Liz Watson is the local Democrat candidate for Indiana’s ninth district. Watson is running for the House of Representatives against Republican Trey Hollingsworth.

According to her website, Watson is running for Congress to fight for working families in Indiana.

Here are her views on some of the issues she would face in Congress:

Women’s Rights: Watson’s website says she has been an advocate for women for 20 years, especially for working women with families. She has worked on improving the juvenile justice system to help with the needs of girls and young women with histories of sexual abuse. If elected, she plans to demand full funding for the Violence Against Women Act, as well as advocating for women to have economic security and control of their own healthcare.

Immigration: Watson says she believes in “a pathway to citizenship” for immigrants. She supports the DREAM Act, an act that protects immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. Watson say she doesn’t want to neglect border security; however, she believes the real job of Immigration and Customs Enforcement is to keep Americans safe, not to punish immigrants who are innocent.

Gun Laws: Watson says she respects the 2nd Amendment, but supports restrictions on assault weapons. Specifically, she wants to close loopholes that allow citizens to get their hands on guns more easily, such as the ability to conduct private sales of guns without a background checks. She opposes a bill that would require states to recognize concealed carry permits from other states. She wants more protection for the partners of domestic abusers, as federal law protects the spouses of the abusers but not the partners.

Health Care: Watson supports the Medicare for All Act of 2017 and plans to defend the Affordable Care Act and Planned Parenthood. She says Planned Parenthood provides good care for both genders and that it can be lifesaving. On her campaign website she stated: “That’s why I support Planned Parenthood. It’s why I will oppose any effort to defund it, which would take lifesaving healthcare away from women in our district and across America.” In addition, she wants to work with both parties to accomplish good healthcare.

Climate Change: According to Watson, “climate change is the greatest threat to future generations” and “there is no time to waste.” Watson supports a carbon tax on greenhouse gas emissions, which would help companies develop a clean energy future. Doing this would raise over a billion dollars to develop green technology and infrastructure. She believes this will create good paying clean energy jobs for Southern Indiana residents.

By Greta Reel