Martin Heinrich
Heinrich, who defeated Republican Jon Barela last week, reflects on what his victory means
Though last Tuesday’s national result was a difficult one to comprehend, it wasn’t simply an indiscriminate wave whereby an anxious public swept aside the party in power. Within the larger trend, we saw smaller narratives emerge.
By the end of the night, one in particular became clear: Those of us who won did so by having the courage to stand by our legislative decisions – to run on, and not away from, our records.
This has been a time of great challenge for our nation. But even in the face of such uncertainty, leaders on both sides of the aisle must resist the temptation to frighten a jittery public with extreme rhetoric. Now is a time for reconciliation and reason, not repudiation.
Republicans may have taken back the House, but they’re no more popular than Democrats. Together, we need to rebuild the public’s trust in government and continue the hard work of economic recovery that began two years ago.
And, yes, I believe compromise is possible. The cynics on cable TV might not think so, and they may have a few sound bites from the fringe to back up their punditry. But politics doesn’t happen at the fringe. Republicans know the American people won’t tolerate a government shutdown, and we know we can’t pass job-saving legislation without their help.
On tax cuts for families and small businesses, on cutting deficit spending, on lowering our nation’s debt, on benefits for veterans, and even on immigration, we will find a way. We will pass on a more prosperous nation than we inherited.
Know that I consider this victory a humbling challenge to keep fighting for you and for your families. My wife Julie and I are so grateful for your commitment to the hard working people of central New Mexico and to our nation’s democracy, and we thank you for all your help and support.
Heinrich, a Democrat, represents New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District in Congress.