I'm so excited because today is Amelia Earhart day!

Ok, I'll admit that may make me sound like a bit of a nerd. But as a woman pilot, Amelia is a personal hero of mine.

Imagine: It's 1932 – just 5 years since Charles Lindbergh first crossed the Atlantic in a plane, and Amelia is about to take on the journey herself and fly thousands of miles over the open ocean on her own.

The thing I admire about her most? She never let fear – or being told that a woman couldn’t do what she was about to do – stop her. Instead, she got in that plane and flew for nearly 15 hours by herself.

She also did this at 34 years old, the same age I am now. I realize that by running for Congress as a young woman, I am breaking the mold of what we think of as a “typical politician,” and I’d like to think I’m showing the same fearlessness that Amelia did.

The bravery of Amelia and women like her is what pushed me to join the U.S Army’s Aviation program, where I was the only woman graduate of my Apache helicopter class. (If you're not familiar with Apaches – they are without a doubt the coolest helicopters we’ve got.)

We need more elected leaders with Amelia's guts and bravery, who aren't afraid to get in the cockpit and do something completely new. That's who I'll be if you send me to Congress. All I need is your support to get there.

Let's fly,

Ashley 🚁