Friend -

It’s crazy to think that a few moments can have such a big impact on your life. And today, we thought it would be fun to share Elissa’s (pretty unique) story from her childhood to now with all of you.

On the family farm in Holly, Michigan, Elissa first learned the values of hard work, decency, and integrity: those were the same values that helped her great-grandfather start the family meat business, three generations before.

This ultimately guided her into a life of service: Elissa was in New York on 9/11 when the Twin Towers were attacked, and by the time the dust cleared, she knew she wanted to go into national security. Soon after, she was recruited into the CIA and served her first of three tours in Iraq alongside the military.

But the reason she decided to run for Congress for the first time was much more personal: her mom. Elissa’s mother died of ovarian cancer in 2011. She struggled to afford healthcare for years because of a pre-existing condition. Protections for people with pre-existing conditions and bringing down the over-the-top price of healthcare got Elissa into this race and remain a huge focus for her.

And through not one, not two, but three successful campaigns for Congress in a Republican-leaning district, Elissa has held true to those values of hard work, decency, and integrity as she works to defend and expand the middle class in Congress.

Congress needs more leaders who are willing to show up and do the work. Elissa has proven she can do just that. If you want to support her brand of straightforward Midwestern leadership, please consider making a donation today.