Meet the Young Republican Software Engineer Who Wants to Fix Washington

Women Who Run highlights female political candidates on both sides of the aisle who are poised to change the face of local, state, and federal government for the better.

If there’s one thing we can take away from the 2016 election, it’s that you don’t have to be a career politician to win a seat in office. Which is among the countless reasons the 2018 election has emboldened an exponential amount of women — particularly younger women — to get their names on the ballot. Among those newcomers is Republican Naomi Levin, a software engineer and daughter of Soviet Union refugees who is challenging New York Democratic incumbent Jerry Nadler for the Congressional seat.

“As an engineer, someone who is trained at solving problems, I know how to find practical and scalable solutions,” Levin says. “So that’s how I’m approaching policy. In my job, I was fixing bugs every day and we have so many metaphorical bugs to fix and so many things we can do be doing better. We just need to have that pragmatic approach.”

Levin says she hopes this will be “the year of the Republican woman,” and shift the political discourse back to the issues. After pushing through the primaries, she has her eyes set on a November win that will allow her to focus on national security, education and tax reform.

B+C: What inspired you to run for office?

Levin: I’ve always been involved in politics. My family history is very interesting and had a huge impasse on me. My parents came from me from the Soviet Union and they instilled in me a very deep appreciation of our American values and our freedoms. And I do believe we have the greatest set of values known to mankind in our country and we need to always be reaffirming those values and protecting them. More immediately, I got involved in 2015 when I found out that Jerry Nadler voted for the Iran nuclear deal, which was a betrayal to his constituents and decided to do something about it and that empowered me. I immediately became an activist. I started volunteering for the campaign for the man who was running against him in the 2016 election and spread the message to activate our communities. I started getting more and more involved and one thing lead to another, and I was recruited to do it this time around.

B+C: What are the main issues you’ll fight if you win?

Levin: I think our focus should be on three key issues: one is strengthening our national security. The second is expanding education opportunities. And the third is lowering our outrageous tax burden in New York. I think that we need to protect American interests. We have to protect our country and prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power on a physical level. We need to protect our culture. To make sure Americans are able to get the education that they need for their children so Americans are prepared for the future, which is going to be in business and technology.

Being someone who has been a leader on the forefront of emerging technology and in tune with that community and the growing sector that we’re seeing and expanding STEM programs, including those geared towards women in tech. I’m also a big proponent of school choice. We have some excellent charter schools in our district and a very sizable waiting list of parents waiting for their children to get in, so we know that there’s a need for it and we can direct our federal funding there. In terms of our tax burden economically, we need to keep growing our economy because that’s what creates opportunity and allows us to reinvest in the underprivileged people as well. In New York, we have a very heavy tax burden and there are things that can be done on the federal level to alleviate that burden for New Yorkers. We can be removing the housing rent expense from federal income tax. All insurance-approved medical costs as well and some other things.

B+C: What are some of the biggest challenges in your campaign so far?

Levin: Being a young grassroots candidate, I’m going against a very powerful incumbent. That’s a challenge on its own. At the same time, this is the time for somebody like me and creates an opportunity because I think that people are looking for a fresh perspective and somebody who is not a partisan politician. But it’s also challenging. I don’t have access to the same fundraising opportunities that he does, and he’s very entrenched. That’s probably the biggest challenge. A lot of it has been crowdfunding for fundraising, just finding support through every which way. Reaching out to a variety of groups and people, trying every avenue and finding those people who want to support me to help.

We have a lot of volunteers as a result, just bringing awareness of what I’m trying to do. A lot of people have gotten interested organically. I have an incredible team and have been gaining momentum on a national level. When I was on Fox Family and Friends talking about the disturbing trend of socialism that’s been burgeoning and how I’m the answer to that: I’m a grassroots, Millennial candidate. That propelled a small recognition. I was on Larry King last week, talking about the extreme stance in Washington and how the mission of my campaign is to bridge the divide and bring the focus back to the issues.

B+C: As a candidate among a new generation of women running for office, where do you see your impact at being different from your predecessors?

Levin: As a first time candidate — I didn’t try running in the past, so I can’t speak to that — I think there’s a lot of opportunity for women today. I know that there’s twice as many women running for Congress than the 2016 election. Most of them are Democrats, and there’s fewer Republican women running, but it’s the year of the Republican woman in many ways because we’re running on what we stand for, not what we stand against. I think the Republican candidates that I’ve spoken for and myself, we’re not focused on resistance and obstruction. We’re focused on helping Americans and finding ways to improve different services in our country. I think there’s a tremendous opportunity for support for us, as well as anyone that has that focus.

B+C: Being a younger Republican woman, what issues do you think are important to you not only as a Republican, but as a woman?

Levin: As a Republican woman, I think we need to keep our city and our country safe. We need to expand education opportunities and we need to keep living in New York affordable. An important thing I am advocating for is to increase STEM education programs to expand opportunities for women and get them interested in tech. And those are issues that directly affect me that I’m fighting for.

B+C: Immigration is one of the leading controversial issues affecting the country right now. Coming from a family of immigrants, how does this factor into your position on immigration reform?

Levin: It is a huge issue and I think we need to pass immigration reform. Unfortunately, my opponent votes no on every bill the Republican majority will present because of his partisan politics. Whereas I think we need to look at every policy and see what we can do better. I do think that America is a country of immigrants, built by immigrants, but we’re also a country of law. People like my parents who are immigrants, they fled persecution and came here looking for the opportunity to work hard. We should be taking in these kinds of immigrants who want to contribute and not just those who are looking for benefit from our social net. That merit-based immigration will be important.

B+C: How do you make that determination?

Levin: Language abilities, educational qualities, there’s a whole series of questions that people are asked to determine. This is what the experts do.

B+C: What have you learned by being a Republican in a very Democratic city?

Levin: What I’ve learned is that so many Democrats are disillusioned with what they see as a big polarization in their party and a focus on partisan politics. I’ve met so many people who are open and excited about someone who wants to focus on the issues, work across the aisle and doesn’t want the focus to be on partisan politics anymore. It’s actually been really encouraging to see that.

B+C: What advice would you give to women who are interested in running for office?

Levin: I would say that always say and do what you think is right, not what is advantageous in the moment because in the long run, you’ll be grateful that you did.

B+C: How can people support your run?

Levin: My website is naomiforcongress.com. We need support in terms of donations. People can sign up to volunteer if they live in the New York area. And they can sign up for my newsletter as well to stay updated on the race. I’m @naomilevinny on social media.

(Design by San Trieu/B+C)

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Women Who Run highlights female political candidates on both sides of the aisle who are poised to change the face of local, state, and federal government for the better.

Andria Tupola never planned on a career in anything remotely tied to politics. In fact, the native Hawaiian is a former music teacher who is currently in the process of finishing her PhD in music education. But that hasn’t stopped her from serving two terms representing the 43rd District in the Hawaii House of Representatives, being the first Samoan/Hawaiian woman to serve as the House Minority Leader, and aiming for the top in hopes of becoming the next governor.

Coming from an unconventional background and being a political outsider are both assets, she says. It’s a reminder that anyone can run for office and make changes in their local communities.

“Whether people agree or don’t agree, the best part is that we can change it!” she says. “If you don’t like something, then you can voice your concerns, you can run for office, you can suggest amendments. As you know, there have been lots of changes to the constitution from various amendments that have been brought forth. I just like that there’s a guideline that we can all agree to abide by, and if we want to change it, there’s a process to do that.”

As a Republican running in a Democratic-leaning state, she embraces the challenge of redefining the term “Republican” and pushing Hawaii into more of a two-party system.

“Being a Republican has stimulated a lot of conversation,” she says. “I believe in this state. It’s opened their mind to what a Republican could be. I’m younger, I’m 37, I’m a mom running for governor for the state of Hawaii. For me, the opportunity that opens up is that people can get involved at a younger age. And two, people can get involved even if they have family obligations — it’s still possible to do something like this.”

B+C: What originally inspired you to run for office?

Tupola: It was definitely my time in Venezuela. I lived there from 2003 to 2004, I was 23 years old, and I learned a lot about different philosophies of government and how it can impact and affect an entire society. When I got back from Venezuela, I was just very grateful for the freedoms that we have, especially the opportunities to participate in government. Not just in voting, but we have a greater opportunity in this country where you can run for political office to impact change.

So, I came back and I was more cynically minded than I’ve ever been in my life of different issues and philosophies that they have in Venezuela — that they have built a people that was entirely dependent on the government. I started to frame my own philosophy about leadership: that the government should be here to empower us and to help us to take ownership, but that we should never become totally reliant on the government. As you can see in Venezuela, it just didn’t end up well for them. If you go too far to that side of the pendulum, nobody can sustain an entire country, paying for their medical, their education, their housing. That was probably the one thing that got me involved.

After that experience, I came back, finished my degree, and in 2012, that was the first time I started to help candidates. I campaigned for my first candidate that year [Mitt Romney]. I didn’t even know anything about anything — I didn’t even know the difference between the political parties — I just got out and helped because I wanted to see candidates empower their communities and utilize philosophies that can help citizens become more self-reliant.

B+C: What was it about the philosophies of the Republican party that you were drawn to?

Tupola: I really support local businesses, being more mindful of how the economy can play a big role in empowerment. In supporting local businesses, you really do help the economy to flow because you’re not only creating jobs but you’re getting more within the local community. I’m a very community-minded person, so I do believe that even in Hawaii when you talk about business, there really are no large businesses here. Every business in Hawaii is a small business. If we don’t help and support them, we don’t have an economy here.

I appreciate the stance the party takes on supporting the constitution. One thing that took me aback when I was in Venezuela was just the amount of lawlessness. Everywhere I went, people would tell me that the law was there, but it was just a suggestion. Just the chaoticness of living through that really made me grateful for a base foundation on what this country was founded on. Small government; the less government in our lives, the better. Supporting local businesses, making sure to uphold the laws that we have in place now.

B+C: How did you make that transition?

Tupola: I was a missionary for my church. When I got back from Venezuela, I graduated in 2005 with my bachelor’s in music and then I finished my masters in music in 2011. So my track my whole life was to be a music teacher. I absolutely did not want to get into politics; I just wanted to finish my music career and become a music professor — which I did! It’s just that I stepped away to do this. It’s not a joke. Going from a field of music education into politics is like living in Japan. I don’t understand the terms; sometimes the word and the procedures confuse me. So, the past four years of being a legislator have been harder than getting my PhD. Getting a doctorate degree in a field that you know is easy. But stepping into the world of politics and having to become competent on thousands of issues, that is hard. I have to have a stance about what I think about the second amendment, what I think about the Affordable Care Act […] I’ve sat on eight different committees as a legislator — finance committee, public safety, transportation, labor, higher ed, education, health, human services — and I’ve never learned so much different content in such a short period of time.

B+C: What are the main issues you’ll fight if you win?

Tupola: I have to do something about the cost of living. There’s no question in my mind that it’s the most important thing we have to do for our state right now. We are facing such a huge outflux of people leaving Hawaii, local families determining they can’t live here anymore because it’s too expensive, local businesses determining if they can even keep their doors open. There are native Hawaiians that haven’t got housing. There is a huge issue here that we’re not addressing and that is: How do we really [make] the cost of living [affordable] so that local families can go on living here? In conjunction with the cost of living, you have to talk about housing. We have a really bad issue with bringing in developers to build housing that is not for local families, where the median price of a home is like a million dollars. There needs to be more support for local developers, being mindful of the population, and making sure that we have more options for affordable housing.

B+C: Wouldn’t that require more government intervention in terms of regulation?

Tupola: No, that requires the government getting the heck out of the way. Right now, just to build anything like a wall or structure, the average time is 17 months to get a permit. I just met with one of my constituents who can’t get a permit to add an additional room onto his house for his daughter who can’t afford housing. The city won’t give him the permit because they can’t tell how much weight the bridge next to the house can hold, and if we don’t know the weight of the bridge, then we can’t determine if a fire truck can go through it. And if the fire truck can’t go through it, then in the event of a fire, it can’t get put out — it is just so ridiculous. I called the fire chief and I’m like, are we really talking about the weight of the bridge? Our permitting process is a bureaucratic layer of mess of seven different things that you have to get through.

It’s all for safety, but the lag time to get this done and the cost incurred is one of the biggest problems. The delay of permitting increases the cost of your project and your labor. If you have guys waiting on the line, they’re getting laid off. […] These people are losing jobs, their families are going on unemployment and food stamps because they can’t afford to eat because a piece of paper isn’t getting signed. […] All of this is due to government unnecessary regulation with a million steps and 10 people, and everyone has a different view of what needs to [be done to] complete step A and B. If these guys don’t have a legislator like me that sticks my hand in the problem and does it, these are just regular people who don’t know what to do with an incompetent government. We need to make decisions like first responders because these decisions absolutely affect local people’s lives.

B+C: What has posed some of the biggest challenges in your campaign so far?

Tupola: It’s always gotta be hard to raise money. When I ran the first time, it was difficult. My first race, I raised $56,000 and people were like, “Holy smokes! How did you do that?” and it wasn’t easy, I’ll tell you that much. The second race, I raised almost $70,000, and this race, we’re up to $400,000 right now. But it’s a statewide race. I’m running banners, but some of these guys who run for statewide races, they’re dropping like a million dollars. We just bought some radio ads for $1,700 here, $2,000 there. It’s always a challenge, but it’s good because it keeps our campaign humble, very grassroots-oriented. There’s nothing fancy about the way that I do things; we just get out there and do the work.

B+C: Politics are always a spectrum. Where do you see yourself fitting within the modern Republican party?

Tupola: I would say that everyone has a different perspective of what a Republican is, and I think obviously there’s a lot of stigma toward the Republican party, but at the end of the day, there’s not one person that defines what a Republican is. So I believe that one of the things our party is known for is embracing diversity of thought. In this last presidential election, there were maybe 10 candidates running for president. There were all these people running because there’s so much diversity of thought of where the Republican party thinks the country should go.

So I always remind people that whenever you’re part of a group, there’s never one continuous word or description of it. A group is made up of many diverse individuals who have diverse thoughts. I would say for me, I am a very distinct individual who is very community-minded, that talks about issues on a very ground-level basis and grassroots. Even when people speak, they say, “Wow. You’re not very partisan.” And I say, “Yeah, I just talk about parts that matter: schools, laws, facilities, getting Hawaiians in homes.” And none of that has to do with the party, it all has to do with the necessity of our government doing its job to help facilitate a better life for the people of Hawaii. I don’t know where I fall on the spectrum; people might call me a moderate, but again, it’s all about perspective. For some people I’m too right-wing; for some people, I’m a screaming liberal.

B+C: What advice would you give to women who are interested in running for office?

Tupola: I would say check your motives. If your motive is to serve the people and better the community, then do it. If you have the motive to see positive change and you can envision that, get involved. But I would never ever advise anyone to get involved in politics if you’re looking for a career or looking for a powerful position. My main concern with people that I work with is if you have the real desire to love the people you serve and put yourself aside, and do what the people need and ask those real questions — that’s why you should get into office. If you have any other motives, just check your motives, because it is no joke to run for office. Once you get in, you need to be ready to have hundreds of thousands of people pick apart every idea you’ve ever had in your life. If that motive or drive isn’t pure or centered on the people you serve, you will get burned out for sure.

B+C: How can people support your run?

Tupola: I have a website at votetupola.com. We raise money every day, so you can donate. If you want to volunteer, even if you don’t live in the state, we have people from out of state who help all the time. They do calling, they do social media posting. And lastly, if you are in the state of Hawaii, the best thing you can do to help me is you can vote for me.

(Design by Yising Chou/B+C)

Is anybody in Hollywood busier than Nicole Kidman? The queen of AMC has been feeding us non-stop since Big Little Lies season 2 ended in 2019. The Perfect Couple, A Family Affair, Nine Perfect Strangers, Babygirl— she never stops! Nicole's latest role in Amazon Prime Video's Scarpetta sets her opposite Jamie Lee Curtis for a mystery thriller adventure that might just rival Jamie's Knives Out.

The story, about a medical examiner who returns to her hometown, and a rocky relationship with her sister, feels like an edgy take on Sullivan's Crossing with the drama and intrigue of Big Little Lies, and I am so locked in. Even if you've never read the books before, this is going to be one show you won't be able to stop watching.

Keep reading for everything you need to know about Nicole Kidman's new Kay Scarpetta show, coming to Prime Video soon.

Is there a TV series based on Kay Scarpetta?

Amazon

Yes a Kay Scarpetta TV show is coming to Prime Video! The crime series — which has been greenlit for two seasons — will follow Chief Medical Examiner Kay, played by Nicole Kidman (and reportedly inspired by CME Marcella Farinelli Fierro), who reenters her former position in her Virginia hometown. Not only is she navigating the ins and outs of her work life, but she's also balancing relationships with her sister Dorothy, her coworkers, and all the secrets that come with them.

And apparently, the scripts in and of themselves stopped Nicole in her tracks! She tells Vanity Fair the project is "terrifying" because "it’s so well-written. It’s crazy how I’m frightened reading it. I haven’t done that. I can’t think of a film I’ve done where it was so terrifying. Like what? The Others wasn’t terrifying."

Who's in the Scarpetta cast?

Kevin Winter/Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

The Scarpetta cast is truly incredible, and will be led by Nicole Kidman as Kay Scarpetta and Jamie Lee Curtis as Kay's sister Dorothy. The fact that the show is tentatively called Scarpetta makes me think the series will focus just as much on Dorothy — and their relationship — as it does on Kay.

Nicole is super excited to work with Jamie, and told Vanity Fair that the experience has been "glorious" so far. "I was like, 'I’ll do it with you, but you have to play my sister. You have to go with me.' And she’s like, 'Okay.' So, we’re producing it together and we’re in it together—and that is glorious. That’s what I mean, where you go, 'Okay. Who’s got the same amount of passion and enthusiasm?' Look at her. I mean, she’s unbelievable. She is a force."

Here the full Scarpetta cast:

  • Nicole Kidman as Kay Scarpetta: a medical examiner who returns to her hometown.
  • Jamie Lee Curtis as Dorothy: Kay's sister.
  • Ariana DeBose as Lucy Farinelli-Watson: Dorothy's daughter.
  • Bobby Cannavale as Pete Marino: a former detective.
  • Simon Baker as Benton Wesley: an FBI profiler.
  • Rosy McEwen as younger Kay Scarpetta.
  • Jake Cannavale as younger Pete Marino.

Where can I watch the show?

Koolshooters/Pexels

We don't have an official Scarpetta release date yet, but it'll stream on Prime Video in the near future. Stay tuned for more news!

What order do the Kay Scarpetta books go in?

Amazon

There are 28 books in the Kay Scarpetta series so far.

  1. Postmortem (1990)
  2. Body of Evidence (1991)
  3. All That Remains (1992)
  4. Cruel and Unusual (1993)
  5. The Body Farm (1994)
  6. From Potter's Field (1995)
  7. Cause of Death (1996)
  8. Unnatural Exposure (1997)
  9. Point of Origin (1998)
  10. Black Notice (1999)
  11. The Last Precinct (2000)
  12. Blow Fly (2003)
  13. Trace (2004)
  14. Predator (2005)
  15. Book of the Dead (2007)
  16. Scarpetta (2008)
  17. The Scarpetta Factor (2009)
  18. Port Mortuary (2010)
  19. Red Mist (2011)
  20. The Bone Bed (2012)
  21. Dust (2013)
  22. Flesh and Blood (2014)
  23. Depraved Heart (2015)
  24. Chaos (2016)
  25. Autopsy (2021)
  26. Livid (2022)
  27. Unnatural Death (2023)
  28. Identity Unknown (2024)

What is a Chief Medical Examiner?

Thirdman/Pexels

A medical examiner investigates unusual or suspicious deaths. They perform post-mortem exams, determine the cause of death, and work with the local police.

Read up on Nicole Kidman's other newest project, Margo's Got Money Troubles!

This post has been updated.

Trader Joe’s always knows exactly how to get us excited for new products – and this time, it’s rumored that the grocer is bringing back their viral Mini Canvas Tote Bags in four brand-new colors that are all perfect for spring! Speculated to hit stores around April 8, you’re not going to want to miss this TJ’s drop.

Here’s everything you need to know about the return of Trader Joe’s Mini Canvas Tote Bags for spring 2025.

@traderjoesobsessed

Trader Joe’s fan account @traderjoesobsessed first circulated the rumor that the Mini Canvas Tote Bags are set to return to Trader Joe’s this spring.

“Rumor has it that the pastel mini canvas bags will be here in April. Usually, they do release these on a Wednesday. How excited are you for these colors? I can’t wait to customize them!” the caption reads.

Another source, @zuncola, hinted that the totes could hit stores as early as April 8 or 9.

@traderjoesobsessed

It appears there will be four different colorways in this season’s Mini Canvas Tote Bag drop: pink, blue, green, and purple. But they’re not your ordinary pinks, blues, greens, and purples – per the rumors, they’ll come in pastel hues that all look stunning. From carrying your quick grocery hauls to toting each and every picnic essential you’ll need this spring, these bags get it all done in sheer style.

Trader Joe’s

In the past, the Trader Joe’s Mini Canvas Tote Bags have been a limited-time item that garnered plenty of attention from shoppers, even sparking a massivefrenzy inside stores with customers racing to snag their own tote. Some TJ’s locations have also placed a buying limit for bags like these, typically 1 per customer. Based on the reception of the rumors for this year, you’ll likely want to plan when and how you’re going to get your hands on one.

Instagram

Tons of Trader Joe’s fanatics sounded off in the comments of @traderjoesobsessed’s post about the rumors of the Mini Canvas Tote Bags’ return:

“Stoppppp no way!! 😱😱” one person wrote.

‘Yes! These will make great bags for Easter gifts,” another said.

“Looks like I need to buy camping gear cause I'll be in that line before sunrise 🤩,” one more fan commented.

Reddit

In previous years, the Mini Canvas Tote Bags went for $2.99 too $3.99, and we expect this pastel-filled drop to cost about the same.

Reddit

Though there’s no official release date for the mini totes, they’re speculated to hit shelves sometime in April 2025, possibly the 8th or 9th. Stay tuned here for more updates!

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay on top of all the best Trader Joe's news!

This post has been updated.