When we hear the phrase “fixed income,” we usually think about someone who is retired and living on Social Security or a pension. But the more I talk with people in our community, the more I think we need to broaden the way we use that phrase. We’re all on a fixed income. Most of us can’t simply ask for a raise or pull more money from our savings accounts every time our property taxes, utilities, groceries, or fuel costs increase. A widow living on retirement income can’t magically make another $200 appear because her property tax bill went up. A bachelor living alone can’t tell the electric company that his paycheck didn’t increase as quickly as his utility bill. I don't know any employee who can walk into work every time their expenses increase and say, “I need another raise.” Our income has limits, and government needs to remember that. #fixedincome #retired #raise

Please help our Menasha High School rebuild their football stadium. On July 27, 2026, a tornado came through our town and destroyed our stadium. @T-Mobile has a competition right now, and @MenashaFootball is a finalist! Helping is easy, and you can vote right from your phone. If you’re searching for the link on Google, we’re in the Midwest category… scroll down until you see Menasha. #tmobile #entry #fn5gl #menasha

I don’t need someone to agree with me on ten things before I can work with them on the next solution. If you have a good idea… I want to hear it. If you know more about an issue than I do… I want to learn from you. And if you disagree with me? That’s okay too. Some of the best conversations I’ve had are with people who absolutely do not agree with me. Because disagreement doesn’t have to mean disrespect. #WIstateassembly #district53 #ad53

Have things gotten better? When I first started this journey, my mom asked me why I would run as an Independent. She told me, “We tried voting Independent back in the ’70s. It didn’t work.” And I remember asking her… Okay. But have things gotten better? I had almost the exact same conversation tonight while I was knocking doors. And just so you know... I’m knocking every door. I don’t care what party you belong to, or whether you belong to a party at all. Tonight, I talked with a neighbor who told me they usually vote [fill in the blank]. So I asked one question: “Have things gotten better?” They stopped for a second and thought about it. And then they asked me for my business card. That conversation stuck with me. Because being Independent doesn’t mean I’ll never agree with Republicans. It doesn’t mean I’ll never agree with Democrats. It means neither party gets to decide my vote before I’ve even heard the question. I’m going to listen. I’m going to do the research. I’m going to hear from the people who actually have to live with the consequences. And then I’m going to make my decision. I said before that I would answer to this community, and I meant it. So when people ask me which side I’m going to vote with... My answer is my community. That’s who I answer to.

I don’t want to promise you that I can single-handedly lower your taxes, fix housing, or get a bill passed. Government doesn’t work that way. But there is something I can promise because it’s completely within my control: I will answer to this community. Being Independent means I don’t answer to a political party. I haven’t taken PAC money, and I haven’t made promises in exchange for political support. When I have a decision to make, I’m going to do what I already do. I’m going to ask questions. I’m going to do the research. I’m going to listen to the people who actually have to live with the decision… including people who disagree with me. And then I’m going to make the best decision I can with the information I have. You may not agree with every vote I make. And I think it would be pretty dishonest for me to promise that you will. But you can hold me accountable for how I get there. Because going to Madison won’t make Madison my home.This is my home. My family lives here. My businesses are here. I’m raising my kids here. And whatever decisions I make in Madison… I have to come home and live with them right alongside you.

Have you reported your tornado damage yet? The deadline to file is August 31, 2026. If your home, property, or business was impacted by the July 27 tornado, please take a few minutes to report it. Even if you have insurance… Even if the damage seems minor… Even if you don’t think you qualify for assistance… Please report it anyway. These reports help emergency officials understand the true scope of the disaster. That information is used when state and federal officials evaluate whether our community qualifies for additional disaster assistance, including potential FEMA programs. You can report damage by: Calling 2-1-1 Or by submitting your information through the online damage assessment form. Every report helps paint a more complete picture of what our community has experienced. Please don’t assume someone else has already reported your damage. If your household was affected, your story matters too. And if you know a neighbor without internet, please consider helping them make the call or complete the form. Let’s make sure every family in our community is counted.

Not accusatory. Not dismissive of the people who are trying. But also not willing to pretend that steady improvement is enough when someone’s dinner, safety, or ability to get help is on the other side of the communication failure. We’re not there yet, but we’re learning for the future

A community member reached out and asked if we could grab a cup of coffee. They wanted to share their concerns and talk about the issues they see facing Wisconsin. Those conversations are one of my favorite parts of this campaign. I don’t pretend to have every answer. There are countless issues facing our state, and no one person can be an expert on all of them. But I do believe something important happens when we stop long enough to listen to each other. We learn. We gain perspective. And we become better equipped to solve problems together. If you’d like to meet for coffee, I’d love to hear what’s important to you.

Tips for not getting arrested during a public meeting. Basically, it boils down to this… 1) Speek during your time… and your time only. 2) When it’s not your turn to speak, keep your mouth shut. Was this how the girl should have been treated? No.

This week I learned something I honestly didn’t know. Wisconsin requires counties to provide certain juvenile programs, and in some cases, the county is responsible for paying around $1,000 per day for a residential placement. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, and I’m still learning how this system works. But I do believe taxpayers deserve to understand where their money is going. It also raises a fair question… If the state mandates these programs, shouldn’t the state be paying the bill? I’m going to keep asking questions, keep learning, and keep sharing what I find. Did you already know this? Or is this the first time you’ve heard about it? #mandates #teenprograms #juvenile #whopaysforthis #whatimlearning

✅Done

I started this morning having coffee with a local community leader… and ended the day having a picnic with our Habitat family. Different conversations. Different settings. Same common theme: helping people. The Fox Valley is full of incredible opportunities, but the best ones always seem to come back to community, service, and showing up for our neighbors. Grateful for a day that reminded me why this work matters. #helpingpeople #grateful #neighbors #habitatforhumanity

I could have picked a party label. Instead, I chose the voters. I could have run under any party label: Democrat. Republican. Libertarian. Green. But I chose to run as an independent because the 53rd Assembly District does not belong to a political party. It belongs to the people who live here. Running as an independent is not illegitimate... It is not stubborn… And it is not “splitting” anything. A “paid operative”? Please. No one has paid me a dime to run. My White Jacket Campaign exists for this exact reason… to show who is funding me. My community is building this campaign one small donation at a time. I am giving voters a choice. I am not running to serve a party machine. I am running to serve my neighbors. If extreme party insiders are upset that voters will have another option in November, maybe the problem is not my candidacy. Maybe the problem is that they believe voters should only be allowed to choose from the options they approve of. Vote for the person, not the party.

If I seem quiet lately… It’s because I’m kinda busy. Busy listening. Busy learning. Busy showing up. Busy working. The people of this district deserve more than campaign slogans. They deserve someone willing to put in the work. #hardwork #kindabusy

If politicians had to be honest… I’ll go first. Voters have a right to know who’s funding their candidate. By donating $5 or more, you consent to having your first name and last initial written on the White Jacket. #whitejacket #transparency #TransparencyInPolitics

Whether you are heading to college, starting a career, joining the military, learning a trade, taking a gap year, or still figuring out what comes next… please know this: Your community is cheering for you. Congratulations, Menasha Class of 2026!

Since I was in Madison Friday, my mom and I stopped by my grandma’s house 🥰 We found an old postcard of the Wisconsin State Capitol. Grandma told me to keep it and put it in my office for motivation. 😉 Grateful for supportive family, community, prayers, & encouragement.

Today I’m remembering my Grandpa Don, Donald William Wilkinson, who served in WWII as a Flight Engineer and Top Turret Gunner, flying B-17 combat missions over Europe with the 401st Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group. Land of the free because of the brave.