Dear Senator-elect Turek, Congresswoman-elect James, and Democrats across the country,

Congratulations on winning in Iowa. I’m a 37-year-old moderate voter in Cedar Falls who doesn’t feel claimed by either party. I’m writing to say what I and many voters like me want from you, and what we don’t.

The exit polls say the same thing. Voters ranked the economy first, and about 75 percent called it poor. Sixty-three percent said the Iran war was the wrong decision. Voters of both parties want Congress to focus on lowering costs and ending the war, not on investigating or backing Trump.

What To Work On

1. End the Iran war. Both of you said it has raised gas and diesel prices. Congress should vote to end it and get back to diplomacy.

2. Release the Epstein files. Release them in full, and let the public see who was involved. Josh, you’ve already said this. Lindsay, I’d like to hear where you stand. Every Democrat should make this a clear, public commitment.

3. Keep the border secure. Secure borders, more immigration judges, and deporting violent criminals aren’t extreme. They’re what a country expects of its government. Both of you have said it, and your party should say it too.

4. Lower everyday costs. Gas, groceries, health care and housing are what decided this election. Cost-worried voters broke heavily your way, and Democrats are now trusted more on the economy. Keep that trust.

5. Clean up Congress. Ban members from trading individual stocks, ban them from becoming lobbyists, and keep corporate PAC money out. Lindsay, you promised the stock ban on day one, so please do it. Term limits belong on the table too.

6. Take the deficit seriously. Fixing health care and costs only lasts if the money behind it is sound.

What To Leave Alone

1. Transgender issues. Most voters don’t care about this, and it’s not what they sent you to Washington to do.

2. Culture-war fights in general. Spending your time on them hands the other side a gift. Govern for a pluralistic country and don’t enforce ideological conformity.

3. Constant attacks on Trump as your main message. Voters didn’t pick you for being against someone. They picked you for what you’d fix.

You won because you talked about costs, corruption and the war. Keep doing that, and keep your promises.

Respectfully,
Axel Hoogland
Cedar Falls, Iowa