Dear John,
People sometimes ask what is the hardest thing I've ever gone through.
I don’t even have to stop and think before answering—
Six years ago, my family lost my dad to a health scare that might have been prevented, had he only had the right health insurance.
The year before, my dad had lost his job. Dad didn’t tell a soul. He was too proud, and believed that hard work and putting his head down would be enough to see us through.
What he didn’t know was the fatal impact losing his health insurance and access to affordable preventative care would have.
When dad was laid off from his job, he lost his health insurance.
In the ensuing months, he would drive an uber, and take on half-time contractor roles to sustain him and mom—but, part-time work doesn’t come with benefits.
With no formal insurance to help cover the costs, Dad skipped regular check-ups, avoided blood work due to its cost, and eschewed expensive prescription medication that — we know now — would otherwise have kept his early diabetes and heart condition in check.
The state of my father’s health deteriorated rapidly once he couldn’t access affordable medical and the preventative care he needed.
Until one day, I got a phone call that my father was gone.
That was it. My father suddenly died at the age of 56 from a heart attack, only months after losing his health insurance. The entire family was in the dark, and was shocked. It hurt, a lot.
It’s very difficult to describe what it feels like to lose a parent to something so preventable. The shock, the anger, and grief and fear.
…having to step into a role I never wanted to be ready for
Watching my mom struggle with everything that would come after
Putting food on the table; paying the bills.
All of us, learning how to be a family still, but without him.
Even this many years on, I still miss my father like no time has passed at all. One of my biggest regrets is that he’ll never get to know my son.
But his loss also reminds me of a big issue—one that's at the forefront of why I'm running for Congress here in Texas: If America is truly the world leader in healthcare, why are so many working class Americans denied it?
I'll keep this simple: Most of us have had enough of politicians who look out for themselves, not their neighbors.
I'm running for Congress because Texas families deserve more from our politicians in Washington.
I am running to help Texans recover what we have lost: our trust in each other, our belief that the American Dream is meant for all—and any—of us, our faith in our children’s brighter future.
I am running for office because this moment requires someone with courage to stand up to big corporations in favor of working families like ours, someone who can build a national coalition so the things we all know we need are put into law, someone with my experience, who knows what green energy projects actually look like, and what should be done to help generate more of them.
If you believe that we need people in the Congress who care about you, your kids, your well-being—then I need you with me. They say Texas is a red state, but so many of us living here are ready for real change. This is our moment to make Washington work for everyone, but we’ve going to have to fight for it.
If you can, please donate $5 today to my campaign, and together—let's build a new kind of politics, for all the working families out there.
