Check if you are registered to vote

<h2>The System Won’t Change Itself.</h2>

<h5>Affordability</h5>

<h5>Civil Liberties</h5>

<h5>Accountability</h5>

<h5>Immigration</h5>

<h5>Equality</h5>

<h5>Climate</h5>

Resources

<h4>11/20/2025: "Justice for the Powerless, Silence for the Powerful"</h4>Society is divided into two tiers—the wealthy and powerful, and everyone else.The fundamental difference between those two worlds is simple: accountability and justice mostly exist for people like you and me, not for them. The case of Jeffrey Epstein and the long list of people who enabled him is a constant reminder of just how unfair the world can be. The wealthy, the connected, the ones with endless resources—they were protected at every turn.But for me, it hits deeper than anger at corruption. It hits a place I wish didn’t exist, a place shaped by watching the impact of sexual assault on someone I care about. Someone whose life was split into “before” and “after” without their consent. When you’ve seen that kind of pain up close, you don’t read stories like Epstein’s with detachment. You don’t scroll past them. You feel them in your chest.The Epstein Files aren’t just a window into one predator. They’re a reminder of how easily survivors are dismissed, disbelieved, or ignored. That’s what stays with me. It’s the invisible weight survivors carry while the people who hurt them walk away with managed reputations and intact power.I’ve seen what that weight does over time. How healing is never a straight line and how unfair and isolating it is. Survivors must be strong just to exist in a world that doesn’t make space for their stories unless they can produce the “perfect” proof, which is something trauma rarely gives.So, when I think about the Epstein Files, I don’t think about politics. I think about survivors who deserved better. Survivors who still deserve better. Survivors whose pain isn’t a headline, but a life they now must navigate every single day.But what haunts me most is how many chances the world had to stop men like Epstein but didn’t. How many people looked away because it was easier. How many institutions chose to protect power instead of people. He didn’t even try to hide. The photographs, the flight logs, the emails, the videos—it was all out in the open.That’s what stays with me, that’s what hurts, and that’s why I speak up.Not because I’m running for Congress. Because I’ve seen what happens when nobody does.

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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Immigration</h2>Immigration enforcement in this country has stopped pretending to be about safety. It's a machine now — funded to detain as many people as possible and deport a million a year — and most of the people it cages never did anything wrong. This isn't border security. It's a quota with a budget, and the budget has never been bigger.

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Adamstown. </h4>On a poisoned former aluminum smelter outside Adamstown, a 2,100-acre data center campus is rising — gigawatt-scale, three times the footprint of the National Mall. Its drilling has already spilled mud into the streams that feed the Potomac. Amazon alone filed to run 99 diesel generators there, over 250 megawatts of fossil backup, miles from where our kids go to school. When a state senator moved to simply study the impact, the governor vetoed it to save $1.28 million. We're building the most power-hungry infrastructure of the century on contaminated ground, and the state would rather not know the cost.

Adamstown

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Stop deputizing local cops. </h4>287(g) agreements turn local police into immigration agents. The result is predictable: families stop calling 911, stop reporting crimes, stop coming forward as witnesses, because any contact with a badge now risks deportation. That makes everyone less safe — citizen and noncitizen alike. End 287(g), and let local police do the job they were actually hired to do.

287(g)

<h1>Events</h1>

<h2>The System Won't Change Itself.</h2>Washington works fine — for the donors who fund the campaigns, the lobbyists who write the bills, and the members who leave office richer than they walked in. Everyone else is told to wait their turn.I'm done waiting, and I'm done with the version of politics that runs on photo ops and big-dollar access. I live here. I work here. My kids go to school here. This community is my home. The fights below are the ones I'm in, whether or not my name is ever on a ballot again.This isn't a list of talking points. It's where the work is. Pick a fight and get in it.

Platform

<h1>About</h1>

<h1>Thoughts</h1>

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Affordability</h2>The basics don't cost what they used to, and the paycheck never caught up. Health care, housing, child care, the rent — the price of simply being alive in America keeps climbing while wages flatline. That gap isn't bad luck. It's a transfer. Every dollar squeezed out of a family's budget lands in someone else's account, and that someone is doing just fine.

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Paid leave and a Child Tax Credit that counts. </h4>The United States is the only wealthy nation on earth that guarantees its workers no paid family leave. None. You have a baby, you bury a parent, you get a diagnosis — and you choose between a paycheck and the people you love. Maryland passed its own leave law in 2022, then delayed it three times; benefits won't arrive until 2028. Finish it here, win it nationally. Same fight on the Child Tax Credit: the 2021 expansion drove child poverty to a record low, Congress let it lapse, and poverty snapped right back. The version on the books now hands the largest benefit to the richest families and nothing to the poorest — a children's credit that skips the poorest children. Restore the full, refundable credit.

FMLA

<h1>Climate</h1>

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Williamsport.</h4>On January 16, ICE paid $102.4 million for a warehouse outside Williamsport — a town of 2,000 — and announced plans to hold 1,500 people at a time. Then it handed a $641 million contract to a defense firm to run it. The state sued. In April, a federal judge halted most construction, ruling the government never did the environmental review the law requires. But the judge let one thing continue: the security fence, the cameras, the fiber optic cable. A court stopped the detention center and the surveillance kept going up anyway. I've fought this facility from the start — town halls, public records requests, tracking the case through federal court. I'm not done, and neither is this fight.

Williamsport

News Post

<h4 style="text-align: center;">They gutted the Voting Rights Act. Maryland answered. </h4>In April 2026, the Supreme Court gutted Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act — the provision that for sixty years stopped states from drawing maps that erase the voting power of Black and brown communities. Justice Kagan called it the "now-completed demolition" of the law. The fallout is already in motion: analysts project Republicans could pick up more than 190 seats across Southern statehouses, most of them currently held by Black legislators. Maryland didn't wait. The day before the ruling, the governor signed a state Voting Rights Act and put it plainly: "Even if Washington won't protect your vote, I will." That's the model. Pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore federal protection, and back state voting rights acts everywhere they can be won. A democracy that lets the powerful pick their voters isn't one.

Voting

<h1>Accountability</h1>

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Power it clean, or answer for it. </h4>Renewables need a grid actually built to carry them, and transportation — the country's single largest source of emissions — needs real transit and charging even in a rural district Annapolis usually forgets. Every megawatt of new demand this district takes on should come with a plan to power it cleanly and a public accounting of who pays. The Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act aren't suggestions. When a developer dumps mud in the Monocacy, the answer is enforcement, not a rescinded settlement.

Renewable Energy

<h1>Donate</h1>

<h2>How to handle donations on your website</h2>Run does not process donations directly on our platform, as is standard with most political and advocacy sites. Campaigns are often required to comply with reporting requirements, donation limits, and other regulations, so using a donation processor that specializes in serving campaigns is generally a good idea. Sign up with a donation processor and then on your Pages sidebar, click the Link icon on the Donate page and add the link to your donation page. Some common options for donation processing include:<ul><li><a href="https://secure.actblue.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ActBlue</a></li><li><a href="https://www.campaigndeputy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Campaign Deputy</a> </li><li><a href="https://goodchange.app/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">GoodChange</a></li><li><a href="https://numero.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Numero</a></li></ul>

<h4 style="text-align: center;">A path for the people already here. </h4>For the millions who have lived here for years — working, paying taxes, raising kids, holding up whole industries — there is still no legal way to make any of it permanent. They were our neighbors before any of this started. Give them an earned path to citizenship, and fix a system Congress hasn't seriously updated since 1986.

Reform

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Kill the filibuster.</h4>A Senate rule nobody ever voted into the Constitution lets a minority block what a majority of the country actually wants — paid leave, voting rights, a real stock-trading ban, all of it. The last serious bill to force dark money into the open came two votes short of breaking a filibuster in 2022. It didn't lose on the merits. It lost to a rule. The filibuster is a tool for stopping change, and it has worked beautifully. End it, and let the people you elect actually govern. A democracy where the side that lost gets to set the rules isn't much of a democracy.

Filibuster

<h1>Immigration</h1>

Maryland’s 6th District deserves a leader who won’t just talk about solutions but will fight for them—relentlessly and unapologetically.Too many in Washington serve corporate donors and political extremes instead of the people. That ends here. I’m running to take on the fights that matter—from protecting our freedoms and our planet to building an economy and democracy that work for everyone.These aren’t talking points; they’re a battle plan. Let’s get to work.

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Issues Post

<h4 style="text-align: center;">A data center is a surveillance machine that happens to drink water.</h4>I support the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act — Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's bill to halt new data center construction until federal safeguards exist. This isn't only about electric bills and drained aquifers, though it's about those too. The bill exists because ICE is already partnering with AI firms to surveil Americans, and because the same infrastructure powering that surveillance is being thrown up across the Mid-Atlantic with no accountability. You don't get to build the engine of mass surveillance in our backyard and call it economic development.

Data Centers

<h2>This is a flexible editing area</h2>Use the toolbar above to format your text as well as add images, lists, and hyperlinks.

Red Box

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Williamsport. </h4>ICE paid over $100 million for a warehouse in our county and announced plans to hold 1,500 people inside it. It isn't a one-off. It's one of sixteen "processing centers" ICE is building nationwide, part of a deliberate plan to detain immigrants in warehouses the agency owns outright. The acting director described the model himself: "Prime, but with human beings." That's not my word for the cruelty. It's theirs. A detention center is going up and the people it's built to hold are, overwhelmingly, people who committed no crime.

<h1>Issues</h1>

<h1>Your Voice. Your Vote.</h1>

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Built here. Built union. </h4>The transition isn't theoretical in this district. In Garrett County, on a dead coal mine north of Kitzmiller, CPV Backbone Solar came online in December — 324,000 panels, the largest solar farm in Maryland, powering 30,000 homes on land coal left for dead. That's the model: renewables are the backbone, and the old energy country is exactly where the new energy should get built. But a clean-energy job is only a good job if it pays like one. Every solar farm, every transmission line, every reactor and retrofit this district takes on should be built with union labor, prevailing wages, and project labor agreements — not handed to the lowest bidder. The work is coming. The fight is over who gets it and what it pays.

Energy Transition

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Abolish ICE. Rebuild it accountable. </h4>An agency this powerful, operating with this little oversight, disappearing people into a system where their families can't locate them for days, cannot be fixed around the edges. ICE as it exists should be dissolved. Immigration enforcement belongs under the Department of Justice, inside a structure with courts, due process, and real accountability — not a standalone agency that answers to almost no one and runs a warehouse of human beings like a fulfillment center. Enforcement isn't the problem. Unaccountable enforcement is.

Abolish ICE

They sold out the middle class. Rent, childcare, groceries, healthcare — all climbing, while Congress protects the donors who own it. That didn't change after the votes were counted.I spent 15 years inside government fixing what politicians broke. I know exactly what's failing and why — and I'm done waiting for permission to say it out loud.No corporate PAC money. No AIPAC money. Not a single dollar from the special interests that run this town. That was the promise I made to you when I started my campaign. I kept it.We're out of time for safe.So I'll keep showing up and I'll keep pushing.

Message

<h4 style="text-align: center;">The Bay is the test. </h4>Everything upstream ends up in the Chesapeake, and this district sits near the headwaters. Farm runoff, stormwater, and now industrial drilling all flow downhill into the largest estuary in the country. Restoring the Bay means enforcing the limits already on the books and making farmers partners in the fix, not scapegoats for it. Maryland has missed deadline after deadline. The next one can't be optional.

Chesapeake Bay

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Your body, your decision.</h4>Four years after the Supreme Court tore up the federal right to abortion, the country is a patchwork — protected in some states, criminalized in others. In states with bans, women have been turned away from emergency rooms mid-miscarriage because doctors fear prosecution more than they fear a patient bleeding out. The harm falls hardest on Black women, who already die in pregnancy and childbirth at far higher rates than white women. Maryland is a safe harbor: voters wrote reproductive freedom into the state constitution in 2024, and this year the legislature codified emergency abortion care into state law. But safe is relative. Anti-abortion officials are now targeting mifepristone, the most common and safest method, in a case that could choke off mailed prescriptions even in states like ours. Protect access here, guarantee emergency care, defend medication abortion, and restore the federal right Dobbs destroyed.

Reproductive Rights

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Nuclear power. Yes. </h4>I signed the Green New Deal pledge, and I support nuclear power. To a lot of people I stand beside, those two things don't go together — and they're wrong. The resolution itself calls for zero-emission energy. Nuclear is zero-emission. I read the text, not the mood.The fear of nuclear isn't irrational. It was forged at Three Mile Island and Fukushima, and the real sticking point is the waste — fuel that stays dangerous for thousands of years and still has no permanent home. That objection is correct. So let me answer it instead of dodging it.The waste problem is real, but it's a political failure, not a technical one. We've stored spent fuel safely in dry casks for decades — and most of what we call "waste" isn't waste at all. Less than five percent of the energy in a fuel rod is spent before we pull it. The rest is still fuel. France recycles its spent fuel back into reactors today; America abandoned the practice over proliferation fears and is only now restarting the research, alongside a new generation of reactors built to run on what we used to throw away. That's the real answer to "it lasts thousands of years": stop treating ninety thousand tons of unused fuel like garbage.What can't be recycled still needs a permanent home, and we've never finished one — because Washington forced Yucca Mountain on Nevada without consent and watched it collapse for forty years. Finland is opening the world's first repository right now by doing the opposite: asking communities first. Recycle what we can, bury the rest by consent, and stop paying utilities billions in damages for work the government refuses to do. More nuclear does mean more waste, which is why I won't back expanding it without committing to both in the same breath. The two move together or not at all.The demand is coming regardless. The data centers prove it, and the only question is what powers them — right now, diesel and gas. Nuclear is the clean source that delivers around the clock, and small modular reactors, factory-built and sited on a fraction of the land, are the most promising version yet. The first in North America is under construction in Ontario, the first in the U.S. permitted in Wyoming. They aren't running commercially in the West yet, and the early costs are real. But you don't get to call climate an emergency and then take the cleanest firm power off the table over an accident from 1979. I won't.

Nuclear Power

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Disability is not an afterthought. </h4>Tens of millions of Americans live with a disability, and the systems meant to serve them are still built as an afterthought. Start here: in 2026, it is still legal to pay a disabled worker less than the minimum wage. Under a 1938 loophole the Labor Department just declined to close, some workers with disabilities earn pennies an hour. At the same time, the Medicaid cuts moving through Washington are gutting the home- and community-based care that lets disabled people live in their own homes instead of institutions. I live with a chronic condition myself, so none of this is abstract to me. The Americans with Disabilities Act was a promise. Thirty-six years later, it's still only half-kept. End the subminimum wage, protect home-based care, and enforce the ADA like it means something.

Disability

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Climate</h2>Climate change isn't a polar bear on a distant ice floe. It's the well your neighbor won't drink from, the river taking drilling mud from a boom the state won't measure, the summer breaking its own records. It's here, and the people profiting from it are counting on you to look away.

Our campaign is about standing up for the values that make Maryland strong, but we can't do it without your support.

<h2>Together, we can fight for what matters to Maryland.</h2>

<h4>No More Waiting.</h4>

Donate Popup

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Child care costs more than college. </h4>In Maryland, a year of infant care runs more than a year of in-state public college tuition. The federal government calls child care affordable at 7% of household income. No state in the country hits that mark — here it eats more than double that for a typical family, and close to half a single parent's paycheck. So a parent leaves the workforce, or the family goes into debt, or the kid goes without. Universal child care ends the math problem: cap what families pay, fund the providers and the workers who do the work, and stop treating the raising of the next generation as a private burden.

Child Care

<h4 style="text-align: center;">The deportation machine. </h4>Last year's budget bill handed ICE $45 billion for detention alone, making it the highest-funded law enforcement agency in the federal government — bigger than the FBI, bigger than every other federal law enforcement agency combined. The goal, stated out loud, is a million deportations a year. To hit it, ICE arrests people at courthouses, at check-ins, at work, in their own driveways. Roughly three of every four it detains have no criminal record. Releases have nearly stopped. And 2025 was the deadliest year in the history of immigration detention. The agency's detention budget now rivals what it costs to run the entire federal prison system — to lock up gardeners and line cooks.

This was never about one election.

<h1>The work has just begun.</h1>

<h1>Affordability</h1>

Born

Raised

Married

Children

Party

Education

<h2>About Ethan Wechtaluk</h2>

<img src="https://run.imgix.net/37af997b-5cda-4dc8-813c-65b69519fd74/0352ff2e-b19e-4623-a39f-58bd54b2bfd7/0352ff2e-b19e-4623-a39f-58bd54b2bfd7.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C2366%2C3312&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" variant="framed"><h5>Washington keeps failing the people it's supposed to serve, and too many politicians are more interested in managing optics than delivering results. That's why I ran for Congress in Maryland's 6th District. It's why I'm not done.</h5>I was raised around public service. I grew up in Blacksburg, Virginia, where my mom taught at Virginia Tech and my dad worked for the Department of Social Services. From the time I could walk, I learned that integrity isn't a slogan. You practice it or you don't.As a student at Virginia Tech, I witnessed the 2007 campus shooting that took 32 lives. I saw what happens when leaders fail to act, hide behind procedure, or avoid hard decisions. That's why I don't have the luxury of treating public safety, accountability, or human life as abstract concepts.After college, I moved to Montgomery County, Maryland, and spent the last 15 years as a consultant inside the federal government. When systems weren't working, I was part of the teams brought in to fix them. I've worked across Medicare, Medicaid, the FDA, the Health Insurance Marketplace, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, helping untangle broken systems and make public services actually work for the people who depend on them.I've seen government succeed when leaders take responsibility, own the outcome, and stay focused on results instead of excuses. I've also seen it fail when protecting turf, avoiding blame, or preserving power matters more than serving the public. Those choices have real consequences: a veteran waiting months for care that should take weeks, while institutions argue with themselves. That's the difference between governing and posturing, and I've spent my career on the side that fixes problems and delivers.Today, I live in Clarksburg with my wife, Courtney, our three daughters and more cats than I'm willing to admit. This is my home. These are the communities that shaped my values and the people I'm fighting for.I didn't run to climb a ladder, make myself popular, or play it safe. I ran because this district deserves representation that's honest, consistent, and willing to confront power even when it's uncomfortable or the cameras aren't watching. It still does.

Biography

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Health care is the greatest engine of inequality in America. </h4>Americans owe at least $220 billion in medical debt. They didn't overspend. They got sick. One diagnosis, one accident, one premature birth, and a family that did everything right goes underwater — while the people who can afford it never feel a thing. That's not a flaw in the system. That's the system: a machine that turns illness into poverty, running one direction, down onto the people who can least afford the fall. No other wealthy country does this to its own citizens. We chose it. We can choose differently.Medicare for All is how. One program, everyone covered, no premiums, no networks, no surprise bill for the crime of being alive. Your coverage stops depending on your job, your zip code, or your luck. We already spend more per person on health care than any country on earth — enough to cover everyone, if we stop letting insurers skim it on the way through.

Healthcare

<h4 style="text-align: center;">A home shouldn't be a luxury good. </h4>Rent in Maryland is climbing faster than almost anywhere in the country — more than 7% in a single year. Wages didn't move like that. The gap gets paid in roommates, in longer commutes, in people priced out of the towns they grew up in. Part of it is supply: we don't build enough, and outdated zoning blocks what we could. Part of it is Wall Street, which turned starter homes into an asset class and outbids families with cash. Build more, zone smarter, and stop letting private equity treat the roof over your head as a portfolio play.

Housing

<h1>Equality</h1>

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Accountability</h2>Washington works. Just not for you. It works for the donors who fund the campaigns, the lobbyists who draft the bills, and the members who quietly get rich on the side. That's not corruption hiding in the shadows. That's the business model. Breaking it was the whole point.

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Ban congressional stock trading. All of it.</h4>Members of Congress vote on laws that move markets, then trade the stocks those laws affect. It's legal. It shouldn't be. Congress had its chance in 2026: a bipartisan bill to ban the practice outright and make members sell their holdings. It fell apart into loophole-riddled half-measures and partisan blame, and the real ban died. Of course it did — they were being asked to police themselves. Do it for real: no grandfathered portfolios, no exemption for crypto or a spouse's account, no carve-out for the president or vice president. If you write the rules, you don't get to bet on the game.

Stock Trading

<h1>News</h1>

<h4 style="text-align: center;">I'm a bisexual man. This one's personal. </h4>The country is living through the harshest rollback of LGBTQ+ rights in a generation, and it's coming from every direction at once. The Supreme Court let states ban gender-affirming care for trans kids, and 26 states now do. The administration declared in policy that transgender people effectively don't exist, stripped their care from federal health plans, forced trans service members out of a military they volunteered to defend, and erased the "X" marker from passports so people can't carry an ID that matches who they are. I know what it's like to grow up hiding a part of yourself. No kid should have to, and no adult should lose their doctor, their job, or their standing as a citizen over who they are. Pass the Equality Act, protect gender-affirming care and marriage equality, and write anti-discrimination protections into law where no executive order can erase them.

LGBTQ

So much is happening right now. Write a couple lines to get your readers excited for it.

<h2>Latest Campaign Developments</h2>

News

Events Post

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Sunlight or nothing.</h4>Government works in the dark because we let it. Every secret warehouse deal, every undisclosed camera contract, every agency that "can't comment" is betting you'll stop asking. I don't stop asking. I've used Maryland's Public Information Act to pry loose what Washington County wanted buried, and I'll keep filing, keep litigating, and keep publishing what I find. The right to know what your government is doing to you isn't a courtesy. It's the whole game.

Secrecy

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Civil Liberties</h2>The government is building the most powerful surveillance system in human history. No vote. No hearing. No one asked you.Most of this platform is about what government owes you. This plank is about what it has to be stopped from doing to you. Power doesn't shrink on its own. It gets checked — by courts, by public records, by people who refuse to look away. I spent my campaign doing that work. The campaign is over. The work isn't.

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Housing is more than a place to live — it’s the foundation for opportunity, stability, and family security. Yet across Maryland, too many families are being priced out of their own communities. Skyrocketing rents, stagnant wages, and rising mortgage costs have made homeownership feel out of reach for millions of working people. That’s not sustainable — and it’s not acceptable.I know that struggle personally. Despite working hard my entire adult life, I’ve never been able to afford to buy a home. Like so many Marylanders, my family rents — not because we want to, but because the system is stacked against working families who are just trying to get ahead. I’ve seen how housing insecurity doesn’t just impact where you live — it affects your stability, your savings, and your sense of belonging.We need a housing policy that works for everyone — renters, first-time buyers, and long-term homeowners — and one that builds stronger, more connected communities in the process.I’ll fight to make housing affordable and sustainable by:<ul><li>Expanding affordable housing development&nbsp;through federal incentives and partnerships with local governments and nonprofits.</li><li>Increasing support for first-time homebuyers&nbsp;by expanding tax credits and down payment assistance.</li><li>Protecting renters from predatory practices&nbsp;and preventing large corporations from buying up single-family homes and pricing out working families.</li><li>Investing in rural and small-town housing&nbsp;to make sure every community has access to safe, affordable places to live.</li><li>Strengthening the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)&nbsp;and other proven programs that expand supply while protecting affordability.</li><li>Reinvesting in public infrastructure — roads, bridges, broadband, and public transit —&nbsp;to connect communities, lower commute times, and attract economic growth.</li><li>Promoting sustainable, climate-resilient development&nbsp;that reduces energy costs and protects communities from flooding and extreme weather.</li><li>Expanding funding for homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing programs&nbsp;so every Marylander has a safe place to call home.</li></ul>A fair economy starts with affordable housing and reliable infrastructure. We can’t build a stronger future if working families can’t afford to live where they work. It’s time to make housing stability — not speculation — the foundation of our economic growth.

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<h2>Affordability: Building Homes, Strengthening Communities</h2>

Our veterans have sacrificed everything to protect the freedoms we hold dear — and they deserve a country that honors that sacrifice not with words, but with action. Too often, politicians praise veterans on stage and then turn their backs on them when the cameras are off. That ends here.I come from a family that understands service. My paternal grandfather was a Flying Tiger in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, and my maternal grandfather served as a Marine through World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Their legacy taught me that patriotism isn’t about slogans — it’s about responsibility.We owe every veteran the dignity, care, and support they’ve earned. That means:<ul><li>Fully funding and modernizing the VA&nbsp;so veterans can access timely, high-quality care without bureaucratic delay.</li><li>Expanding mental health services and suicide prevention programs, including peer counseling and community partnerships.</li><li>Ensuring veterans have access to affordable housing and ending veteran homelessness&nbsp;once and for all.</li><li>Streamlining benefit claims and appeals&nbsp;so veterans aren’t left waiting years for what they’re owed.</li><li>Protecting GI Bill benefits&nbsp;and expanding access to education and job training for veterans and their families.</li><li>Investing in transition programs&nbsp;that help service members successfully reenter civilian life and find meaningful careers.</li><li>Expanding community-based care and rural outreach&nbsp;so veterans in small towns and remote areas can get the support they need close to home.</li><li>Increase support for military spouses and families&nbsp;through career assistance, childcare, and mental health resources.</li><li>Improve coordination between the VA and Department of Defense&nbsp;so medical records, benefits, and care follow service members seamlessly from enlistment to civilian life.</li><li>Holding the VA and contractors accountable&nbsp;for waste, abuse, and mismanagement — because veterans deserve results, not excuses.</li><li>Improving care for women veterans&nbsp;and ensuring equal access to reproductive and mental healthcare.</li></ul>We made a promise to those who served: that we would have their backs when they came home. It’s time to keep that promise — not with speeches or symbols, but with real action and lasting results. Because we can’t just say “thank you for your service” — we have to prove we mean it.

Our veterans have sacrificed everything to protect the freedoms we hold dear, and they deserve our unwavering support. We will fight to improve veteran care, strengthen mental health services, and ensure our heroes get the resources they need to thrive after their service.&nbsp;

<h2>Accountability: Keeping Our Promise to Veterans</h2>

Our democracy only works when every voice is heard and every vote is counted. But right now, powerful interests are trying to make voting harder, not easier — because they know that when more people participate, they lose. From gerrymandering to voter suppression, the attack on democracy isn’t theoretical — it’s happening in real time.Free and fair elections shouldn’t be a partisan issue — they’re the foundation of the American experiment. We can’t defend democracy abroad if we’re letting it decay at home.As your representative, I’ll fight to strengthen and protect the right to vote at every level by:<ul><li>Passing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act&nbsp;to restore protections gutted by the Supreme Court and ensure equal access to the ballot box.</li><li>Passing the Freedom to Vote Act&nbsp;to establish national standards for early voting, mail-in ballots, and automatic voter registration.</li><li>Making Election Day a national holiday&nbsp;and expanding early and weekend voting so working people can actually participate.</li><li>Ending partisan gerrymandering&nbsp;and implementing independent redistricting commissions to keep politicians from choosing their voters.</li><li>Ensuring independent, nonpartisan election administration&nbsp;so politicians can’t manipulate how votes are counted or certified.</li><li>Protecting election workers&nbsp;from threats, harassment, and political interference.</li><li>Strengthening cybersecurity for election systems&nbsp;and ensuring every vote is backed by a verifiable paper ballot.</li><li>Restoring voting rights for returning citizens&nbsp;who’ve served their time — because rehabilitation should include the right to rejoin democracy.</li><li>Cracking down on dark money and corporate influence&nbsp;that drown out the voices of everyday Americans.</li><li>Overturning Citizens United&nbsp;and enacting strict limits on campaign spending to return power to voters, not billionaires and PACs.</li><li>Investing in civic education and participation programs&nbsp;to rebuild trust in democracy and empower young voters to make their voices heard.</li></ul>Voting is the cornerstone of freedom — and it’s under siege by those who fear accountability. But democracy isn’t something we inherit; it’s something we have to defend.I won’t stand by while bad actors try to rig the system or silence voters. Every voice matters, every vote counts, and I’ll fight like hell to make sure it stays that way.

<h2>Accountability: Every Vote Counts, Every Voter Matters</h2>

Today, the Maryland Senate is considering SB0245, a bill that addresses a serious failure in how immigration enforcement agreements undermine public safety, distort the role of local law enforcement, and erode trust in the communities they are meant to serve.I submitted the following written testimony in strong support of SB0245 because effective governance requires clarity, discipline, and an honest assessment of what actually works. SB0245 reflects that approach by restoring a clear line between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement.My name is Ethan Wechtaluk. I am a Maryland resident, a father, and a candidate for Congress in Maryland’s 6th District. I submit this testimony in strong support of SB0245, informed by a principled belief that effective governance and public safety are best served when their roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.SB0245 confronts a structural failure in immigration enforcement that distorts the mission of law enforcement in Maryland by collapsing distinct federal and local responsibilities into an unworkable hybrid. In doing so, these agreements divert already scare local resources and undermine the foundational conditions of public safety that are paramount to effective law enforcement at the local level: trust, cooperation, and institutional legitimacy.When residents reasonably believe that contact with local law enforcement may expose them to federal immigration enforcement, the consequences are not theoretical but predictable and well-documented. Victims are less likely to report crimes, witnesses disengage from investigations, and vulnerable populations retreat from the very institutions meant to protect them. The result is not crime prevention, but a breakdown in trust that allows violence, exploitation, and repeat offenses to go unchecked. Far from enhancing public safety, this dynamic actively undermines it.Local law enforcement is most effective when its role is highly accountable and clearly defined, with a narrow focus that is aligned with its core competencies. Programs such as 287(g) agreements force officers to operate outside that scope, entangling routine policing with complex federal immigration determinations for which local departments are neither designed nor resourced. SB0245 restores clarity of purpose by reestablishing a clean and necessary division of responsibility: immigration enforcement is a federal function, and Maryland’s state and local law enforcement agencies exist to protect public safety for all residents.The bill also reflects a broader principle of sound governance. Maryland’s immigrant communities are deeply integrated into the state’s social and economic fabric as workers, parents, caregivers, entrepreneurs, and taxpayers. Policies that treat entire populations as inherently suspect do not produce security, they generate fear-driven behaviors. SB0245 rejects that model and affirms an evidence-based approach to public safety.Maryland has both the authority and the obligation to ensure that its institutions operate in ways that are rational, humane, and aligned with their intended purpose. SB0245 advances that responsibility by strengthening public safety, preserving institutional integrity, and reinforcing trust between communities and the systems meant to serve them. For these reasons, I respectfully urge a favorable vote.

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<h4>Temp</h4>

America’s strength has always come from those who came here seeking a better life. From the steel mills to the classrooms to the tech corridors, immigrants have built this country — and they continue to power our economy, enrich our communities, and strengthen our democracy.But for too long, our immigration system has been broken — driven by fear, politics, and cruelty instead of fairness, humanity, and common sense. We can have secure borders&nbsp;and&nbsp;a system that treats people with dignity. Those goals are not in conflict — they’re part of the same American promise.As your representative, I’ll fight to build an immigration system that reflects our values and strengthens our country:<ul><li>End the 287(g) program&nbsp;and other local–federal partnerships that turn police into immigration agents, sow fear in communities, and divert resources from real public safety.</li><li>Rein in ICE and Border Patrol abuses&nbsp;through independent oversight, accountability measures, and transparency in enforcement practices.</li><li>End the use of private immigration detention centers&nbsp;that profit off human suffering and have long histories of abuse and neglect.</li><li>Create a clear, fair path to citizenship&nbsp;for undocumented immigrants who contribute to our economy and communities.</li><li>Protect DREAMers and DACA recipients&nbsp;who grew up in America and deserve the chance to build their futures here.</li><li>Reform our asylum and refugee process&nbsp;to be humane, efficient, and consistent with international law.</li><li>Invest in smart border security&nbsp;that uses technology and resources responsibly — not wasteful walls or political stunts.</li><li>Ensure farmworkers, care workers, and essential laborers&nbsp;have fair wages, workplace protections, and pathways to legal status.</li><li>End family separation policies&nbsp;and ensure every child in our care is treated with dignity and compassion.</li><li>Protect immigrant communities from racial profiling and discrimination, and restore trust between local law enforcement and the people they serve.</li></ul>Immigration isn’t a threat to America’s future — it’s the foundation of it. We can secure our borders without sacrificing our humanity, and we can uphold our laws without abandoning our values.My own family’s story is proof of that promise. My great-grandfather came to this country in the early 20th century as an undocumented immigrant. He didn’t have wealth or privilege — just determination and a belief that hard work could build a better life. He worked tough, thankless jobs, raised a family, and set in motion the opportunity that allows me to stand here today. His story isn’t unique — it’s American. And it’s time our laws reflect the same compassion, fairness, and opportunity that built this nation in the first place.

Immigration isn't just a political issue; it's a human issue. We will work to ensure that every immigrant has the opportunity to thrive, and that our immigration policies reflect the values of fairness, compassion, and opportunity that have always made America great.

<h2>Community: A Nation of Immigrants, A Policy That Honors</h2>

Healthcare is a fundamental right, not a privilege. But for too many families, it feels like a gamble — one unexpected diagnosis, one broken bone, or one prescription away from financial disaster. Our system rewards corporate profits instead of public health, and families pay the price. That has to change.This is personal for me. I live with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome — an invisible disability that’s shaped how I experience healthcare and the gaps within it. I’ve spent years navigating specialists, referrals, and insurance hurdles just to get basic care. I know what it’s like to fight through pain while also fighting a system that seems designed to wear you down. No one should have to struggle this hard to access the care they need, and that’s exactly why I’m determined to change it.I’m fighting to make sure every Marylander can access affordable, quality healthcare when they need it — without the fear of going broke. That means:<ul><li>Strengthening and expanding the Affordable Care Act to close coverage gaps and lower costs — while laying the groundwork for a universal single-payer system that guarantees healthcare for all.</li><li>Lowering prescription drug costs&nbsp;by capping out-of-pocket expenses and holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for price gouging.</li><li>Expanding mental health and addiction services, including full parity for mental and physical health coverage.</li><li>Investing in rural healthcare and telehealth access&nbsp;so no community is left behind.</li><li>Strengthening Medicaid and Medicare&nbsp;so seniors, families, and people with disabilities aren’t forced to choose between medicine and groceries.</li><li>Ending surprise medical billing&nbsp;and requiring real price transparency for procedures and hospital stays.</li><li>Holding hospitals and insurance companies accountable&nbsp;for predatory billing, unjust claim denials, and medical debt collection.</li><li>Supporting caregivers and home health workers&nbsp;with fair pay, training, and protections for the essential care they provide.</li><li>Combating the opioid and fentanyl crisis&nbsp;through prevention, treatment, and community-based recovery programs.</li></ul>Healthcare shouldn’t depend on your income, ZIP code, or the fine print in your insurance plan. It’s time we build a system that treats healthcare as what it truly is — a human right.

We need to protect and expand access to Medicaid and strengthen the Affordable Care Act, ensuring that no one is left behind when it comes to their health. Whether it's addiction treatment, mental health services, prescription medications, or preventive care, I will stand up for policies that prioritize people’s well-being over profits.

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<h2>Affordability: Fighting for Healthcare as a Human Right</h2>

Every child deserves the chance to succeed — and that starts with a strong, well-funded public education system. But for too many families, opportunity depends on their ZIP code, not their child’s potential. Our schools are underfunded, teachers are overworked, and the cost of higher education keeps too many doors closed.I believe education is the great equalizer — the promise that hard work and talent should open doors, no matter where you come from. That’s why I’ll fight to make sure every student, at every level, has access to the tools and opportunities they need to thrive:<ul><li>Fully fund public schools&nbsp;and pay educators what they’re worth.</li><li>Invest in early childhood education&nbsp;so kids start strong and stay on track.</li><li>Expand broadband access and technology in schools&nbsp;so every student can learn and compete in a digital world.</li><li>Lower the cost of higher education and expand access to trade programs and apprenticeships&nbsp;— because success shouldn’t only come with a four-year degree.</li><li>Partner schools with local employers and unions&nbsp;to create apprenticeship pipelines for high-demand careers and rebuild the middle class.</li><li>Reduce student debt and protect borrowers&nbsp;from predatory lending and broken repayment systems.</li><li>Increase classroom resources for students with disabilities&nbsp;and those with special needs.</li><li>Protect public schools from privatization efforts&nbsp;that drain resources from the communities they serve.</li></ul>Strong schools don’t just teach our kids — they build stronger neighborhoods, better jobs, and a more connected future. When we invest in education, we invest in our communities, our democracy, and the promise of America itself.

We need to ensure that our children are equipped with the tools they need to succeed. We need to support our educators and provide resources for our schools so that every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to thrive.

<h2>Community: Delivering Opportunity Through Education</h2>

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We are living in a technological revolution — one that will define the next century as much as the industrial revolution defined the last. Artificial intelligence, data security, and digital infrastructure are no longer side issues; they’re the backbone of national security, economic competitiveness, and democracy itself.Right now, China and other global powers are racing ahead in artificial intelligence and cyber capabilities — and the U.S. is at risk of falling behind. If we don’t lead with purpose and integrity, we’ll end up following rules written by others. That’s unacceptable. America should be the country setting the standards for innovation, ethics, and security — not struggling to keep up.As someone who’s spent 15 years helping federal agencies modernize their systems and protect critical data, I’ve seen what happens when we treat technology as an afterthought. The stakes are too high for complacency.I’ll fight to ensure America leads with both strength and responsibility by:<ul><li>Developing a comprehensive national AI strategy&nbsp;that promotes innovation, safeguards jobs, and embeds ethical standards in technology design and use.</li><li>Investing in cybersecurity infrastructure and workforce training&nbsp;to defend our systems from foreign and domestic threats.</li><li>Prioritizing cybersecurity within national defense&nbsp;to ensure our military and intelligence agencies can protect Americans from next-generation digital warfare.</li><li>Establishing a federal data privacy framework&nbsp;that protects Americans’ personal information and prevents corporate exploitation.</li><li>Protecting against AI-driven misinformation and deepfake technology&nbsp;that threaten elections, journalism, and public trust.</li><li>Promoting transparency and accountability in AI&nbsp;to prevent bias, abuse, and misuse of data in decision-making.</li><li>Investing in workforce development and STEM education&nbsp;so the next generation of Americans can lead in AI, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.</li><li>Rebuilding federal tech capacity&nbsp;so agencies have the tools, talent, and resources to serve the public effectively.</li><li>Expanding research and development funding&nbsp;for cutting-edge technologies — including AI, quantum computing, and next-generation communications.</li><li>Protecting critical infrastructure&nbsp;like hospitals, power grids, and election systems from cyberattacks.</li><li>Forging global partnerships on AI and cybersecurity&nbsp;to establish international norms that reflect democratic values, not authoritarian control.</li><li>Supporting small businesses and startups&nbsp;in emerging tech sectors so innovation benefits everyone, not just corporate giants.</li></ul>Leading in technology isn’t just about keeping pace — it’s about setting the course. We can build a future where innovation strengthens democracy, empowers workers, and safeguards freedom. Smart policy means building technology that doesn’t just push limits — it preserves the planet and the people who live on it.

In today’s world, technology isn’t just a tool—it’s the backbone of progress. From artificial intelligence to cybersecurity, the innovations of today will shape the future of our economy, security, and daily lives. We need to foster a tech-driven economy that stays ahead of global challenges and protects the interests of Marylanders and all Americans.

<h2>Accountability: From AI to Cybersecurity—America Must Lead</h2>

America was built by workers — not corporate lobbyists, not Wall Street, and not politicians who’ve never punched a timecard. But for decades, working people have been left behind while corporations and billionaires rewrite the rules in their favor. Wages stagnate, benefits shrink, and job security feels like a thing of the past. It doesn’t have to be this way.I come from a family that understands the power of labor. My grandfather was a union steelworker — the kind of man who put in long shifts and believed deeply that if you worked hard and played by the rules, you should be able to provide for your family. That’s the America we’ve lost sight of, and that’s the America I’m fighting to rebuild.I’m fighting to restore the promise that hard work pays off — whether you’re in a union hall, a small business, or driving for a delivery app. That means:<ul><li>Protecting the right to organize and collectively bargain&nbsp;— because when workers have a voice, everyone benefits.</li><li>Cracking down on wage theft, union busting, and worker misclassification&nbsp;that cheat people out of fair pay and benefits.</li><li>Supporting gig workers and contractors&nbsp;with access to healthcare, retirement options, and basic protections.</li><li>Investing in job training and apprenticeship programs&nbsp;that connect people to good-paying, future-ready jobs.</li><li>Expanding Buy American and prevailing wage standards&nbsp;to ensure taxpayer dollars create American jobs — not overseas profits.</li></ul>Strong unions don’t just lift their members — they lift entire communities. When workers earn fair wages and have real power, the middle class grows, families thrive, and America wins.

<h2>Affordability: Strong Unions, Strong America</h2>

Every community deserves to feel safe — whether you live in a big city, a small town, or anywhere in between. But safety can’t come from slogans or fearmongering. It comes from trust, fairness, and a justice system that works for everyone.For too long, politicians have treated public safety like a talking point instead of a responsibility. We don’t need more finger-pointing or blanket policies — we need a smarter approach that actually keeps people safe, rebuilds trust, and ensures justice is applied equally to everyone.I’ll fight to make our justice system fair, accountable, and effective by:<ul><li>Reforming policing practices&nbsp;to emphasize de-escalation, accountability, and community trust.</li><li>Investing in community-based violence prevention&nbsp;and public safety initiatives that address the root causes of crime.</li><li>Expanding mental health crisis response teams&nbsp;so police aren’t the only option when someone needs help, not handcuffs.</li><li>Ending cash bail for nonviolent offenses&nbsp;so people aren’t jailed simply because they’re poor.</li><li>Promoting rehabilitation and reentry programs&nbsp;that help people rebuild their lives instead of returning to the system.</li><li>Decriminalizing addiction and expanding access to treatment&nbsp;— because substance use disorder is a public health issue, not a criminal one.</li><li>Combating the fentanyl epidemic&nbsp;with prevention, treatment, and tougher penalties for traffickers who prey on communities.</li><li>Holding law enforcement accountable&nbsp;through independent oversight and transparency in use-of-force investigations.</li><li>Ending private prisons and for-profit detention centers&nbsp;that profit from incarceration instead of reducing it.</li><li>Investing in youth programs, education, and opportunity&nbsp;— because the best crime prevention starts long before a crime ever happens.</li></ul>Public safety and justice aren’t opposing goals — they’re two sides of the same coin. A fair system keeps people safe. A broken one makes everyone less secure.

<h2>Accountability: Justice and Safety That Work for Everyone</h2>

More than 700,000 Americans live in Washington, D.C. They pay taxes, serve in our military, and contribute to our nation’s success — yet they have no voting representation in Congress. That’s not democracy. That’s taxation without representation, and it’s long past time we fixed it.The denial of statehood to D.C. residents isn’t just a policy failure — it’s a moral one. It’s rooted in partisanship, fear, and a refusal to recognize the equal citizenship of the people who live in our nation’s capital. No American should have fewer rights because of where they live.As your representative, I’ll fight to make D.C. the 51st state and ensure that its citizens have the same voice, representation, and protections as every other American. That means:<ul><li>Granting full statehood to the District of Columbia&nbsp;with voting representation in both the House and Senate.</li><li>Ending partisan obstruction&nbsp;that keeps D.C. residents disenfranchised for political gain.</li><li>Protecting local self-governance&nbsp;and ensuring D.C. can pass its own laws without congressional interference.</li><li>Upholding the principle of equal representation&nbsp;as the cornerstone of our democracy.</li></ul>But the fight for democracy doesn’t stop at the Potomac. Millions of Americans in&nbsp;Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands&nbsp;also live without full representation in Congress. They serve, they work, they pay into our systems — and yet they’re denied an equal voice in the laws that govern them.Whether it’s D.C. or the territories, the principle is the same:&nbsp;no American should be treated as a second-class citizen.This isn’t about politics — it’s about fairness, equality, and the very promise of America. Democracy means every citizen has a voice. The people of D.C. — and every U.S. territory — have waited long enough to be heard.

<h2>Accountability: Democracy Denied in DC. That Ends Now.</h2>

Technology powers our lives — from cloud computing and social media to artificial intelligence and e-commerce. But the tech industry’s explosive growth comes with a heavy cost: energy-hungry data centers, toxic e-waste, and a supply chain built on exploited labor and rare earth minerals that damage our environment.If we want innovation to move us forward, not backward, we must make it sustainable, ethical, and accountable. I believe we can lead the world in technology&nbsp;and&nbsp;protect our planet at the same time.That means:<ul><li>Powering data centers with clean energy&nbsp;— tying expansion to renewable and nuclear power, not fossil fuels.</li><li>Cutting water waste&nbsp;through efficient cooling and recycling systems that protect local communities.</li><li>Greening the tech supply chain&nbsp;by investing in alternatives to rare earth minerals and enforcing responsible sourcing standards.</li><li>Tackling e-waste head-on&nbsp;with stronger recycling programs, right-to-repair laws, and incentives for durable product design.</li><li>Ensuring equitable access to technology and broadband&nbsp;so rural and low-income communities aren’t left behind in the digital economy.</li><li>Protecting consumers’ data privacy and stopping corporate surveillance&nbsp;by requiring transparency in how personal information is collected, used, and sold.</li><li>Holding Big Tech accountable&nbsp;for its environmental footprint and ensuring transparency in energy use and emissions.</li><li>Using technology to solve its own footprint&nbsp;— developing AI and data tools that improve energy efficiency and sustainability.</li></ul>Maryland is uniquely positioned to lead this effort — home to cutting-edge research institutions, a skilled workforce, and the ingenuity to make technology sustainable and just.Smarter technology should mean a cleaner, fairer, and more sustainable future — one that strengthens communities instead of draining them. Innovation is only progress when it works for people&nbsp;and&nbsp;the planet.

<h2>Community: Smarter Tech, Greener Future</h2>

Equality isn’t negotiable. Every person — no matter who they are or who they love — deserves to live openly, safely, and with dignity. But across the country, LGBTQ+ Americans are being targeted by politicians who use fear and hate as campaign strategies. Those attacks don’t just harm individuals — they weaken our democracy.For me, this isn’t just policy — it’s personal. I’m bisexual, and I know what it feels like to navigate a world that doesn’t always see or understand you. I’ve seen the courage it takes to live authentically and the pain that comes from being told you shouldn’t. That’s why I’ll never back down from defending equality — because this fight is about freedom at its core.I believe that protecting LGBTQ+ rights is about more than tolerance — it’s about justice. It’s about ensuring that every American has the same freedom to live, work, love, and raise a family without fear of discrimination or violence.I’ll fight for a future where equality is real, not rhetorical, by pushing for:<ul><li>Passing the Equality Act&nbsp;to guarantee full federal protections against discrimination in housing, employment, healthcare, and public life.</li><li>Defending marriage equality&nbsp;and ensuring that the Supreme Court can’t roll back the rights of same-sex couples.</li><li>Protecting transgender Americans&nbsp;from targeted legislation, bans on gender-affirming care, and attacks on their dignity and safety.</li><li>Ensuring access to affirming healthcare, including mental health services and gender-affirming care, for those who need it.</li><li>Strengthening hate-crime laws and funding community safety programs&nbsp;that protect LGBTQ+ people from harassment and violence.</li><li>Supporting LGBTQ+ youth&nbsp;by investing in inclusive education, anti-bullying programs, and mental health support in schools.</li><li>Ending discrimination in adoption, foster care, and family services&nbsp;so loving parents are never denied the chance to raise a child because of who they are.</li></ul>Progress has never come easy — it’s always been fought for. But every fight for equality has made this country stronger, freer, and fairer.As your representative, I’ll make this promise: I won’t tiptoe around hate or compromise on equality. Because Pride isn’t just a celebration — it’s a declaration that love and dignity will always win over fear and division.

Equality is non-negotiable. Every person, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, deserves the right to live openly, safely, and with dignity. We need to fight to protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community by ensuring full legal protections against discrimination in housing, employment, and public services.

<h2>Community: Pride is Power and Equality is the Goal</h2>

As a husband and a father of three daughters, I believe deeply that every person has the right to make their own healthcare decisions — free from political interference, stigma, or fear. Reproductive rights are human rights. Period.But this fight is bigger than just protecting access to abortion — it’s about ensuring that everyone can make informed, autonomous decisions about their health and their future. It’s about access to birth control, comprehensive reproductive care, and the right to start or grow a family safely and on your own terms.I will fight to protect and expand reproductive freedom at every level:<ul><li>Codify Roe v. Wade into federal law&nbsp;and protect access to abortion nationwide.</li><li>Defend access to birth control and emergency contraception, including over-the-counter options.</li><li>Protect IVF and fertility treatments&nbsp;from extremist attacks and restrictive laws.</li><li>Expand access to maternal healthcare, especially in rural and underserved communities.</li><li>Reduce the racial and economic disparities in maternal mortality, which are a national disgrace.</li><li>Support paid family and medical leave&nbsp;so parents can care for themselves and their children without risking their jobs or income.</li><li>Ensure insurance coverage and funding for reproductive healthcare&nbsp;through Medicaid, Title X, and the Affordable Care Act.</li><li>Protect doctors, providers, and patients&nbsp;from criminalization and harassment for providing or seeking care.</li></ul>This isn’t just a healthcare issue — it’s a freedom issue, a fairness issue, and a moral issue. No one should have to ask permission to control their own body or make choices about their own life.

As a father of three daughters, I believe deeply that every woman should have the right to make decisions about her own body. Reproductive rights are fundamental to ensuring equality, freedom, and personal autonomy. We need to fight to protect access to safe and legal abortion, birth control, and comprehensive healthcare services.

<h2>Community: Your Body, Your Rights—No Compromise</h2>

Behind every policy, every program, and every promise our government makes are the people who make it all happen — the federal workers who keep this country running. From the VA nurses who care for our veterans to the analysts who safeguard our national security, these public servants do their jobs with integrity and dedication, often under intense pressure and constant attack.For years, Washington politicians have vilified federal employees to score political points. Under Donald Trump, entire agencies were gutted, expertise was ignored, and morale was shattered. But let’s be clear: you can’t shrink government into dysfunction and then claim it doesn’t work. We need to rebuild trust, capacity, and respect for the people who serve our country every day.I’ve spent 15 years working alongside federal employees across agencies — from Medicare to FDA to the Health Insurance Marketplace and the VA. I’ve seen firsthand how deeply they care about the work they do and the people they serve. Even when Washington fails them, they show up every day to keep this country moving. It’s time their government showed up for them.I’ll fight to protect and empower the federal workforce by:<ul><li>Restoring respect and stability for federal workers&nbsp;by ending political attacks, hiring freezes, and retaliatory purges.</li><li>Ensuring fair pay and benefits&nbsp;that keep up with inflation and reflect the essential work public servants do.</li><li>Protecting collective bargaining and union rights&nbsp;for federal employees.</li><li>Strengthening whistleblower protections&nbsp;so those who call out waste, fraud, or abuse aren’t punished for doing the right thing.</li><li>Rebuilding agency capacity and expertise&nbsp;after years of attrition, hiring freezes, and politicized leadership.</li><li>Modernizing hiring practices&nbsp;to make it easier for young talent and underrepresented groups to enter public service.</li><li>Preventing partisan interference&nbsp;by reinforcing the merit-based civil service system and insulating career staff from political retaliation.</li><li>Investing in professional development, technology, and innovation&nbsp;to make government more efficient, agile, and accountable to the people it serves.</li><li>Expanding telework and flexible work options&nbsp;to improve retention, productivity, and accessibility — especially for workers with disabilities and caregiving responsibilities.</li><li>Protecting retirement security and healthcare benefits&nbsp;for current and retired federal employees.</li></ul>A government that works for the people starts with protecting the people who make government work. When we value public service, we don’t just strengthen our institutions — we strengthen democracy itself.

<h2>Accountability: Protect the People Who Make Government Work</h2>

I’m a survivor of the Virginia Tech shooting — one of the deadliest acts of gun violence in American history. I know what it’s like to live through that kind of terror, to feel the silence after the gunfire, and to see the headlines fade while nothing changes. Every time Congress shrugs off another tragedy, it’s a betrayal — not just of victims, but of every American who deserves to feel safe in their school, workplace, or community.We don’t have a gun problem in this country — we have a&nbsp;cowardice problem.&nbsp;The gun lobby has spent decades buying silence and loyalty in Washington, and it’s time to break that grip once and for all.I believe in the Second Amendment. But I also believe in the right to stay alive. Common-sense reforms are supported by the majority of Americans — Democrats, Republicans, and gun owners alike. It’s time our leaders acted like it.I’ll fight for real, proven solutions that protect both safety and rights:<ul><li>Universal background checks&nbsp;for all firearm purchases and transfers.</li><li>Closing the gun show and online loopholes&nbsp;that allow criminals to evade the law.</li><li>Red flag laws&nbsp;that empower families and law enforcement to temporarily remove guns from those who pose a danger to themselves or others.</li><li>Safe storage requirements&nbsp;to prevent accidental shootings and keep firearms out of the hands of children.</li><li>Keep guns out of schools and protect children from the epidemic of gun violence&nbsp;— now the leading cause of death among American youth.</li><li>Banning high-capacity magazines and military-style weapons&nbsp;designed for war, not for our neighborhoods.</li><li>Treat gun violence as the public health emergency it is, expanding CDC research and funding for prevention.</li><li>Invest in community-based violence prevention&nbsp;and mental health services.</li><li>Strengthen enforcement of existing gun laws&nbsp;and increase penalties for illegal trafficking and straw purchases.</li><li>Hold the gun industry accountable&nbsp;by ending immunity for manufacturers and enforcing strict reporting requirements.</li></ul>I’ve lived the consequences of inaction. I won’t back down from this fight — not when lives are on the line and not when powerful lobbies try to silence the truth. We can protect the rights of responsible gun owners&nbsp;and&nbsp;protect the lives of our families. We just need leaders with the courage to do it.

As a survivor of a school shooting, I know firsthand the pain and devastation that comes with gun violence. We need to take action, but that doesn’t mean taking away anyone’s right to bear arms. What we need are practical reforms that keep our communities safe while respecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

<h2>Accountability: Breaking the Gun Lobby’s Grip on Congress</h2>

A strong economy shouldn’t just look good on paper — it should work for the people who make it run. For too long, the rules have been written by and for the wealthy and well-connected, while working families are told to “be patient” as wages stagnate, prices rise, and opportunities slip away. That’s not patience — that’s neglect. And it ends here.I’m fighting to rebuild our economy from the ground up — one that puts&nbsp;people before profits&nbsp;and gives every Marylander a fair shot to build a stable, secure future. That means:<ul><li>Raising wages&nbsp;and ensuring work pays enough to live, not just survive.</li><li>Supporting small businesses and local entrepreneurs&nbsp;who drive real growth in our communities.</li><li>Making childcare and housing affordable&nbsp;so families can build stability, not debt.</li><li>Expanding job training, apprenticeships, and union protections&nbsp;to rebuild the middle class.</li><li>Protecting the right to repair&nbsp;so consumers, farmers, and small businesses can fix what they own without being exploited by corporate monopolies.</li><li>Holding corporations accountable&nbsp;for price gouging, union busting, and tax evasion.</li></ul>This isn’t about government handouts or corporate bailouts — it’s about creating an economy where everyone has the freedom to thrive, not just get by.Because when working families can afford to live, when local businesses grow, and when communities share in prosperity —&nbsp;that’s when America is at its strongest.

A thriving economy is the foundation of a prosperous nation. We need policies that support working families, encourage innovation, and create opportunities for all to succeed. I will push for investments in infrastructure, education, and technology—key sectors that will drive our economy forward.&nbsp;

<h2>Affordability: Building an Economy That Works for All of Us</h2>

Raising a family in America has never been harder. Costs keep climbing, wages haven’t kept up, and families are being crushed between bills, childcare, and the daily grind. Working parents are doing everything right — and still can’t catch a break. That’s not by accident. It’s the result of decades of policies that reward wealth, not work, and put families last.As a husband and father of three daughters, I understand these struggles personally. My wife and I have felt the strain of childcare costs and healthcare bills, and before we met, she faced those challenges alone — relying on SNAP to keep food on the table as a single mother. I’ve seen up close how our system too often makes life harder, not easier, for families trying to do everything right. But I also believe we can change that — if we have the courage to put working families first again.I’m fighting for policies that make raising a family affordable, fair, and supported at every stage of life:<ul><li>Expanding access to affordable childcare&nbsp;so parents can work and kids can thrive.</li><li>Guaranteeing paid family and medical leave&nbsp;— because no one should lose their job for taking care of a loved one.</li><li>Capping out-of-pocket healthcare and prescription costs&nbsp;so families aren’t one emergency away from financial ruin.</li><li>Supporting nutrition and assistance programs like SNAP and WIC&nbsp;that lift families out of poverty and strengthen local economies. </li><li>Making housing more affordable&nbsp;by tackling corporate greed in the rental market and investing in workforce housing.</li><li>Expanding the Child Tax Credit and strengthening safety net programs&nbsp;that reduce child poverty and give every kid a fair shot.</li><li>Providing tax relief for working- and middle-class families&nbsp;— not the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.</li></ul>Families are the backbone of this country. It’s time our policies reflected that. America can do better — and in Maryland’s 6th District, we will.

<h2>Affordability: America Is Failing Families — We Can Do Better</h2>

The climate crisis isn’t coming — it’s here. We’re already seeing it in Maryland: rising sea levels threatening the Chesapeake Bay, more severe storms flooding our communities, and record heat devastating crops and small farms. The cost of inaction isn’t measured in decades — it’s showing up in insurance premiums, grocery prices, and the health of our families right now.We have a moral obligation — and an economic opportunity — to lead the transition to a clean energy future that works for everyone. That means protecting our planet&nbsp;and&nbsp;creating good-paying jobs right here at home.I’ll fight for policies that confront the crisis head-on while strengthening our communities:<ul><li>Invest in clean energy infrastructure&nbsp;— solar, wind, and next-generation nuclear — to power our future sustainably.</li><li>Create millions of clean energy jobs&nbsp;with strong labor protections and fair wages.</li><li>Make the clean energy transition affordable for families&nbsp;through rebates for home solar, EVs, and energy efficiency upgrades — not just corporate subsidies.</li><li>Support coal and fossil fuel workers in the transition&nbsp;with retraining, pension protection, and new opportunities in renewable industries.</li><li>Modernize our power grid&nbsp;to make it more efficient, resilient, and secure.</li><li>Protect the Chesapeake Bay and our waterways&nbsp;from pollution and runoff.</li><li>Support farmers and rural communities&nbsp;with incentives for conservation and sustainable agriculture.</li><li>Rebuild with resilience&nbsp;— investing in flood control, emergency response, and green infrastructure.</li><li>Hold big polluters accountable&nbsp;for the damage they cause and end taxpayer subsidies for fossil fuel companies.</li><li>Expand public transit and EV infrastructure&nbsp;to reduce emissions and give people real transportation options.</li></ul>The climate crisis is the defining challenge of our time — but it’s also our greatest opportunity to rebuild America stronger, fairer, and more self-sufficient. Maryland can lead the way — and I intend to make sure we do.

We must take bold action to combat climate change while preserving the natural beauty of Maryland. Our farming communities, outdoor spaces, and natural industries depend on having access to clean water, air, and land.

<h2>Community: The Climate Crisis Is Here—Let’s Act Like It</h2>

Ethan Wechtaluk isn't done now that the campaign is over — the work is just beginning.