From my earliest days in public service, all I wanted was to be a voice for our community and for the people who had put their trust in me to represent them. That is just as true today as it was then.

My approach to leadership starts by listening first. As I tell folks — we may not always agree, but I will always listen respectfully, work to understand your views, and find places where we share values and priorities.

Sometimes it seems like our politics have become a blood sport, with folks trying to beat each other over the head to prove a point. That is just not how I see the world.

I will always be true to myself and my deeply-held values — climate change is a terrible threat to our planet, we should not criminalize women's health care, our veterans deserve our respect, and hard working folks deserve a break once in a while.

But I will also continue to listen to everyone in our community. Because feedback on how we achieve these goals is important, even if someone is just there to tell me in no uncertain terms that they disagree with my priorities.

After all, this is not about me – but about what we can do together, for our community, our state, our country, and our planet.

I am asking for your vote. I would be honored to continue to serve you, the people of Northwest Washington, in Congress.

Rick