I Could Be Fishing. Instead, I'm Running.
I didn't set out to run for Congress. After 37 years of public service, in the Air Force and in civil service, I had earned the right to slow down. I could be spending more time with my family. I could be fishing. I could be enjoying retirement.
But that's not who I am.
I grew up believing that if you work hard, serve your community, and play by the rules, this country will meet you halfway. That belief shaped my life, from a union household, to military service, to a career in public service.
And lately, I've watched too many people who do everything right fall behind. I've watched working families struggle. I've watched opportunity narrow. I've watched politics become about power instead of people.
At some point, sitting on the sidelines stopped feeling like an option.
So I stepped up.