Hey John,

For months, a single Republican U.S. Senator named Tommy Tuberville has held up hundreds of promotions for senior military jobs, just to make a political statement.

In the last 48 hours, the Senate has been able to maneuver around Tuberville’s obstruction and fill some of these top military posts, but the damage — which includes real risk to our national security — is already done.

As a U.S. Army combat veteran and a public servant, I want to be very clear about what I believe:

Real leadership is about service.

Look to the brave Americans in our military. They’re not in it for themselves — they put their lives on the line in service of their country. I saw the shared value of service every day when I was in Afghanistan.

In Maryland, we believe service will save us, too. Service gives us purpose. We’re even working to create a program where every high school graduate can spend a year in paid service, because it will empower the next generation in their careers and all their lives.

So my question for any Senator who would undermine our military’s leadership for a political agenda: who are YOU serving?

Martin Luther King Jr. once preached that “If you want to be important — wonderful. If you want to be recognized — wonderful. If you want to be great — wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.”

When it comes to keeping our country safe, it should never be about Democrats or Republicans. It should be about serving the American people.

When my fellow soldiers were in distress on the front lines, nobody asked what party they belonged to.

That’s not how we did things in the Army, it’s not how we do them in Maryland, and it’s not how we should do them in Congress, either.

Elevate,

Wes Moore

P.S. Maryland is going to keep leading the way — and if you support everything we’re accomplishing for Marylanders, I’d be grateful if you could chip in today to fuel our work.