John, I have learned a lot in my adult life – how to raise a family, how to move forward in the wake of grief, how to dream big and pursue those dreams with everything I have, how to deliver for my community when it matters most.

But I have been most grateful to learn about what it means to fully be a partner – in work, in love, and in life.

I have been lucky enough to learn about being a partner from two amazing spouses. Before we lost my first husband to cancer, he and I stumbled through being newly weds to parents of six and everything in between with grace, love, and patience. There were times where I wasn’t sure my heart could open up that way again, but over the last seven years, my second husband, John, has once more shown me the strength, support, and purpose you can find in being a partner. Hand in hand, we make hard choices, we celebrate life's very best moments, and we take on its biggest challenges together.

These partnerships have taught me about finding joy, about coping with loss, and about pushing yourself to do what you never imagined would be possible. They have shown me that at the root of partnership is the ability to sit down and really listen to each other, to truly empathize with and understand each other, and to care for each other with tenderness and compassion through everything life throws our way. 

These are the same skills that I learned to use as a nurse, a mother, and a children's volunteer. You see, that's how you bridge divides, overcome adversity, and bring people together, even when everything else feels like it's falling apart – with an honest commitment to real partnership.

And let me tell you, Washington sure could use more of that. It's time for leaders to choose empathy and compassion over extremism and greed. It's time to put aside political agendas and work together for a better future. It's time to cast aside partisanship and move forward together in partnership.

I'm ready to be a partner to my colleagues in the Senate as we work hard to find solutions to big problems and overcome gridlock. I'm ready to be a partner to Missourians and give them a voice in Washington. And I'm ready to be your partner in this fight for progress – but I need you to be invested in this work too. That's why I have to ask: Please can you pitch in $5 or whatever you can spare to send this nurse's heart to Washington and bring decency, compassion, and grit to the Senate? Together, we can win leadership in Washington.

I'm so grateful for your support, your commitment, and, of course, your partnership.

With so much gratitude,
Trudy