Dorland
for Congress: Arizona's 6th District
No Donors
No Party
No Filters
No Lies
I’m running with no party affiliation. Not because I think I’m above it, but because I don’t want to owe anyone a vote before I’ve read the bill. Independents don’t get a primary, a donor list, or a team telling them how to vote. That’s the point. If I get this wrong, it’s on me. If I get it right, it’s also on me. Either way, you’ll know exactly who to hold responsible.
Who I Am
My name is Michael Dorland. I live in District 6. I’ve been a dishwasher, a kitchen manager, a small business owner, and — briefly — a guy with no place to live. For twenty-plus years I’ve fixed other people’s technology: show up, figure out what’s broken, fix it, and leave without anyone getting hurt. Along the way, I drove tens of thousands of miles across southern Arizona listening to people’s lives while I fixed their computers, lost a house in the 2008 crash, and learned the healthcare system from the inside.
I’m not a politician. I’m a guy who pays attention, tells the truth even when it’s inconvenient, and owns it when he’s wrong, which, statistically, will be often. Nobody’s uniquely qualified for this job. But honesty, clear thinking, and not making things worse shouldn’t be rare qualifications for Congress. The fact that they are is most of what’s wrong. [Read the whole messy résumé →]
Worried about AI and data centers in Arizona?
Good, so are we. Before you get worked up and start yelling about us being hypocrites because we use and develop AI tools, read our AI Policy first. We run most of ours on solar at home, not in a data center, and we’ll tell you what we do and why.
Get mad and yell at us after you’ve read it, if you still want to. We’ll respect that more.
What I Offer
Here’s what I stand for and how it impacts you.
Honesty (Even When It Costs Me)
I will tell you the truth, even when a comfortable lie would be easier for me. That doesn't mean cruelty; you lead with kindness, then you tell the truth. But you don't get a representative who lies (even by omission; I hate those types of lies the worst) because the honest answer polls badly.
Don't Make Things Worse
Things are hard, and the last decade proves they can always get worse. The first job of anyone handed power is to not accelerate the slide. I'm not promising to fix everything. I'm promising not to "make it worse," and you'd be surprised how rare that promise is.
Critical Thinking/Common Sense
Critical thinking and common sense aren't two separate things; they're the same thing from both ends. Logical reasoning with no common sense argues its way into nonsense; common sense with no thinking is just "everybody knows" and ignores years of dedicated investigation. You need both to have a functioning society. Example: a ceasefire that doesn't stop the bombing isn't a ceasefire.
I'll think things through using both.
Caring
Being human is hard enough as it is. Going out of your way to make other people's lives worse is just petty, and it's one thing nearly every ethical and religious tradition on earth pretty much agrees isn't cool. Decency isn't a policy position. It's the floor.
The Staff (Such As It Is)
Here are the dedicated individuals behind “Dorland for Congress.” We are committed to transparency and community engagement.
Michael Dorland
Dr. Jessica Dorland
Karl Ver Berg
The Kids
Why You Might Pick Me
(No Pressure)
Someone asked me what makes me uniquely qualified for this job. Here's my honest answer: I'm not. I think I'm at least qualified — but not uniquely. I'm certain there are people all over District 6 who are just as qualified as me, and plenty who are more. They just aren't running. And honestly? I hope a platform of honesty, common sense, and critical thinking isn't unique. Because if caring about those things makes me stand out — that just makes the whole thing a little sadder. So no, I won't tell you I'm the only one who can do this. I'll just tell you I'm willing to, I'll be honest about it, and I'll own it when I get it wrong."
Please Don't Donate (We Mean It)
We’re not taking donations. On purpose.
Federal rules say the moment a campaign raises or spends more than $5000, it has to register with the FEC and start filing paperwork. We’d rather spend that energy talking to you than talking to accountants. So this campaign runs on roughly nothing — a website, some streams, a few park benches, and a penguin.
If you want to help, it’s free: tell one person how to write me in. That’s worth more than money to a campaign like this anyway.
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