My name is Erik, and I bet we have a lot in common.

I'm running because elected officials should be regular Americans.

For far too long, Congress has been dominated by millionaires, lawyers, elites, and their friends. So, is it any wonder that nothing seems to work for average Americans like you and me?

I'm running because I believe members of Congress should be regular Americans, like you and me, not millionaires, billionaires, or their puppet politicians. Only when we start electing people who experience firsthand what it is like to survive and struggle in today's economy will we finally begin to see laws that truly help.

As a small business manager, homeowner, and former teacher, I know what it means to live paycheck to paycheck. I understand the struggles that so many families experience. I have seen how it affects the students in my classroom---and me at home. I have felt the hopelessness that comes from carrying massive student debt for my entire adult life. It crushes more than just job opportunities and credit scores. I know how difficult it is for smaller businesses to thrive in today's economy--an economy built by and for the billionaires and their mega corporations. As an individual who has seen $100,000 medical bills, I can attest to how broken and greed-driven our medical system truly is. I know what a utility disconnect notice looks like, what a past-due charge means, and how scary an overdraft can feel. For too many of us, this isn't working. So, let's change it!

We can't keep doing the same thing and expect different results.

Many politicians today are using the same, tired playbook---Republicans and Democrats alike. We need change, not just in our country but also in politics. It is time for Democrats and Republicans to get money out of politics by universally rejecting corporate PAC and special-interest money. And it is far past time for the government to stop subsidizing the toxic relationship between Congress and corporations, and start taking care of the American people. Our government should serving Americans, not foreign investors and shareholders.

I believe that our taxes are best spent on defense, roads, schools, bridges, elder care, medicine, and food. Americans do not believe that our taxes should be used as corporate handouts for the wealthy and the powerful---and I agree.

Enough is Enough.