Independence Day: United by an idea

Yesterday, on the 4th of July, I had the honor of participating in some very special traditions here in New Hampshire.

I was proud to stand with my neighbor from Hampton as she celebrated her new citizenship.

First, I stood with our neighbors at the Portsmouth Naturalization Ceremony as 101 people from forty-two different countries took the oath to become American citizens. After the swearing in, Judge Landya McCafferty from the US District Court of NH invoked the words of former late Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis who said:

“The most important political office is that of the private citizen.”

Those words resonated for me because this campaign is powered by ordinary people; not political insiders or wealthy donors. It is about neighbors believing that if we organize, we can build power and enact change.

We are ordinary citizens attempting to do something extraordinary. Together.

After putting more than 27,000 miles on my Subaru, it made sense to drive it in the parade.

Later that day, we traveled to Merrimack and Laconia for Fourth of July parades. After our pickup truck got a flat on the way there, we decided to decorate our Subaru. After 27,000 miles spent visiting every town in the district, it was fitting that it drove another mile along the parade route.

We were all out there, regardless of political party or background, sweating in the sun, celebrating 250 years of American democracy! Itʼs so important we have events like these where we all can come together and recognize that we share a commitment to an idea thatʼs bigger than any one of us.

Whether it’s at a parade or a protest, a voting booth or a meeting at town hall, our job as Americans is to show up for each other and for all the people still striving to feel welcome, safe, and heard in this country.

We will rebuild and sustain this democracy one connection and one conversation at a time.

Happy Fourth of July. See you out there!