Team: COVID-19 has changed so much of life as we knew it, and here’s the thing: It didn’t have to be like this.

Pandemics, like earthquakes and hurricanes, happen. But how we prepare and how we respond makes the difference between a manageable situation and a national disaster. Our elected leaders knew about COVID-19 well before it became a global pandemic. They saw the potential for mass death and economic fallout, but instead of taking things seriously, they buried their heads in the sand and ignored the warning signs.

Now, half a year after COVID-19 came to the United States, we’re struggling to figure out what life will look like.

One week from now, I would have been dropping my son off at his first day of kindergarten -- a huge milestone for our family.

But I won’t be dropping him off to his first day in the classroom like we always expected, because instead of taking necessary precautions at the outset -- issuing stay-at-home orders, ordering the manufacture of large quantities of PPE, ensuring mass testing capacity and contact tracing -- Sen. Cornyn and his buddies in Washington made jokes and told us not to worry. They failed us, plain and simple.

Now things are getting worse. And I’m not having it. In the military, if you see a potential problem, you get to work to nip it in the bud immediately. That’s how I’m used to doing things.

It’s never been more clear that we need real leadership in Washington. That’s why I’m running for Senate. Will you help me take on Sen. Cornyn?

-- MJ