Overview:
- Believes in “healthy legislation” (haha)
- Grew up in poverty
- received both state and church welfare
- knows the difference between a hand OUT and a hand UP
- Strict constitutionalist
- very big on local vs. distant control
- gives great example of a patient who had a heart attack because they couldn’t get approval for a heart test from DC in time
- Supports education choice and accountability
Pros:
- Degrees in both law and medicine, so he understands the constitution, legalese, has insights into medicaid reform that will come in handy in the next few years, and experience as a small businessman.
Cons:
- No previous legislative experience…can also be a pro.
Questions:
- Needs to clarify public lands stance. didn’t really cover this in his speech.
Notes:
I spoke with Mike Kennedy several weeks before Caucus and explained that one of my pet issues is drug education among teens. I told him that I’m annoyed that the state legislature has de-prioritized all anti-drug initiatives aimed at kids at raves who are surrounded by the drug culture and most likely to slip one way or the other. I expressed my frustration with the lack of support I was getting from the Governor’s office and state agencies.
Within two weeks I got an email from a state drug policy-maker wanting to discuss my concerns and willing to listen to my proposals for change. It is impressive to me that someone who is running for but not yet IN the state legislature would go through the trouble of helping me navigate the maze of bureaucracy to get to someone who could help me in my cause. Mike literally showed by doing! Very impressive.