The Former Great Plains Regional Admin of HUD is running for Congress. Joe Mitchell discusses his friendship with Charlie Kirk, what Kirk would have to say about Iowa State Fair protests, accountability for healthcare providers who pushed gender surgeries, and how both incentives and regulations are driving up housing prices.
The Trump appointee also explains his thinking on flock cameras, mass surveillance, and addresses concerns on his tough stance against lobbying. Does it conflict with his former experience hiring lobbyists?
Mitchell highlighted data illustrating America’s housing crisis during a recent interview. Economic shifts have pushed the average age of a first-time homebuyer from 28 in 1970 and 33 in 2020 up to 40 in 2024. “The average age of a first-time home buyer is 40 years old,” Mitchell stated, noting that “that shows that the American dream is becoming out of reach for far too many Americans”.
Housing costs have drastically outpaced earnings. In 1970, the average home price of $40,000 was double the average $20,000 household income. By 2024, average home prices reached $420,000—more than five times the average household income of $81,000—as housing prices jumped 50% in certain regions. Supply shortages worsened as single-family home construction fell from 24 million units built between 1990 and 2010 to only 6 million between 2011 and 2020. To spur development, Mitchell argued, “Republicans are not keen on incentives and Democrats are not keen on deregulation, and we need both”.
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Anti-Corruption and Ethics Platform
Addressing broader governance, Mitchell outlined an anti-corruption platform targeting Washington’s political system. Key proposals include refusing corporate PAC funds, enforcing 12-year term limits in both congressional chambers, and enacting a lifetime ban on former lawmakers becoming lobbyists. He also called for prohibiting individual stock trading by members of Congress to curb conflicts of interest. “We have to stop politicians from getting rich in Washington with insider information,” Mitchell emphasized.