Friend,

I never lose sight of the enormous privilege of representing you and your family in Congress. Each day, I work to continue earning that trust and delivering real progress for Connecticut.

On Tuesday, you extended my contract by another two years, and I am truly thankful. Your overwhelming support at the polls will empower me to return to Washington and continue the fight for reproductive freedom, voting rights, and a thriving economy.

I also want to thank both of my opponents. I believe we engaged in a respectful and productive campaign. If only Washington, DC operated a tad more like Fairfield County.

There's no easy way of processing the disastrous results of the Presidential election. Of course, our town, our state and our region resoundingly rejected Donald Trump, and I am very proud of that. But serious work lies ahead as we seek to understand why so many Americans embraced his platform at the polls this year. Please know that I won't shy away from the hard conversations about how the Democratic Party can learn from this setback and re-engage with disaffected Americans in every state.

On Tuesday, I was shocked. I processed my fear, anger, and sadness. Today, I'm getting back to work. And I hope you will too.

The prospect of fighting Donald Trump's agenda may seem exhausting -- after all, we've been here before. But I've found hope in reflecting on the famous reminder from the Talmud that although we are not obligated to complete the work, neither are we free to abandon it.

The American people, our values, and our institutions, are too strong to simply throw up our hands. As Kamala Harris reminded us yesterday, now is a time to roll up our sleeves.

Although the outcome in a handful of key races is still unknown, I'm truly hopeful that Democrats will regain control in the House of Representatives and use that power to hold the Trump Administration in check.

But oversight will not come from Congress alone. It will start at kitchen tables and book clubs, in classrooms and community centers. We need your watchful eye on this administration, calling out each travesty and injustice. Together, we will wake up every day and insist that this is not normal. We will demand better. It sounds odd to say it, but I am glad that destiny picked us to do that. It won’t be easy, but I can’t think of anything worthier.

It's an honor to be with you in this fight,

— Jim