John,

21 lives were taken yesterday, and today we mourn.

Our hearts are broken by the maddening and horrific act of gun violence in Uvalde.

Kathy and I are praying for the parents and families, educators and classmates, and an entire community that has been shattered by a merciless act of gun violence.

I can’t imagine what they feel, but I know we have to act.

Doing nothing is not an option. Politicians who are playing political games instead of taking concrete action to solve this problem must not be accepted.

I’ve already vetoed legislation that would allow more guns on school grounds. If we don’t win this election, they will try to pass that and more.

So, today, I’m not speaking to you not as an elected official, but as a dad of three and a grandfather of nine. I’m speaking to you today as a former teacher. I’m speaking to you today as a Wisconsinite.

Because today, we're not talking about politics. We’re not thinking about politics.

Today, I’m thinking about all of the kids who watched the news and woke up scared to go to school — a place that should be a sanctuary where they should always feel safe.

I’m thinking of the parents and loved ones who cried in their cars dropping their kids off at school this morning, praying they’d be home for dinner.

I’m thinking today of all the educators, school staff, and administrators who went to work afraid but still showed up to support our kids and console their fears and grief while trying to quell their own.

I’m thinking of all the people who’ve survived gun violence and were promised “never again” only to watch these tragedies happen over and over.

Enough has been enough for too damn long already.

Our kids are learning in fear. Our families are living in fear. We cannot accept that gun violence just happens. We cannot accept that kids might go to school and never come home.

And, in this state, we cannot accept policies and rhetoric that will make this problem worse while common sense measures supported by an overwhelming majority of Wisconsinites go nowhere.

We’ve called the Legislature into special session on universal background checks, we’ve called for extreme risk protection orders to allow loved ones and law enforcement to ask for firearms to be removed from individuals who are a danger to themselves or others—two ideas 80 percent of Wisconsinites, including a majority of gun owners, support.

I still refuse to believe that when our kids are murdered at their desk at school that there is any party line that's not worth crossing, that there is any price too high to pay, that there is any cross we shouldn’t be willing to bear to make sure it never happens to any other kid ever again.

I know we can find common ground — here in Wisconsin and out in D.C. — we have to, and we must.

And so, to my Republican colleagues, I want to be clear today: I will work with any Republican who wants to find common ground, who wants to make progress on gun safety, who wants pass legislation a majority of Wisconsinites will support, I am ready. I’ve been ready.

If we can prevent one more kid from witnessing their friends be maimed with their own two eyes, if we can prevent one more parent from having their soul ripped from them by learning they will never see their kid laugh or cry or play again, if we can prevent one more person from being viciously gunned down buying groceries, worshiping the god they believe in, or doing everyday things every person should be able to do without fear of whether or not they’ll make it home, then it will be worth it.

Let’s work together. Let’s find common ground. Let’s do the right thing.

Onward,

Tony