Friend,

Last night marked the first State of the Union Address I attended as a Member of Congress, so I wanted to share a few takeaways:

• The energy in the room last night was palpable. From my vantage in the House chamber, it was clear that Senate and House Democrats were more than pleased with the President’s speech.
  
  
• The President effectively outlined his accomplishments – creating a record number of jobs and passing landmark legislation to address climate change. He also spoke directly to the American people with empathy and respect. As someone with a communications background, I was impressed with how he both recognized the hardships Americans face and gave tangible reasons as to why we can be optimistic about the future.
  
  
• There were a few disappointing moments. President Biden went above and beyond to strike a bipartisan tone, but was still obnoxiously heckled by Marjorie Taylor Greene and the ‘MAGA’ crew. After his speech, Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivered the GOP rebuttal, which really exposed the Republicans’ lack of policy priorities. Their focus is not on improving lives. It’s on waging divisive culture wars and getting in the way of progress. 

I want to be very clear here: Like President Biden, I have no issue working alongside Republicans if it means improving lives in my district. But last night showed us that one party is thinking deeply about addressing the needs of the American people, while the other is simply not.

Retaking the House has never been more important, and if we unite behind President Biden’s vision, we have a shot at keeping swing districts like mine blue. Will you help us win back our majority in 2024 by chipping in a grassroots donation?

Thank you for standing with us,

Eric

Eric Sorensen is a meteorologist born and raised in Rockford, IL representing IL-17 in Congress. He’s seen firsthand the importance of establishing trust with the community, and he’s determined to use his expertise as a climate communicator to fight for Illinoisans on environmental justice and more in Washington. To support Eric, consider making a grassroots contribution here.

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