Friend,

You may have seen in the news recently: the head of the House Democrats’ campaign organization says that if the election was held right now, Democrats would *lose* the House.

That’s based on polling that shows Democrats a whole six percentage points behind Republicans in competitive seats for the 2022 midterm elections.

But here’s the good news: Don’t give up the ship yet. We have more than a year to turn this around. If there’s anything I’ve learned from winning twice in a district that voted for Donald Trump in both 2016 and 2020, Democrats can make some serious inroads by talking more about what we’re doing to help people, and showing up in places that we don’t always go.

I’ve said before, as Democrats, our brand can be a bit mushy. Back in 2020, a constituent approached me and pointed to his hat: Make America Great Again. It was a simple slogan that told voters what the GOP was about.

He asked me, What’s your hat? That’s an important question, and it’s a good thought exercise. What do we as Democrats stand for, that unites us and can be explained quickly and easily?

I’ve learned that we have to keep the conversation focused on the things that keep people up at night. Now that Democrats hold the House, Senate, and Presidency, voters need to know what we’re doing to address their most immediate concerns: their pocketbooks and their kids.

We’ve got work to do. In 2022, we’ll have to work harder than ever to reach voters where they are, to talk to them about how we’re helping families and small businesses recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19, and address the rising costs of health care and prescription drugs.

Michigan’s 8th District could be one of the most competitive House races in the country. If any of this rings true with you, please consider a contribution today to help us build a campaign that’s talking to voters, early and often.

Elissa