Team, 

I wanted you to be the first to hear some exciting news – our first campaign ad is officially on the air! 

For my first official ad of this election, I wanted to focus on a phrase I find myself saying constantly: “work with us.”

It’s something I find myself saying to folks on both sides of the aisle – don’t let perfect be the enemy of good, and that I’m willing to work with anyone who is actually there to get something done.

As a former national security professional who served under both Presidents Bush and Obama, working together was always a given. In the national security world, you can work next to someone for 15 years and have no idea which party they vote for. Because it doesn’t matter. It’s irrelevant to the mission of protecting the country, so it never crosses your mind to discuss. Until running for office, I had no idea what the vast majority of my colleagues' political affiliations were.

That’s what I wanted to highlight in this ad. And why I wanted to get it out early. In fact, this is the earliest I’ve ever launched a campaign ad, because I want to spread that message to the folks in Michigan’s new 7th district that I haven’t been able to connect with face to face yet.

There will be many more ads to come this cycle as I run in the most competitive House district in Michigan, and one of the top 10 most competitive in the country. For those of you who have donated – this is what you help us create. Thank you: but these ads aren’t cheap, so if you want to chip in a couple bucks to help me execute our most ambitious ad season yet, please click below.