Issues
I’m Alex Scheel, a proud Democratic Socialist who believes that government should work for working people, not corporations or the ultra-wealthy.
We live in the richest country in history, yet millions of Americans struggle to afford healthcare, housing, and other basic necessities while wealth becomes increasingly concentrated at the top. I believe everyone deserves access to quality healthcare, affordable housing, a living wage, and an economy that puts people before corporate profits.
As an anti-war combat veteran, I have seen the human cost of war firsthand. I am committed to ending imperialist wars, investing in our communities instead of military profiteering, and building a future where our government prioritizes peace, opportunity, and prosperity for all.
Join me in the fight to put People Over Profit.
American tax dollars should never be used to support the killing of civilians.
I believe the Israeli government is committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, and the United States must end its military support. I support ending arms sales to Israel and using economic pressure, including boycott, divestment, and sanctions, to push for accountability and lasting peace. I will never accept money from AIPAC because my loyalty is to the people I represent—not special interests.
Working people should not be forced to pay the price for another endless war.
The Trump administration's military actions alongside Israel have escalated a devastating conflict that has killed thousands of Iranian civilians and increased instability across the region. As fuel and fertilizer prices rise, families here at home are paying the cost while billions of taxpayer dollars are spent overseas. As a combat veteran, I know the human cost of war. I will fight to end this conflict and invest those resources in housing, healthcare, education, and good-paying jobs here at home.
Housing is a human right, not a commodity for Wall Street investors.
Shelter is a basic human need. I support banning private equity firms from purchasing single-family homes and imposing higher taxes on vacant housing hoarded by absentee landlords. Working class families deserve safe, affordable housing and yet rents have skyrocketed while wages continue to be suppressed. This has contributed to the unhoused crisis in District 10, a crisis that cannot be solved with city imposed camping bans. I will fight to repeal the Faircloth Amendment, fund permanently affordable social housing , expand tenant unions and strengthen renter’s legal rights. I support and have canvassed for the Safe Homes for All Initiative, which is a priority campaign of Tacoma Pierce County Democratic Socialists of America.
Healthcare is a human right, not a privilege tied to employment or income.
No one should go bankrupt because they got sick or lose a loved one because they couldn't afford treatment. I support Medicare For All to guarantee comprehensive healthcare for every American while lowering costs for families. I have also signed the Patients Over Profits pledge because I believe healthcare decisions should be made by patients and doctors, not insurance company lobbyists.
My wife Julia is a registered nurse and a passionate advocate for Medicare For All and the Washington Health Trust championed by Whole Washington.
Racial justice requires changing the systems that have harmed communities for generations.
Slavery never ended in America. The 13th amendment legalized slavery for incarcerated people, which has incentivized the disproportionate incarceration of black and brown Americans. The origin of policing in America is slave catchers, night watchmen, and strike breakers. Private prisons and detention centers should be abolished.
I was in the streets for the BLM protests following the murder of Manny Ellis in Tacoma and believe that we must abolish qualified immunity for police officers that prevents them from being held accountable for the racist serial abuse and murder of Black and brown community members. I support democratizing public safety and creating non-police crisis intervention teams with nurses, social workers, and behavioral health professionals that can be dispatched to provide community resources for mental health and substance use disorder related crises instead of pushing these people into the racist carceral system.
Immigrants have always strengthened our communities and helped build this country.
Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and humanity, regardless of where they were born. I support creating clear and accessible pathways to citizenship while ending cruel immigration policies that separate families and terrorize communities. We need a humane immigration system that recognizes the right to migration, asylum and due process. The Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma is a for profit concentration camp where detainees suffer medical abuse and neglect and it should be permanently closed. I will fight to abolish ICE and reinvest its outrageously bloated budget on pro-social programs.
Every person deserves the freedom to make decisions about their own body without government interference.
I support protecting abortion access by codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law. I will also stand with LGBTQIA2S+ Americans, especially transgender people who have become the target of political attacks. Every person has the right to bodily autonomy, and I support restoring and expanding access to gender affirming care for transgender community members. I’ve endorsed the No Hate in Washington State campaign against the dangerous MAGA ballot initiatives IL26-001 and IL26008 which would put transgender youth at extreme risk.
Our democracy should belong to working people, not billionaires, corporations, or special interests.
Corporate money has deeply corrupted both major parties and left voters without representation in Washington. I will fight to overturn Citizens United, ban unlimited secret dark money PACs, and restore our democracy with publicly funded elections. I will also work to end rampant insider trading by banning politicians from owning stocks while they are in public office.
Education is the foundation of a strong democracy.
Critical thinking, the ability to evaluate evidence, and a solid understanding of history are essential for an informed public and a healthy democracy. I'll fight for fully funded, tuition-free public education, from early childhood through trade schools, community colleges, and universities, so every student has the opportunity to succeed regardless of income. Americans are currently shackled by over 1.8 TRILLION in predatory student loan debt that should be abolished. I support the mission of DebtCollective.org to cancel debt and defend millions of households.
As a combat veteran, I rely on the Department of Veterans Affairs for my healthcare.
I know firsthand how important the VA is for millions of veterans and their families. I oppose efforts to privatize the VA because they would weaken care and leave veterans behind. I will fight to fully fund, strengthen, and expand the VA so every veteran receives the care and benefits they earned through their service.
A handful of massive technology corporations hold too much power over our economy, our democracy, and our personal data.
Artificial intelligence should improve people's lives, not eliminate jobs or deepen inequality. The rapid construction of massive data centers are placing crippling demands on already strained energy grids, causing utility bills for families to skyrocket, and decimating precious clean water supplies. I support local communities right to ban the construction of new data centers and will fight for strong regulations that put workers, privacy, and healthy local ecosystems before the interests of big tech, and mass surveillance companies like Palantir.
Climate change is the greatest long-term threat facing our planet, and we cannot afford half measures.
I will fight to pass the Green New Deal to create millions of high paying union jobs in sectors that will dramatically reduce our carbon output and protect ecological biodiversity. I support denuclearization and a shift to renewable energy sources like solar and wind. I will work to strengthen the EPA and reverse decades of industry deregulation that threatens public health and safety. I oppose the chemical industry’s current push to weaken the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), our nation’s primary law for protecting people from dangerous chemicals.
I support the Protect Our Parks Act to ensure that our National Parks are safe and well maintained and The Public Lands Integrity Act to protect our wild spaces from being sold off to the highest bidder.
Locally, we need to work to restore salmon habitat and protect our endangered resident southern orcas.