I’m running for Ada County Commissioner to help make sure that Ada County remains a place where hard work allows families to build a stable life and a strong future— for this generation and the next
My story has been shaped by challenges, the choices I made in response to them, and the outcomes those choices created.
I was born and raised in Keyser, West Virginia, a small town of about 5,000 residents. My mom stayed home raising four kids while my dad worked as a mailman. Growing up, I thought we were comfortably middle class. The challenge came when I began to understand that what counted as “middle class” in West Virginia, or Idaho, often meant working a lot harder just to keep up.
At sixteen, I made the same ‘choice’ many kids in working families make - I went to work. Six days a week I woke up at 4:00 a.m. to deliver nearly 800 newspapers before school. The outcome was a lesson that stuck with me for life: dignity comes from work, and communities work best when people who put in the effort have a fair chance to get ahead.
After high school I faced the next challenge: how to build a future with limited resources.
I worked construction and in textile production to save money, and eventually moved west looking for opportunity. I worked a range of jobs - from construction to agricultural inspection - before eventually returning home for a time to be close to family.
Later, I made a choice that changed the direction of my life: I moved to Idaho to attend Boise State University. At Boise State I earned a degree in Economics and Finance. The outcome wasn’t just a diploma - it was a deeper understanding of how economies work and why some communities struggle while others thrive.
While I was in school, I interned at a financial management firm that was working to expand and diversify its portfolio. Like many young people starting their careers, I believed that if I worked hard enough the internship would lead to a job. When it ended, the job I had expected never materialized. That was the next challenge.
So I made a familiar choice: I went back to work wherever work was available.
I delivered beer, worked construction, served as a financial advisor, and helped build a startup company. The outcome was a kind of education you can’t get in a classroom. I saw the economy from the ground up - from physical labor to financial markets to entrepreneurship.
Like many families across the country, my family also lived through the uncertainty of the housing crisis. Watching friends and neighbors lose stability almost overnight was a real challenge for many communities. My family made careful decisions that allowed us to sell our home before the worst of the crash. The outcome reinforced something I still believe strongly today: stable housing and responsible growth policies are critical to healthy communities.
Over the years, I’ve also had the opportunity to help build parts of the community I now call home. Through construction work, I contributed to projects that many Ada County residents use every day, including facilities connected to the YMCA, Lowe’s, and St. Luke’s. The outcome of that work is something I’m proud of - helping build spaces that serve families and strengthen our community.
Eventually, my commitment to community led me to politics.
I made the choice to run for Congress in 2018 and again in 2020 because I believed Idaho needed leadership focused on practical solutions.
Life, however, has a way of reshaping priorities. My wife faced serious health challenges, and the startup I worked for was later sold to private equity and dismantled. That created another challenge for my family.
So I made a different choice. I stepped back from the private sector and focused on my family. For the past two years I’ve had the privilege of being a stay-at-home dad by volunteering at my kids school, chaperoning school events, and recommitting to the basics of parenting.
The outcome has been perspective. When you’re raising a child, the decisions governments make about housing, infrastructure, schools, and growth stop being abstract - they shape the world your kids will inherit.
That’s why I’m running for Ada County Commissioner.
My life has followed a simple pattern: challenges appear, choices matter, and the outcomes shape the future. I believe Ada County deserves leadership that approaches our community the same way - facing challenges honestly, planning instead of reacting, and building outcomes that keep Ada County a place where families can build a life and stay.
