Candidate · November 3, 2026
Mikel Wein
On the ballot for U.S. House · Kentucky's 5th District
- raised through Oct 14, 2026
- $4,250
- cash on hand
- $2,912
- issues with public statements
- 27
§1On the ballot
Why this matters: This is exactly how the candidate appears on your ballot, from the state's official candidate list.
| Office | U.S. House · Kentucky's 5th District1, |
|---|---|
| Party on the ballot | Independent1, |
| Status | Challenger |
| Also on the ballot |
|
§2Who they are
Why this matters: Background and experience help you judge how someone might do the job. These come from public records and the candidate's own materials.
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
Ballotpedia lists his occupation as archaeologist.4 It says he earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2012, a graduate degree from the City University of New York Graduate Center in 2016 and a Ph.D. from the University of St Andrews in 2024.4
Why they say they're running
His campaign website says eastern Kentucky deserves a representative who will fight for legislation supporting every citizen's right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.5 It says voters in eastern Kentucky and across the country must hold their representatives accountable when they value personal or party loyalty more than their oath to uphold the Constitution.5
Websites and accounts
- Campaign websiteweinforky5.com5,
6 - X (Twitter)x.com/weinforky55
- Instagraminstagram.com/weinforky55
- Facebookfacebook.com/615851670215315
- TikToktiktok.com/@weinforky55
- Blueskybsky.app/profile/weinforky5.bsky.social5
- YouTubeyoutube.com/@weinforky55
§3What they've said on the issues
Why this matters: These are positions the candidate has stated publicly — on their campaign website or in public statements — summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Issues they haven't spoken about publicly are left out.
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
Each issue has its own range of views. A position is marked on that range only when the candidate's own statement clearly matches one option; there is no overall left–right score.
Health Care
His campaign website says the country needs a government-run, universal, comprehensive health care system that is free at the point of service and paid for with federal tax dollars, and says it wants representatives and senators who will advocate and vote for the Medicare for All Act of 2025; it lists passing Medicare for All among actions needed immediately.5,
- One government plan for everyone (Medicare for All)
- Add a government plan that anyone can choose to buy
- Keep the current mix of private and public coverage, including the ACA
- Fewer federal insurance rules and more private plan choices, with aid paid to individuals
His campaign website says funding for existing health care needs to be restored, and lists repealing cuts to Medicaid among actions needed immediately.7
- Reduce federal Medicaid spending further, such as by giving states fixed yearly amounts (block grants or per-person limits)
- Keep the funding rules set by the 2025 law
- Reverse the 2025 changes or increase federal funding
Economy, Jobs and Trade
His campaign website says workers need stronger laws protecting their rights and a renewed ability to form unions, lists re-funding the National Labor Relations Board among actions needed immediately, and says strong unions and organizing make lives better.5,
- Make it easier to form a union (for example, the PRO Act)
- Keep current rules
- Add requirements such as a secret-ballot election before every union is recognized
His campaign website lists the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, which it says raises the minimum wage to $17.00 by 2030, among the pending legislation on its Wealth page, and lists supporting pending legislation to redistribute wealth back to workers among actions needed immediately.8
His campaign website lists the Protect America's Workforce Act of 2025, which it says reverses an executive order limiting collective bargaining for federal employees, among the pending legislation on its Wealth page.8
His campaign website lists passing pending legislation to control tariffs among actions needed immediately, and lists four measures, including bills it says would require the president to submit proposed Section 232 tariffs to Congress for approval or to get congressional approval before imposing new tariffs on allied countries, and a resolution it says would end the emergency declared to impose global tariffs.9
Social Security and Medicare
His campaign website lists the Social Security Expansion Act, which it says eliminates the wage cap and requires all income to pay into Social Security, and the You Earned It You Keep It Act, which it says removes the payroll cap, among the pending legislation on its Wealth page.8
His campaign website lists the Social Security Expansion Act, which it says increases annual benefits by $2,400 and switches to a more accurate inflation measure for cost-of-living adjustments, among the pending legislation on its Wealth page.8
His campaign website lists the You Earned It You Keep It Act, which it says ends federal income taxes on Social Security benefits and removes the payroll cap to pay for it, among the pending legislation on its Wealth page.8
Taxes and Budget
His campaign website lists the OLIGARCH Act of 2025, which it says would tax the wealth of the ultra-rich and billionaires, among the pending legislation on its Wealth page, and lists supporting legislation to tax capital gains as income among its longer-term actions.8
Education
His campaign website says it is time to pass legislation guaranteeing free tuition at public schools from early childhood through graduate, trade or professional school, and lists the College for All Act of 2025, which it says provides tuition-free community college and public four-year college, among pending legislation.9
- No free tuition program
- Free tuition at community colleges
- Free tuition at public colleges and universities
His campaign website says it is time to end student loan debt and lists supporting legislation to end student loan debt among its longer-term actions.9
- Narrow or end existing forgiveness programs, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Keep current forgiveness programs, with no new cancellation
- Add targeted relief, such as more forgiveness for public service workers or through income-based repayment
- Broad cancellation of student debt
His campaign website says the Department of Education is being dismantled and lists re-funding the department and existing federal education programs among actions needed immediately.9
- Close the department and move or end its programs
- Shrink it and give states more control over federal school money
- Keep the department and its programs, or expand it
Housing
His campaign website lists limiting private equity companies from purchasing single-family homes among its longer-term actions.9
Technology, Privacy and AI
His campaign website says it is time to increase funding for broadband internet, and says eliminating funding for broadband makes it harder to work or learn from home.9
His campaign website lists legislation to strongly regulate artificial intelligence, including AI liability laws, improved whistleblower protections, parental controls and watermarks for AI content, among its longer-term actions.10
His campaign website lists legislation to regulate dynamic pricing and limit personal data gathering by rewards and pricing algorithms among its longer-term actions.10
Infrastructure and Transportation
His campaign website says cuts to FEMA have hurt communities and that FEMA needs to be strengthened, lists fully funding FEMA among actions needed immediately, and lists the FEMA Act of 2025, which it says fixes and strengthens FEMA, among pending legislation.11
- Shift most disaster costs and response to states, and shrink or close FEMA
- Keep FEMA's role, with changes to speed up aid
- Expand FEMA's funding and role, including more help preparing before disasters
Crime, Policing and Prisons
His campaign website says he believes adopting legislation to support Campaign Zero would help lower crime, and says Campaign Zero approaches would provide funding, support and training for partnerships between local law enforcement and citizens, including mental health personnel.11
Elections and Government Reform
His campaign website lists the Restoring Faith in Government Act, which it says prohibits members of Congress from investing in certain financial instruments such as individual stocks, among the pending legislation on its Integrity page, and lists supporting pending anti-corruption legislation among actions needed immediately.10
His campaign website lists three proposed constitutional amendments to overturn the Citizens United decision among the pending legislation on its Integrity page, and lists legislation to expand voter access and for publicly funded elections among its longer-term actions.10
His campaign website lists an amendment for term and age limits for federal judges, Congress, the president and the vice president among its longer-term actions.10
Immigration
His campaign website lists rolling back ICE funding for 2026 among actions needed immediately.12
His campaign website lists supporting legislation to unmask ICE and increase federal officer accountability among actions needed immediately, and lists three bills it says would require immigration enforcement officers to display identification or a badge number and bar ICE agents from wearing facial coverings during enforcement operations.12
Foreign Policy and Defense
His campaign website says it is time to restore the role of Congress in handling national emergencies and military action against other nations, and lists supporting legislation to strengthen the War Powers Act of 1973 and limit presidential power to initiate conflict among actions needed immediately.5,
His campaign website lists attacking private boats in international waters among the administration actions it says are meant to instill fear, and says it is time to restore the role of Congress in military action against other nations.5
Abortion and Reproductive Health
His campaign website says women in many states worry they cannot get the reproductive health care they need and, in its background information, cites Johns Hopkins research on births and infant deaths in 14 states that banned abortion; among its longer-term actions it lists reviving the Women's Health Protection Act of 2021, described there as barring federal restrictions on women's reproductive health care.12
§4Money
Why this matters: Campaigns report where their money comes from and how much they have left. Outside groups that spend on their own, without coordinating with the campaign, report that too.
Reported to the Federal Election Commission for the 2025–2026 election cycle, through October 14, 2026.13
| Raised | $4,250 |
|---|---|
| Spent | $1,338 |
| Cash on hand | $2,912 |
| Debts owed by the campaign | $4,000 |