EDITOR’S NOTE: Tamie Wilson, Democrat candidate for Ohio’s 4th Congressional District, authored the following Letter to the Editor.
Family values are the cornerstone of who I am, and growing up in Ohio deeply shaped those values. I was born and raised right here in the heartland, Ohio. I come from a large, patriotic, close-knit family. My dad’s parents were both orphans, while my mom’s family had roots in the military. I grew up surrounded by a family steeped in family traditions.
The holidays were a special time for us, spent with my mom’s side of the family on the farm. There’s something incredibly peaceful and wholesome about gathering eggs for breakfast and picking fresh vegetables, and cooking for the family. The farm-to-table lifestyle is second nature to me. I learned to cook by cooking with my grandma.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t master her graham cracker pie. It was impossible to write a recipe as it was just a pinch of this and a pinch of that. I have mastered the family potato salad and baked beans. I always receive requests whenever there’s a BBQ.I inherited a love for cooking and the simple joy of gathering with loved ones around the table from my family, particularly my Grandma. I’m proud of that tradition, and it reminds me of what truly matters: taking care of each other and spending time together, fellowship.
Ohio’s traditional family values run deep in me. I grew up watching my grandmother work two jobs while raising seven children, one of whom had polio, all on her own while my Grandpa was off at war. She was the backbone of the family, and I’m proud to say that I inherited her firecracker spirit.
Each day, she visited the hospital before and after work to care for my uncle with polio. She was a tiny woman but dedicated and tough as nails. We loved watching classic TV shows like Bonanza and The Andy Griffith Show together while snapping beans. My dad, now 84, still works every day because hard work is just who we are. It’s what we do, no matter what life throws at us.
It really does take a village to raise a child and a community to support their growth and success. Growing up, I felt that sense of unity, but today, I feel deep divisions in our country. I want to bring back that spirit of togetherness. That’s one of the reasons I decided to run for Congress. I hate to see people who should be united split apart.
I want to remind people that we’re all in this together, and we’re stronger when we support one another. We all have our own life challenges, but life shouldn’t be so hard. We’ve had 6 factories shutdown and another one is due to shut down next year. The district once was a thriving district. I want to bring economic growth, jobs, and expansion to the district. I want to help make life better for everyone.
When I got pregnant with my son, it was a surprise, and being a single mom hasn’t always been easy. I’ve worked two jobs, while going to college, and did everything I could to make a better life for my son and myself. When COVID hit, I was terrified. I had to close my business. I was out of money and worried about losing my home. There was no COVID relief for people like me: people who worked hard, but found themselves in a tough spot.
I felt abandoned by my government at a time when I needed help the most. I believe in hard work, but I also believe that when you need it, our government work like it’s supposed to. Our government is too divided with politicians playing party politics. When Washington is in gridlock we all suffer. I will work in a bipartisan way to get things done for us.
I love our district. We have the most beautiful land and people in all of Ohio and the country. I know because I travel through our district everyday. I love all of it, the country roads, the county fairs, and the music.
I want people to walk away from every encounter with me feeling heard, valued, and cared for. I have laughed and cried with many of you. I think about all of the 799k people in our district everyday.
We need leaders who genuinely care, who are committed to serving us, the people, and who believe in the strength of our communities.
We may not all have the same family stories, but the love and commitment to Buckeye Nation and each other is something I believe everyone can understand. That’s the heart of Ohio, and that’s the spirit I want to bring to Washington.
We must return to what makes us strong: hard work, family, and a community that looks out for one another.