Christian Vukasovich
DemocraticQ1 Scientific and technical expertise can inform decisions related to healthcare, energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, and emerging technologies. What role, if any, should scientific evidence and expert input play in your policymaking process, and how would you communicate scientific uncertainty or evolving evidence to the public?
“Good policymaking means listening to the people most affected while also relying on the best available data and the experts who dedicate their careers to understanding these issues. Evidence-based policy is not about removing values from government; it is about ensuring that our values are translated into solutions that are effective, accountable, and capable of improving people’s lives.”
KEYWORDS: Evidence-based Governance; Public Transparency; Scientific Integrity
Q2 Government research funding supports universities, medical centers, and technology development across Michigan and the nation. What role, if any, should the federal government play in supporting scientific research and innovation, and what outcomes would you prioritize when evaluating those investments?
“The federal government has an essential role to play in robustly funding scientific research and innovation. As a professor, I have seen firsthand how public investment transforms our universities, medical centers, and local laboratories into engines of discovery and economic opportunity. Public funding ensures that vital research can target long-term public good rather than short-term corporate profit. When evaluating these investments, I prioritize outcomes that directly improve the quality of life for working families, support our regional economies, and create more effective social programs.”
KEYWORDS: Public Research Investments; Economic Development; Health Infrastructure
Q3 Michigan farmers face challenges including shifting weather patterns, localized droughts, fluctuating input costs, and global market pressures. What policies or investments, if any, would you support to help farmers remain productive and economically competitive, and what role could scientific research and innovation play in those efforts?
“I support targeted federal policies that expand crop insurance protections, lower the costs of essential inputs, and invest directly in regional agricultural infrastructure. Scientific research and innovation are critical tools that can help our agricultural sectors adapt to these evolving challenges.
I advocate for expanding public funding for land-grant university extension programs to develop drought-resistant crops, improve soil health metrics, and advance precise water conservation technologies. By providing farmers with localized, real-time data, we can help them mitigate environmental risks and lower operational overhead.
Furthermore, we must invest in local renewable energy systems and bio-manufacturing innovations to help family farms diversify their revenue streams.”
KEYWORDS: Agricultural Innovation; Family Farm Protections; Rural Economic Resilience
Q4 Michigan communities continue to face challenges related to aging water infrastructure, contamination concerns such as PFAS, and long-term protection of the Great Lakes. What policies or investments, if any, would you support to improve drinking water safety and water infrastructure in Michigan?
“We must strengthen federal drinking water standards and mandate strict, enforceable limits on chemical contaminants to hold corporate polluters financially accountable for environmental cleanup. We also need to increase public funding for independent scientific research to map groundwater systems, track chemical plumes, and deploy advanced filtration technologies that keep drinking water safe.
The Great Lakes represent a foundational ecological resource, and I support robust funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to combat invasive species and agricultural runoff. By prioritizing infrastructure modernization and strict regulatory enforcement, we can ensure that clean, safe drinking water.”
KEYWORDS: Infrastructure Modernization; PFAS remediation; Water Safety Standards.
Q5 Many communities face shortages in healthcare providers and limited access to specialty care. What policies, if any, do you support to address this daily challenge and do you envision emerging technologies playing a role?
“I support federal legislation to significantly increase Medicare-supported Graduate Medical Education residency slots, with targeted expansions explicitly reserved for rural health centers and safety-net hospitals. I will push to expand federal student loan forgiveness and interest-free deferment programs for medical professionals who commit to practicing in underserved geographical areas.
Emerging technologies, particularly advanced telehealth and secure digital health networks, have an important role to play in bridging these access gaps. Permanently lifting geographic restrictions on telehealth services allows local clinics to connect patients with remote specialists for real-time diagnostic consultations.
Technology is a tool to complement, not replace, the essential physician-led care model that safeguards patient safety. To this end, we need to pair digital innovation with robust federal investments in local community clinics to rebuild our healthcare workforce from the ground up.”
KEYWORDS: Healthcare Workforce Expansion; Telehealth Accessibility; Rural Medical Infrastructure.
Q7 As electricity demand increases due to manufacturing, electrification, and data infrastructure, what role, if any, do you believe alternative energy sources, such as nuclear energy, wind, or solar, should play in America’s future energy mix? What policies, if any, would you support related to alternative energy development, regulation, and/or research, and why?
“I support a diversified energy strategy that promotes renewable energy and battery storage to provide stable, carbon-free baseload power. I also support federal policies that invest directly in public research for next-generation small modular reactors and grid-scale storage systems.
We must also provide targeted grants to help family farms and local businesses deploy localized wind and solar arrays to lower their overhead. However, alternative energy deployment must be paired with sensible regulations that protect local control, preserve prime agricultural soil, and ensure rigorous safety protocols for waste management.
By funding independent scientific research and modernizing our distribution grid, we can build a resilient energy economy that creates good-paying, domestic union jobs.”
KEYWORDS: Grid Reliability; Alternative Energy Integration; Energy Research Investments.
Q9 Rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and large-scale data centers are increasing demand for energy and water infrastructure. What policies, if any, would you support to balance technological growth with infrastructure reliability and environmental sustainability?
“The rapid expansion of AI and data centers must benefit working people, not just enrich big technology corporations. We cannot allow massive tech companies to consume enormous amounts of electricity and water while raising utility costs for families, farmers, and small businesses.
Data center operators should pay the full cost of the infrastructure they require and invest in clean energy generation rather than shifting those costs onto taxpayers and ratepayers. Strong environmental standards must also protect our water resources and agricultural land, and developers should prioritize the redevelopment of existing industrial sites whenever possible.
Federal investment in public research and energy-efficient AI technologies can help ensure innovation serves the public good if robustly regulated. Technological progress should strengthen our communities, create good-paying jobs, and protect our natural resources, not come at their expense.”
KEYWORDS: Infrastructure Resource Accountability; Closed-loop Sustainability; Grid Load Balance.