Jobs and the Economy
People in Southwest Ohio have been hard hit by the economic crisis.  They need help.  They need more jobs.  And that starts with this simple notion — government needs to stay out of the way of small businesses instead of strangling these job creators with over-regulation.  The people who live here want to work – they are willing and able.  They want leaders who will advance policies that will attract more businesses – and the jobs that come with them – to Southwest Ohio.

National Security/ National Defense
Killing Bin Laden was a significant benchmark in the War on Terror, but it wasn’t the conclusion.  When I was a Combat Surgeon with the U.S. Army in Iraq, I saw the effects of violent anti-American activism first hand.  Whether it’s Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, or other places around the world – there are still far too many havens for terrorists who want to kill Americans.  Starting with securing our borders and continuing with increased emphasis on intelligence gathering and expanded use of Special Forces teams like Navy SEALs and Army Green Berets, we must remain active and vigilant to ensure our nation remains safe and free.

Gun Rights
I’m a proud gun owner, and Life Member of the NRA.  Like so many other Ohioans, I’m frustrated that our constitutional right to keep and bear arms continues to be under attack by liberals.  Unfortunately, even the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision reaffirming that the Second Amendment guarantees the individual’s right to keep and bear arms was upheld only by a single vote.  And President Obama is working overtime to limit the ability of law-abiding citizens to have guns. That’s why we must be vigilant to ensure that Congress and the courts don’t encroach upon our gun rights.

Leadership / Good government
The approval rating of our members of Congress has never been worse.  People are simply fed up with partisan bickering, ethics violations and politicians who refuse to lead.  As an Army Officer, I know how to lead.  And I won’t go to Washington and fade into the background – I’ll stand up and speak out. It’s time we elected leaders with courage to face our problems.  Too many people we elect go to Washington and become one of “them.”  If you send me to Washington, I’ll remind them that they are one of “us.”

Pro Life
I am strongly pro-life and believe that life begins at conception. I’m a proud supporter of Family First and Right to Life. One of the dangers inherent in Obamacare is that federal funding for abortion will be codified. In Congress, I’ll support efforts to ensure that doesn’t happen. Further, I’ll work to make sure our nation isn’t supporting a culture of abortion around the world by rejecting funding for the UN’s controversial Population Fund.

Healthcare
As a doctor, I can tell you that ObamaCare is bad policy and bad medicine.  It hurts patients and will hurt our ability to recruit and retain doctors in our communities.  Sadly, too many politicians claim to oppose Obamacare but stand idly by while others step up and take action to stop it.  We must all work to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with patient-centered solutions such as the ability to keep insurance between jobs and states.  We need to encourage more Health Savings Accounts for routine office visits and minor medical expenses.  And we must adopt additional lawsuit abuse reform to make sure good doctors can afford to treat patients.