Patricia Campos Medina

• Creating Good Jobs

A key component of addressing affordability is to make sure that our economy creates living wage jobs with benefits and access to healthcare. Building on President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, I will continue to advance policy proposals that invest in our infrastructure and green energy economy with an emphasis in creating robust union jobs that can foster the long-term growth of the middle class.

We must also ensure that any new federal investment in jobs includes equity outcomes to ensure that more women and workers of color have access to careers in technical jobs via apprenticeships, paving the way for genuine middle-class opportunities for all New Jerseyans. My policy plan on creating good jobs includes supporting the Raise the Wage Act, a proposal that would raise the federal minimum wage to $17 or higher from the current $7.25. I will also support the PRO Act, a proposal that seeks to reform labor law so that workers have the right to join unions and negotiate a union contract. Improving the quality of jobs created for all young people and Black workers is a step in addressing wealth disparities, as wealth enables families to invest in education, start businesses, buy homes in job-accessible areas, and navigate economic cycles in the economy.

• Investing in the Care Economy

Recognizing the pivotal role women play in our economy, we must continue to allocate more resources to address key concerns for women in the workplace, such as affordable childcare, investment in early education and after school programs, gender violence and sexual harassment in the workplace. We also must invest in efforts to reduce the cost of home care for our elderly population, while making sure that the jobs created in the care economy are also living wage jobs with the right to have a union.

Addressing both childcare and eldercare through investment in Medicaid and Medicare, as well as creating good jobs for workers in the care and healthcare economy, will inject a much-needed economic boost to millions of workers who are critical to our care infrastructure economy. Updating our labor laws and enacting the Equal Pay for Women Act will also address pay inequality for women in the workplace. Improving jobs in the care economy will also address the structural segmentation of Black women in low wage jobs as 1 in five Black women are employed in the healthcare economy.

• Addressing Housing Affordability

The most pressing challenge NJ families are grappling with is affordability, specifically the cost of homes and rent, coupled with a lack of good job opportunities, making it difficult for everyday families to make ends meet. As the daughter of low-wage workers, I understand first-hand the anxiety many families feel, and I am committed to advancing policies that address the housing crisis in NJ, such as demanding more federal investment in HUD so we can expand affordable housing vouchers and in coordination with the state, invest in increasing the housing supply by incentivizing mix-income housing development via tax incentives for the construction of more affordable housing units. I will also support much needed rent control and tenant protection measures that protect families from falling into housing insecurity and invest in more home-ownership programs that include low-interest mortgages, down payment assistance and financial education to help homeowners build equity . Furthermore, I will fight to return the SALT deductions for NJ middle-class families while advocating for NJ to receive more of our tax dollars so we can invest in our schools, infrastructure, and job creation.

• Wealth Creation and Business Investment

I champion core values that ensure equal opportunities for all citizens, especially our small business owners. I will fight at the federal level to provide equal opportunity in federal contracts and in banking to give our small entrepreneurs and businesses the chances they deserve to grow and prosper. It is a policy that is good for the nation and our economic stability. After all, small businesses, and the workers they employ were the engine that drove our economic recovery during and after the pandemic. The federal government has a role to play in advancing policies that spur investments in small business development and entrepreneurship programs that support economic growth in urban centers. The federal government must expand its investment in affordable and small loans targeted to spur innovation at the local level by young people, women, and minority entrepreneurs. We need action to help minority and women entrepreneurs achieve parity in federal and state government contracting across New Jersey.

• Student Debt Relief and Affordable Education

Students deserve a good K-12 education and access to affordable higher education that prepares them for the jobs of the future. They need access to jobs in the building trades, high-tech industry, STEM, and innovation so they can build the future we need.

A fair, equitable, and affordable education should be available to all students. The federal government should invest in pell-grants, investment in public universities, and work to eliminate high-interest student loans and keep student debt to a minimum.

As someone who went to college with student loans, I will stand with President Biden to cancel the high levels of student loan debt held by students today.

• Criminal Justice Reform

Criminal justice reform is essential for building a more equitable society. Black New Jerseyans are 12.5 times more likely to be incarcerated than white residents, more than double the national rate.

To address this injustice, I support reallocating resources from policing to education, economic development in high-crime areas, safe affordable housing, and community services that address the root causes of crime and promote social welfare. This includes investing in mental health services, substance abuse treatment, and community development programs that provide alternatives to incarceration.

Reforming the criminal justice system also involves ending mandatory minimum sentences, reforming bail systems, and ensuring that our legal system treats everyone fairly, regardless of their background or economic status.

Provide support services, such as housing assistance, job placement, and mentorship programs, to help formerly incarcerated individuals successfully reintegrate into society and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

• Ceasefire in Gaza and Peace

As the only candidate in this race who has survived a civil war and experienced the damaging and traumatic consequences that it leaves on civilian communities and families, I am proud to stand for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

The US is the most powerful military power in the world. As such, our moral imperative should always be to advance Democracy and peace. In times of war, we also must demand adherence to international human rights laws that prioritize the safety of children and mothers and secure civilian lives.

We must restart funding for UNRWA, the only agency with the capacity to fulfill humanitarian needs in Gaza and alleviate the famine that is devastating civilians, especially children.

We must also continue to call on our State Department and diplomatic corps to focus on advancing a political solution to the crisis.

• Reproductive Freedom and Healthcare Justice

I believe in every person’s right to make decisions about their own body, including the right to access safe and legal abortion services. Since the Supreme Court Dobbs decision, women’s freedoms have been curtailed and they are being forced into unthinkable situations where a politician is dictating their access to critical healthcare.

Beyond codifying a federal right to an abortion, we must also invest in making access to reproductive healthcare access a national priority by funding critical programs to protect the healthcare of all women, including those without access to affordable healthcare. I will support public funding at the federal, state, and local levels for comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion. I believe in ensuring access to a full range of reproductive health services as a fundamental right.

We must also continue to make critical investments to address the maternal health crisis facing young women, especially Black and Latinx communities, across the US by investing in maternal healthcare programs, plus investing in program geared towards diversifying the healthcare system so that it is more inclusive of the needs of mothers of color, who are suffering infant mortality at a higher rate than white women.

The alarming maternal death rates in NJ faced by Black women underscores the urgency of addressing systemic issues to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare and support, thus upholding reproductive rights and reducing maternal mortality.

• Just and Humane Immigration Reform

As an immigrant woman who endured eight years of family separation, I understand the challenges faced by those seeking a better life in the United States. It has been decades since Congress has passed any meaningful immigration reform. We need representation in the US Senate ready to fight for the humanity of immigrant families and be a strong national voice on behalf of immigrant communities.

Our immigration challenges do not begin at our southern border and cannot be solved by caving to MAGA-extremist policies like building the wall or dismantling our asylum system. True immigration reform must include welcoming migrants fleeing for their lives and developing common sense solutions to address the root causes of migration by creating regional coalitions with our neighbors in Latin America and the Caribbean.

I am also committed to advancing solutions for a path to citizenship for the current 11 million undocumented workers, beginning with an immediate solution to the status of TPS and DACA workers, who are contributing to the American economy as workers and members of our local communities across the United States.

Reform must include an end to the inhumane enforcement practices of ICE and secure that families are not torn apart and immigrants are not incarcerated indefinitely without due process.

We must also reform US refugee policy to expedite the adjudication of refugee cases and making sure those who qualify for asylum get the support they need to start their new lives via a work permit and full funding of US resettlement programs.

• Medicare For All

Health care is a fundamental right, not a privilege. Medicare for All would ensure comprehensive healthcare coverage for every American, eliminating the financial barriers to access that many currently face. By streamlining healthcare delivery and reducing administrative overhead, we can make our healthcare system more efficient and focused on patient care rather than profit. Universal healthcare would also alleviate the burden of healthcare costs on businesses and stimulate economic growth by allowing Americans to change jobs or start businesses without fear of losing their healthcare coverage.

• Gun Control

Having witnessed the terrors that weapons of war can have on innocent communities, I firmly believe that assault rifles and weapons of war have no place in our neighborhoods. Therefore, I proudly support a federal ban on assault weapons.

To reduce gun violence and mass shootings, my plan involves enacting comprehensive gun control measures that respect the Second Amendment while ensuring public safety. This includes universal background checks, closing gun show loopholes, and banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

I also support red flag laws that prevent those deemed a risk to themselves or others from accessing firearms. Furthermore, investing in community-based mental health services and violence prevention programs is essential for addressing the root causes of gun violence.

• Environmental Justice

I am committed to promoting equitable environmental policies that ensure every community, regardless of socio-economic status, has the right to clean air, water, and a healthy environment.

Building up on President Biden’s investment into clean energy, I will continue to advance critical investments in in good union jobs and training via apprenticeship programs that create a path to middle class jobs for women, workers of color and our youth.

I will advocate for transitioning to 100% clean electricity by 2035, focusing on creating union jobs and pollution-free communities promoting environmental sustainability and economic equity.

My policies are central to supporting clean transportation, strengthening protections under the Clean Air and Clean Water Act, and endorsing the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act. These steps aim to improve clean air and water access, particularly for communities historically burdened by pollution.

My climate policies integrate a justice-oriented approach, striving for a just transition to a sustainable future that uplifts all communities, especially those facing systemic injustices. ^[2]