Hi John,

I recently gave my “maiden speech” in the Senate, reflecting on my first year as a United States Senator.

I want to share a part of that speech with you — but first, I am humbly asking you to chip in to help power our continued work to deliver for every family, every Californian, and every American on a promise of a better, fairer future.

Let me tell you a little about who I am that may differ from the version many Americans see on Fox, or in the President’s social media feed, and what I have done to introduce myself to my 40 million new constituents.

Because I intend to be a Senator for all Californians. In the red areas and the blue, and everywhere else in between. That’s one reason I sought to join the Senate Agriculture Committee — the first time in more than 30 years that our nation’s largest agriculture-producing state has had a seat at that table.

I have traveled the state on planes, trains, automobiles, and even boats, visiting nearly half of California’s 58 counties — including some of the most conservative parts of our state. I’ve toured almond orchards and cilantro fields, health clinics and food banks, and affordable housing developments.

I even took part in an ill-advised game of dice at a bar in Los Baños — while drinking a bitter Dutch liqueur — which I will not be repeating.

Wherever I go, I’ve asked Californians the same question: how can I help?

Now it is certainly true, depending on where I am in the Golden State, that sometimes I have to break through the caricatures of me on right-wing media, and that can be a challenge. But it is one I very much enjoy. There is nothing more fun in politics than upsetting people’s expectations.

I knew, for example, that I was making progress when a farmer in conservative Butte County told me after an hour-long meeting: “I don’t know why the President calls you ‘watermelon head.’ You have a perfectly normal-size head!”

And that comes from a farmer who knows a thing or two about melons.

Traveling across California has only underscored that it is the honor of a lifetime to serve the state I so deeply love in the Senate.

One year down, much more work to go. But there is no job I love more than serving the people of California. I wake up every morning so deeply grateful for the opportunity to meet with people across the state, asking, “how can I help?”

Your support has made this work possible, John. For that, I am forever grateful.

Thank you for having my back,

Adam