Name *
Ashwani Jain
Age *
32
Office Sought *
Governor
County *
Montgomery
Political Party *
Democrat
Education *
2 Bachelors (Business Management and Political Science) and 1 Master's (Political Management)
Career/Occupation *
Former Obama Administration Official - Current NonProfit Director
Political Experience *
I’m a 32-year-old cancer survivor who is a son of immigrants; a product of Maryland public schools; has worked in the public, private and non-profit sectors; and served in the Obama White House and 2 federal agencies.
Social Media Accounts *
@JainForGov (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Medium, TikTok)
Website *
Why are you running for office? *
I’m running for Governor to make our politics more inclusive and accessible. That’s why I created the first 100% volunteer-run, crowdsourced, statewide campaign in the United States and why all our events are free.
Who do you consider your political role model, and why? *
Barack Obama, Stacey Abrams, AOC, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg
What is your favorite book about politics and policy, and why? *
The Audacity of Hope - discussed the power of young people in making transformative change; thinking outside the box; not listening to those who want to maintain the status quo; believing in your self and worth; making government more inclusive.
What will be your top priority in office? *
In addition to providing residents (from all ages, backgrounds and counties) a genuine seat at the table - one of my signature programs is the Maryland Now Plan. This fully paid for plan will (1) Eliminate the State Income tax for 95% of Marylanders; (2) Make Public Transit free; (3) Create the nation's 1st guaranteed jobs program; (4) Legalize Marijuana and Expunge Records; and (5) Impost anti-corruption measures to get money out of politics.
What is the biggest issue facing your area? *
Politics and policies are not inclusive, accessible or equitable for every resident. Candidates fail to disclose the full details of their policies or how they are paid for; fail to discuss issues in a comprehensive way; and fail to allow residents an opportunity to make policy/strategy with zero time or financial commitment. That's why my campaign has shared over 150 policies on our website since January 2021 (fully paid for and created by residents, not consultants) and why all our events are free.
What are the three biggest issues facing Maryland? *
Politics and policies are not inclusive, accessible or equitable for every resident. Candidates fail to disclose the full details of their policies or how they are paid for; fail to discuss issues in a comprehensive way; and fail to allow residents an opportunity to make policy/strategy with zero time or financial commitment. That's why my campaign has shared over 150 policies on our website since January 2021 (fully paid for and created by residents, not consultants) and why all our events are free.
What is your position on life issues? (abortion, assisted suicide) *
I have shared my Reproductive Justice platform in my "Healthcare" policy memo since January 2021. It includes - (1) Enshrine essential healthcare services (like abortion care, contraceptive coverage and gender affirmation treatment) in our State Constitution so all women, girls, and other gender variant people — regardless of their zip code, identity or economic status — have safe, affordable access to the healthcare they need. (2) Direct our federally funded Medicaid to cover all essential healthcare services (like abortion care, contraceptive coverage and gender affirmation treatment). This will ensure all our residents — especially in our low-income and rural communities — gain coverage for critical health services. (3) Require all public schools to have comprehensive sex-ed in health classes. Students must learn about everything from abstinence to contraceptives, to period poverty, to domestic violence, to LGBTQ inclusion, gender identity and reproductive rights. (4) Require all public schools to provide free menstrual products in bathrooms. If toilet paper can be free for all students, so should menstrual products. And while most of our school budgets cover these expenses, these products are often kept in the nurse’s offices. We need to, instead, make these available in the restrooms. (5) Expand availability of medication abortion. Medication to induce an abortion is generally taken within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy and considered very safe and less expensive than surgical abortion. As such, we should ensure that pharmacists (who are the most accessible and affordable provider for residents in low-income and rural communities) keep stocks of mifepristone (one of two drugs used for medication abortion) on hand, and can dispense the medication with a prescription. (6) Expand lactation accommodations for new mothers. Similar to what they achieved in Baltimore, we must ensure that — statewide — employers provide lactation accommodation for new mothers (i.e. a private lactation space that isn’t a closet, with a lockable door, place to sit, surface to place equipment and a fridge for storing breast milk).
What is your position on taxes and spending? *
We can be both financially responsible and socially progressive. We already have the funds to support business, employees, community members and our society, but need to tackle issues in a comprehensive way and disclose how we plan to pay for our proposals. Part of this means to be held accountable for promised revenue streams (ex. if we promise that funds from slots will be used for our education systems, we must ensure that money actually gets allocated appropriately). Part of this means we include the voices of every community member in the budget process (before, during AND after). And part of this means increasing revenue streams for our state by keeping people in our state and encouraging more to move into our state. My “Maryland Now Plan” can significantly help us accomplish this.
What is your position on gun rights? *
I support the Second Amendment and believe the best way to protect the rights of responsible gun owners is smarter regulations. In 2018, I hosted a Gun Safety workshop after the Parkland shooting. At the end of that workshop, students ranging from age 11 to 19 made almost 200 calls to our Maryland lawmakers in support of SB 707, which would ban rapid-trigger devices in this state and keep weapons out of the hands of domestic abusers. Our efforts were successful, and the bill later became law. https://tinyurl.com/y34m9ln7. But more can be done. Maryland already requires a permit to carry a handgun (i.e. we’re not a “constitutional carry” state). Furthermore, when it comes to issuing those permits, MD requires a background check and a training course. Unfortunately, you do not need a permit to purchase or carry rifles and shotguns. I want to close this loophole. Every constitutional right we have is regulated to some degree, especially when personal choices impeded on public safety (ex. we have freedom of speech but cannot shout “fire” in a crowded place). These regulations actually help strengthen and protect these rights for all of us. And when they fail to do so, our Constitution has been updated (i.e. The Bill of Rights). As such, our Second Amendment is no different. While we can protect an individual’s right to “bear arms”, we need to ensure this does not come at the expense of public safety. With the historic level of gun violence in our country, it is not unreasonable to ban certain military-grade firearms and to require people to get a permit to own firearms (just as we require folks to get a driver’s license to operate a vehicle). These common-sense measures will not only help reduce the risks of a non-law abiding resident from obtaining a weapon, but also ensure greater safety around firearms.
What is your position on the legalization of marijuana? *
As noted earlier in my "Maryland Now Plan", we need to fully decriminalize AND legalize the commercial use and taxation of marijuana. This plan must also include expunging records for those who have been imprisoned because of possession.
What is your position on the current three-tiered system for the sale and distribution of alcohol? *
It works and helps us raise needed revenue for various social/economic development programs. If alcohol is sold outside of the three-tier system, the government loses revenue from alcohol beverage taxes.
What is your position on land use, growth, and development? *
As noted in my "Infrastructure" policy memo since January 2021, I believe we must encourage more mixed-use development and smart growth. This includes ensuring that new housing is built closer to areas of transit, and that we are encouraging more multi-family housing and high-rise development, not just single-family homes.
What is your position on crime and public safety? *
The only way to reduce crime and increase public safety is to tackle our Criminal Justice system in a comprehensive and sincere way. This includes everything from treating opioid/drug abuse as a disease not crime; removing SROs from public schools; investing in more mental health professionals; ending the money bail system; and preparing those in prison for life outside prison. Full details on my plan can be found here: https://jainforgov.medium.com/criminal-justice-reform-42a0c6a91033
What is your position on county tax caps? *
Given the economic impact of the recent pandemic, I do NOT support getting rid of the property tax cap. We must not always look to increasing taxes and placing greater financial burdens on residents.
Was Joe Biden legitimately elected President of the United States in the November 2020 Election? *
Yes
Do you pledge to accept the results of your election? *
Yes