Luke Nathan Phillips for Congress

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From the days of George Washington through the days of the Pentagon, our region has been the home of our country’s most dedicated public servants in government, the military, and the policy and advocacy communities who serve great causes.

Our people have a unique place in American life. Here, national and local problems mix more closely than anywhere else. Many issues facing America are issues facing our region, and many issues facing our region are issues facing America. We staff the institutions that govern this country and keep it safe, and their problems are our problems.

We make our government work. We help elected officials, diplomats, and everybody else understand what must be done to keep the country going. And whether we’ve lived here all our lives, or just passed through for a tour of duty, we’ve each done our part to serve our country.

Today, our federal workers, military personnel, veterans, and policy professionals endure unacceptable hostility from elements of our national leadership. This must be put to an end. And we must embark on a true revolution in our methods of governance, one that can only be led by those who know how our systems work.

Today, our world grows ever more dangerous, and our society struggles to match the moment. Our area is home to professionals of many industries integral to the productive power of America, from energy to manufacturing to logistics to defense. Our arms must be mighty; our people must be strong. We must back the builders.

Today, the rapid ascent of new technologies, especially artificial intelligence, has both unlocked transformative potential, and made old problems of isolation and hopelessness far more pressing. Policy professionals and social advocates from our area have much to offer to the country, and deserve a better chance to do this work.

Today, our area is not only home to longtime public servants, but to talented, idealistic, enterprising, ambitious young people, dedicated to great causes. Virginia, D.C., and America have not yet felt the power of their true potential. It must be unleashed.

The legacy of the failures of the past several decades demands that we bring new ideas, new movements, and new blood. We support the rising generations of public servants, here in the center of American government, to rise to the challenges ahead.