Tonight is a special night. I will be attending my second State of the Union and before I head down to Capitol Hill I would like to take this opportunity to step back and talk about why I ran for this seat in 2018.

Some of the greatest challenges our country has ever faced lie ahead of us. If we are to overcome the polarization and ugliness that permeate our politics, we all must answer the call to put country before self. I have worked to do just that since I first stepped foot at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. A commitment to service drove me to join the military, to keep guns off the street as a federal prosecutor, and to run for Congress.

But service looks different for everyone and is seldom easy. Tonight at the State of the Union, I am bringing with me a mother from our community who lost her son in service to our country. It’s an important reminder of the sacrifices made not only by our men and women in uniform but their families as well. Our country is made stronger when we all answer the call to serve - to join the military, to volunteer in our community, to vote, or even just to respect those we disagree with.

Despite the uncertainty, I still have hope when I look to the future. If our greatest challenges lie ahead, then so too must our greatest triumphs.

Respectfully,

Mikie