Before he was a senator, Joe was just a dad to two kids, who coached their little league teams and helped them with their homework. He first got involved in public service as a parent who simply wanted to take a larger interest in kids’ education. As a member of his local school board, and later its President, Joe became familiar with the problems and challenges facing our communities’ schools.

The men and women of our armed forces and those who have served have put their lives on the line to protect our freedom and our flag. Joe believes we must honor the commitments we’ve made, while they wear the uniform and long after they return home.

A former small business owner, Joe believes that every Hoosier who wants a job should have a job. He’s stood up for policies in the Senate that expand opportunities and help create more good-paying jobs that will strengthen middle class families and build strong communities.

Indiana workers are the best in the world, and on a level playing field, they can compete with anyone. But years of unfair trade deals have enabled corporations to ship good-paying jobs to foreign countries while flooding American markets with cheap foreign goods. Joe understands that international trade is an integral part of the 21st century economy, and when done right, can ease the burdens on middle class families. First, we need to have the fair trade policies designed to prevent the system from becoming rigged and keep good-paying manufacturing jobs here at home.

Joe believes that in the richest country on earth, every citizen deserves access to quality, affordable health care. For years, he has said that Republicans and Democrats should work together to improve our health care system and expand access, but we can’t rely on partisan efforts that undermine the system and move it backward.

Whether in our smallest towns or biggest cities, families across Indiana are losing loved ones to the scourge of opioid abuse and addiction. When the jobs go out, the drugs come in – too many communities already struggling to cope with the loss of good-paying jobs that have sapped them of pride and needed resources now must deal with a second threat of addiction and abuse that can cause unimaginable strain.

Our seniors have spent their lives paying into a system that they’ve counted on to be there for them, and Joe knows they’re counting on us to follow through. In recent years, Hoosiers have watched as Washington politicians have put their retirement at risk; in Joe, they have someone who’ll fight hard every day so that they have the dignity of a secure retirement.