Xavier Carrigan

Xavier Carrigan earned a high school diploma from St. John's Jesuit High School, an associate degree from Owens Community College in 2009, a bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University in 2009, and a master's degree from the University of Findlay in 2012. His professional experience includes working as a truck driver beginning in 2018 and as a college instructor from 2009 to 2017.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m Xavier Carrigan, and I’m running for Congress because this system is broken on purpose.

Both parties talk about serving the people while taking money from the same donors, the same PACs, and the same interests that keep things exactly the way they are. I’m not part of that. I don’t take corporate money, and I’m not here to play along with a system that rewards it.

I’ve spent my career working with real people, helping them navigate systems that were never built for them. That’s exactly how government feels today, complicated, frustrating, and out of reach by design.

This campaign is about drawing a line. No big donor money. No backroom deals. No pretending things are fine when they clearly are not. If we want a different outcome, we need people who aren’t bought before they even take office.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I am not funded by corporations, PACs, or billionaire donors, and that is not a weakness, it is the point.

The reason people feel ignored is because, too often, they are. Policy follows money, and right now money speaks louder than voters. This campaign is built to prove that you can run, compete, and win without selling out. If elected, my loyalty is to the people in this district, not to donors expecting a return on investment.Healthcare is not a luxury, and I will not treat it like one.

We don’t have a healthcare access problem. We have a cost problem. People can “access” care the same way they can access a luxury car, it’s there, they just can’t afford it. That is not a functioning system.

Medicare for All is not negotiable. It is the baseline for a country that claims to care about its people. No one should be choosing between their health and their finances.If this country runs on the working class, then the working class should have the power.

We saw in 2020 exactly who keeps this country moving, and it was not billionaires or political insiders. It was workers. And yet those same people are still struggling with wages, debt, and rising costs.

We need policies that reflect that reality, from ending the student debt crisis to investing in infrastructure, education, and long-term economic stability. If we are serious about the future, we need to start acting like it.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I care about policies that actually change people’s lives, not just sound good.

That starts with Medicare for All. Healthcare should be guaranteed, not tied to employment or income. I’m equally focused on ending the student debt crisis, which has trapped an entire generation and drags down economic growth.

Here in Iowa, clean water isn’t optional. We need a modern, enforceable Clean Water Act that protects communities, not polluters.

I am also focused on reducing corruption in our political system by confronting dark money, limiting PAC influence, and making sure elected officials answer to voters, not donors. Until that changes, everything else is an uphill battle.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to people who challenged power, not accommodated it.

Figures like Fred Hampton, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, and Bernie Sanders all, in different ways, took on entrenched systems and pushed for structural change.

They didn’t wait for permission, and they didn’t build their approach around keeping powerful interests comfortable. That willingness to confront problems directly is what I respect most.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, independence, and accountability.

If an elected official is financially or politically tied to donors, they are not fully independent, and voters can feel that. People deserve someone who answers to them, not to a funding network behind the scenes.

That also means being honest, even when it’s uncomfortable, and being willing to explain decisions directly to constituents instead of hiding behind talking points.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Represent the people of the district, not outside interests.

That means listening, being accessible, and translating real concerns into policy that actually works. It also means oversight, holding agencies and institutions accountable, and making sure laws are enforced fairly.

At the federal level, it also means making decisions with long-term consequences in mind, not short-term political wins.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That it is possible to run and serve without being bought.

If people walk away from this campaign believing they don’t need permission, money, or connections to step forward and run, then that changes more than any single policy ever could.

I want to leave behind a path others can follow.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was as a Little League umpire, and I’ll be honest, I wasn’t very good at it.

My first job as an adult was working as a nightclub bouncer. That role taught me how to handle pressure, read situations quickly, and deal with conflict directly. Those lessons stick with you.

But if we want to talk longevity, I have been a DJ for 30 years, and that was almost my first job.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Dealing with bullies.

That started early in school and didn’t just disappear with age. It shows up in different forms, in workplaces, in institutions, and in leadership. Over time, I learned that ignoring it doesn’t work. You have to confront it.

That mindset is part of why I stepped into this race. When leadership reflects those same traits, the only way forward is to challenge it directly.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The House is supposed to be the closest reflection of the people.

Members represent smaller districts and are meant to be directly accountable to voters. That should make it the most responsive and grounded part of the federal government.

The problem is that too often it reflects donors more than constituents. Restoring that connection is critical if it is going to function the way it was intended.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Rebuilding trust, both at home and abroad.

The United States has taken real hits to its reputation, its alliances, and its credibility. We’ve shown that instability at the highest level is possible, and that creates long-term consequences.

At the same time, there is a growing lack of trust internally, in government, institutions, and the political system itself. Rebuilding that trust will take consistency, accountability, and leadership that people actually believe in.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Compromise can be necessary, but it depends on who you are dealing with and what is on the table.

There is a difference between negotiating in good faith and giving ground to people who are acting in bad faith. I am open to working with others to get results, but not at the expense of core principles or basic honesty.

We are in a moment that requires clarity and strength, not endless concessions.

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

One of the earliest events I remember is the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

Moments like that stay with you because they show how quickly things can go wrong, and how institutions respond when they do. Events like the early 1990s unrest in Los Angeles and the Iran-Contra revelations also shaped how I came to view accountability and government transparency.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

A native of Bowling Green, OH, one of the larger cities in the OH-5, I am intimately aware of the issues facing the District's working class. I have wide-ranging professional experience, having taught English as a Second Language at the university level across the US and in Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. Faced with the all too common debacle of paying off student loans, however, I left teaching and became a truck driver to more efficiently fulfill my financial responsibilities.

Proud to call myself progressive, I fully support the candidacy of Bernie Sanders. All of my policies are aimed at enfranchising the 5th District's working class and ensuring that they - not corporate interests - are the government's priority. I come from the 5th District's working class and I have returned to my roots with a keen awareness and strong drive to better the lives of my constituents and ensure that they have a voice in Congress that is truly representative of their needs and interests.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I fully support the passage and implementation of the Green New Deal, both as a means of dealing with climate change and spurring economic growth through the development of new industries and new jobs.If we are, indeed, the greatest nation on earth, then there is no excuse for not providing universal healthcare coverage through Medicare for All. A great nation does not impoverish citizens through outrageous healthcare costs that are inflated to benefit corporate interests and not the individual.I will support and actively work to implement legislation that puts an end to defining money as speech in the political process. The time has come to return elections to the people whom they most affect and not the corporate interests that have controlled previous 5th District representatives in Washington.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

At the forefront would be ensuring every single person has, not just access, but is truly assured healthcare. It isn't enough to simply make available options. We must accept our role as the wealthiest nation and actually take care of all of our citizens. If other countries can do so (and not be the wealthiest), then there is no excuse.

Also, the student debt crisis and minimum wage is something that impacts everyone, even if not so in a direct manner. The burden it thrusts upon the communities, states, and nation as a whole is felt when the economy weakens and people can no longer afford to enjoy simple luxuries, such as dining out or seeing a movie. That leaves local businesses reeling, since nobody is able to spend into the community. If we relieve the burden of the massive student loan debt, and actually pay people a living wage, we will see life breathed back into all aspects. These two policies alone will reinvigorate our shrinking middle class and re-enfranchise the vast majority of Americans.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The most basic responsibility of an elected official is not just to represent his/her district but to fight for everyone in it, young and old, wealthy and struggling, farmer and businessperson, Democrat and Republican. That means fighting not just for the plate that is in front of us but for the successful future of the District. It is the responsibility of the official to be on top of everything that will affect citizens of the District and to work to prepare them for whatever changes may be coming on both a local and national level. No representative's district is an island and to advance the cause of an individual district, it is vital to forge relationships and alliances with like-minded representatives of similar districts. The future holds great things in terms of the emergence of new industries and economic sectors and it is the responsiblity of the representative to ensure that his/her constituents profit from these developments.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I see myself as a progressive and unapologetically proactive in making the progressive agenda a legislative reality. My legacy, I hope, will be one of championing and implementing the Green New Deal, bringing its benefits to Northwest Ohio so that our farmers will profit and our workers will secure high-paying jobs in the new industries created through the concern for climate change. I would also be humbled to look back on my time in the House of Representatives and see that everyone in my district and those in others have full access to affordable healthcare and prescription drugs through a single-payer system. Additionally, playing a role in reversing Citizens United through legislation and putting a stop to the idea that money equals speech in the political arena would be an especially significant part of my legacy. Limiting the influence of big money in politics would return the elections to the people, taking them away from the party machines and making them more responsive to those they have always been meant to serve: the people.

Though, if I could leave one unique piece of legislation in my wake, it would be to empower Worker Co-ops and prop up Unions to grow and take their rightful seat at the table. I can think of no better legacy to leave.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

If I go all the way back to my very first paid for job, it was working as a concession stand employee at the local baseball park. Paid under the table, as those kinds of jobs typically were, I remember filling up Slush Puppies and selling M&M's, Snickers, Kit Kats and more. Though, my first official job with taxable income lasted only two weeks as I picked up trash alongside the highway with the Ohio Department of Transportation. It wouldn't be until I turned 18 where my longest running career would begin, as I started as a bouncer at a local nightclub which led to me being a DJ for the next 24 years (and counting)

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I collapsed under the pressure of having someone play the Numa Numa song. It took a few days to get it out, and I am trying desperately, again, to get it back out, thanks to this question >,<

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

No. They should, however, have experience in leadership and being able to carry a message to others. Having the talent to speak to others unlike them, or who are diametrically opposed in their beliefs. Having a penchant for diplomacy, while alos remaining firm on personal principles are the qualities and skills to be a representative. Moreover, the notion of having previous experience leads to career politicians, and that is something that has failed our country time and again. We need to have fresh minds and ideas periodically, and that means having people from all walks of life stepping up to represent their states on Capitol Hill. That comes with the understanding that they were not necessarily primed and trained specifically for that task. It should be, instead, about adapting skills and experience from their unique professional backgrounds to add to the ever evolving pot known as democracy.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Second to none is the Climate Crisis. Nothing else will matter if we do not have a planet that is inhabitable, and as the saying goes: There is no Planet B. We must address the matter of the ever increasing dangers of climate change. Here in the Midwest, it impacted farming and agriculture in catastrophic ways as floods delayed planting season, as well as left many animals astray or dead when the waters became too high and evacuation was not an option for the livestock.

The radical weather patterns and unstable predictions that continue to haunt us in increasing numbers, year after year, tell an ominous tale that we must act, though we should have acted a decade or two ago. It also goes without saying that, throwing our hands up in the air, saying it's too late, is unacceptable. We must try, and for those with such a nihilistic position should get out of the way of the people actually trying to do something about it.

We need a Green New Deal, now.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

It is the main reason for too many of the problems facing the United States. We have permitted old and outdated ideas to linger for far too long. Ideas that were pertinent and relevant during their era simply aren't any longer. So, as technology, knowledge, and access to information evolves, so should those on Capitol Hill representing us. If they are unwilling to adapt to the changes, we must have them exit, gracefully.

Though, a far greater risk to not having term limits is the ever growing corruption that inhibits positive change. These officials who stay in too long become more and more susceptible to being influenced by special interests, or to maintaining their role, rather than their duty to the constituents. By having term limits placed on all elected positions, we will make way for the next generation to take on the responsibility of managing their own future, rather than devolving our country further into a system that has become woefully dependent.

Much like a child that never leaves home, personal responsibility is never learned, so that when the child is left on their own, they cannot take care of themselves. It is time for older generations to let go and let the next generation learn to lead the way.

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What is your political philosophy?

Running for the position of US Representative in Ohio's 5th is, for me, a chance to give back to my community and my country. I believe in the definition of what it means to represent people from my hometown area, and that means bringing their voice to Capitol Hill. It isn't enough to only serve a party, or represent a small contingent of close supporters; representatives must act on the behalf of all of their neighbors and not play favorites.

It will be my mission to stay in touch with as many citizens in my constituency as possible, listen to their concerns in person, take note of how they want me to vote, and ensure that I will take our decision to Washington DC. We have reached a time in our country where we must bring power back to the people and the general public, rather than only for those who pay to have their voice be louder.

During my time in office, my number one priority will be to fight climate change. It is not a matter of whether or not we believe it exists, that has been proven and we can see the effects almost every day, and throughout the world. It is a matter of time before we can no longer do anything about it. We must act now, and we must make some very difficult choices, very soon.

I will be standing up for the blue and white collar worker, as well as fighting to make healthcare and education a right, accessible and affordable to every single person in our country. As the richest nation in the world, we should be able to take care of one another without hesitation, and without judgement. Additionally, we must fight to get money out of politics, overturn Citizens United. I will push for a Constitutional Amendment that will provide truly fair elections in the United States.[3]

—Xavier Carrigan[1]