1. Voting Rights & Democracy Protection

Democracy only works when everyone can participate freely and fairly.

I support:

• Full restoration and modernization of the Voting Rights Act, including federal pre-clearance for jurisdictions with documented voter suppression
  
  

• Automatic voter registration, same-day registration, and expanded early and mail voting
  
  

• Strong protections against voter intimidation, election subversion, and partisan election interference
  
  

• Federal standards to ensure equal access for rural, Tribal, disabled, and elderly voters
  
  

Contrast:
Cliff Bentz has repeatedly aligned with efforts that weaken federal voting protections and undermine public confidence in elections rather than strengthening access and trust.

2. Equal Protection Under the Law & Criminal Justice Reform

Justice must be blind to wealth, race, and political power.

I support:

• Ending qualified immunity and increasing accountability for law enforcement misconduct
  
  

• National standards for use of force, independent investigations, and transparent reporting
  
  

• Sentencing reform that ends racial disparities and excessive incarceration
  
  

• Full enforcement of civil rights investigations through the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
  
  

Public safety improves when communities trust the system. Accountability strengthens law enforcement, it does not weaken it.

Contrast:
Bentz consistently sides with punitive, enforcement-first approaches while opposing structural accountability reforms.

3. Immigration & Human Rights

Civil rights do not stop at the border.

I support:

• Ending mass detention, family separation, and inhumane detention conditions
  
  

• Strict oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, including independent inspections. Abolishing ICE may be necessary due to current conditions of detainees and the deaths of innocent citizens.
  
  

• Due process, legal counsel access, and medical care for all detained individuals
  
  

• Clear prohibitions against racial profiling and unconstitutional raids
  
  

Immigration enforcement must comply with the Constitution. Federal power does not excuse civil rights violations.

Contrast:
Bentz has supported expanded DHS and ICE funding without corresponding civil rights safeguards or accountability.

4. LGBTQIA2S+ Rights

Civil rights mean all families are protected under the law.

I support:

• Federal protections against discrimination in housing, employment, healthcare, and education
  
  

• Safeguarding marriage equality and parental rights nationwide
  
  

• Ending state-sanctioned discrimination against transgender Americans
  
  

• Protecting LGBTQIA2S+ youth from censorship, forced outing, and discriminatory school policies
  
  

No one should lose their job, housing, or healthcare because of who they are.

Contrast:
Bentz has supported policies that allow states to roll back protections under the guise of “religious freedom.”

5. Women’s Rights & Bodily Autonomy

Healthcare decisions belong to patients, not politicians.

I support:

• Federal protection for reproductive healthcare, including abortion access
  
  

• Nationwide access to contraception and maternal healthcare
  
  

• Ending criminalization of pregnancy outcomes
  
  

• Protecting medical privacy from government surveillance
  
  

Contrast:

 Bentz supports national abortion restrictions and has voted to allow federal interference in private medical decisions.

6. Disability Rights

Accessibility is a civil right, not an accommodation.

I support:

• Full enforcement and modernization of the Americans with Disabilities Act
  
  

• Federal investment in accessible housing, transportation, and broadband
  
  

• Protections for disabled students, workers, and veterans
  
  

• Ending benefit cliffs that trap disabled Americans in poverty
  
  

Rights only matter if systems actually work for people.

7. Civil Rights in the Digital Age (Data & Surveillance)

Civil rights must keep pace with technology.

I support:

• Limits on facial recognition, biometric tracking, and warrantless data collection
  
  

• Prohibiting AI-driven discrimination in housing, employment, credit, and policing
  
  

• Preventing federal agencies from outsourcing surveillance to private tech firms
  
  

• Strong privacy protections against data harvesting and misuse
  
  

Civil rights violations don’t become acceptable just because they’re automated.

Closing Principle

Civil rights are not partisan. They are constitutional.
I will enforce the law, protect the vulnerable, and hold power accountable, without fear or favoritism.

That is the difference between leadership rooted in the Constitution and politics rooted in ideology.