John,

At last week’s State of the Union address, I made a point of sitting with my fellow Michigan freshman on the righthand side of the chamber – traditionally the side where Republicans sit. My colleague is a Republican representing the East Side of the State. While we don’t always see eye to eye on policy issues, we find lots of common ground – we’re from the same state, we’re both committed to protecting our water in Michigan, and we’re LITERALLY next-door neighbors in our House office building.

We made the active choice to sit together as a symbol of our commitment to no-nonsense problem-solving. I’m looking for partners who are ready to make real policy change, not play partisan games.

While I appreciated the positive spirit of the President’s State of the Union address – and as anyone who knows me will tell you, I am a relentless optimist – we must keep in mind the real struggles that so many families in West Michigan and across the nation continue to face on a daily basis. For too many working parents, rising gas and grocery prices make it hard to feel optimistic. That’s why I was proud to demonstrate my commitment to real solutions, not hyper partisan talking points, by sitting with my Republican colleague.

I look forward to continuing to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make meaningful progress on the issues that matter most. If you’re able, I would be so grateful for a contribution of any amount to keep me in Congress in the next election and beyond.

Gratefully,
Hillary

P.S. To hear more about my first State of the Union, check out my interview with Michigan Public Radio!