Hi, I’m Lore Bergman and I’m running again for Tennessee’s Congressional 6th District after winning the primary last year.

So, you may ask, “why are you running again, Lore”? I’m running again because none of the issues I was running for last time have been improved or changed for the better. In fact, everything is a bigger mess than before and is getting worse every day.

Our economy is being destroyed, prices are skyrocketing and our democracy and Constitution are being challenged daily. Hate, bigotry, racism and misogyny are growing at alarming rates, like we have not seen in a very long time. And wars are still raging and we need to continue helping those in the crossfire.

Because of this, my campaign slogan once again is “Love Thy Neighbor”! Just imagine what this world would be like right now if we all lived by that simple phrase! No one would be trying to take food assistance or health insurance away, or scaring people to move out of this state and country, or kidnapping people off the streets, would they?

As in the last election cycle, I am the only woman in this race, having 9 white men opposing me so far. That is a lot of egos and testosterone to have to maneuver through, but as last time, I am up for the challenge! I continue to be sick and tired of seeing rich congressmen talk about programs for the neediest, regular hard-working Americans and veterans—programs they know nothing about and never will.

They also tell us about the price of things, when some of them have never done their own grocery shopping, missed a meal or even pumped their own gas. We now have rich congressmen taking money from the poor to give to the rich, so the super-rich do not have to pay their fair share in taxes. And implementing unneeded tariffs which are ruining businesses and farms.

So here we are in one of the most shameful and destructive times in our country’s history, where 99% of the people are being dictated by the 1%. I believe the biggest problem with Congress today is that we do not have enough working-class and disabled people representing the people of America. In fact, our government representation is reversed, where the majority don’t have a clue—or care—about what the 99% go through on a daily basis. Believe me, that Big Ugly Bill would have never passed if more disabled and regular working Americans represented their districts!

Congress needs those perspectives more than ever. Living with a disability is something I know, because I was born with some crazy genetics. But despite my struggles, I have accomplished much and worked very physically hard jobs including waitressing, retail and caregiving. I was working so hard, but still not making ends meet, because it seems the hardest physical jobs pay the least, and it is usually not a living wage.

Anyways, one day my body just said, “enough is enough for now, Lore.” I was waitressing at the time and buckled over in pain and had to go to the emergency room. That day my life changed as I was thrown into the world of learning the ins and outs of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, HUD, SNAP and Utility Assistance. I needed help! I could not support myself any longer.

I was also thrown into the world of living below the poverty line, so let me tell you, I can balance a budget and make a dollar go a long way; but taking from the most vulnerable to give to the rich is NOT how to do it! I still must use some of these programs just to survive. In fact, 20% of my health insurance right now is Medicaid. So, I know about the anxiety, panic and unneeded pain the Republicans are causing so many people, and I know some of you have had or are having the same anxiety right now, and I am sorry. I feel your pain and I really do understand.

Running for office is a huge endeavor and people have asked, “what qualifies you to run, Lore”? Well, even though I have a college degree, it’s not fancy, and I certainly am not a millionaire or billionaire, but I am a regular person who’s been through a lot of life experiences and I get it because of that! I know how hard it is to be a regular American sometimes! I have also been—and still am—a political organizer, activist and advocate for the elderly, disabled and veterans.

All my experiences have given me great empathy and understanding, which will serve me well when I am writing legislation. I needed reproductive women’s health care when I had a miscarriage years ago and I am horrified to see women having to leave the state to get the reproductive health care they desperately need.

I fought a landlord who was harming the disabled and the elderly in the building I was residing in. He pushed me out of my apartment for trying to get the issue fixed, and within less than a year I found myself homeless, living in my car until I found affordable housing again. My sweet dog Porter and I barely survived. So, believe me when I say, I will put myself on the line for you—I will—because I have already done so when I fought for those people in that building, and I will do it again for you, if necessary. And by the way, those people are now safe because that issue did get fixed!

I am also a first-generation American from a long line of immigrants who were farmers from the former Yugoslavia. They were put into a prison camp and then escaped the Tito Fascist Regime. It sickens me to think how much trauma they went through to escape authoritarianism and to get here, and what this country is now becoming. I also know firsthand how hard immigrants work. My family came here with nothing, to work their way up to having their own businesses and homes. I know that the large majority of immigrants, by far, are good people and deserve to be treated with humanity and respect.

I know how difficult it is to deal with sexual abuse, because I have had to heal from it, and stand with all survivors and their right to prosecute their abusers without time limits. So release the whole and full Epstein files now! I was also raised in an extreme religious group and understand how people can easily be sucked into extremism and led astray. And as I said before, as a person with disabilities, I understand what it’s like to need help from the government after working so hard for years. I know personally how all the programs work because I have had to use them.

I know—that was a lot of experience, and my openness about them may have made you feel a little uncomfortable. But what I’ve been through, with all these experiences, will guide me when I write legislation, because I get it and know how it feels. And if you are thinking about running for office, all your life experiences and that fire in your belly is the best reason why you should run.

So, what do I want to accomplish when I go to Congress? Well, there are many things, but unfortunately our system doesn’t make it easy to accomplish anything, does it? But this is what I hope to accomplish:

As your representative, I will continue to fight so that all Social Security programs, HUD, affordable housing, SNAP, Medicare, Medicaid, drug prices, eyeglasses, hearing aids, dental and all of the programs that help the most vulnerable will be protected, improved, expanded and not gutted—and that all Americans will finally get free Universal health care and have a hospital close by.

I will fight for American workers so that they will finally have a living wage and protections, and that we will have good-paying jobs in every county of our state, not just some. I will fight so farmers can get the support and subsidies they need to function well. And that affordability will be a real thing. And I will continue to fight for immigrants and DACA recipients so that they can have a speedier path toward work visas and citizenship, and that they will be treated with empathy and cruelty-free policies.

I will continue to fight for all women’s rights. I will continue to fight for Responsible Gun Ownership. And as a Christian, I will say that there is nothing Christian about Christian Nationalism and I will work to make sure that church and state stay separate.

I will continue to fight for parents and the gay community, so that they can decide how they and their children will live, and that they will feel safe living in this state and country. I will also fight to save our history from being distorted and for the truth to always win, and that this great curse of disinformation—and the fact that at least a third of our country is living in an alternate reality—will stop.

Corporate money, dark money and Citizens United must be removed from our politics. And in my opinion, the Electoral College must also go, and term limits must be imposed for Congress. These things have wrecked our political system and corrupted it. So, I can guarantee that I will fight for fairness and integrity to be put back into our three branches of government, and that the gap between the haves and the have-nots will become much smaller.

Tennessee is one of the poorest states in the country and District 6 has much poverty. And now because of unneeded tariffs and the gutting of needed programs, business owners, farmers and consumers of every kind are suffering, especially in the rural areas. Our farmers are in real trouble right now all over the country—including this district. Farmers are losing workers and programs that help them be successful and earn extra income, and are losing crops due to tariff wars. I am very angry for them and will fight to protect and support them when I go to Congress.

And I will work to make sure that all the counties in our district are represented equally—with good-paying jobs, access to health care for all and more hospitals, not fewer. We also need good public-school funding and libraries for all children, where they can read more, not less.

So, in conclusion: I know you may be feeling depressed and fearful about everything going on in our country right now—I get it! But I want you to know that there is hope. This country has been through hard times before and we have survived. I am encouraged because of the blue wave and gains that are happening around the country. And as I have been campaigning, I see many people in the 6th District waking up and joining together because they have had it with many things like the tyranny of this administration, the cruelty of ICE, Christian nationalism and the attacks on the American people of all kinds.

People are angry—and not just us Democrats, but also Libertarians, Independents and even Republicans. “WE THE PEOPLE” still have the power, and when we speak out and fight back together, it works.

So, my goal is to reach all the people in the Congressional 6th District and show them that I care about them all. I am excited to represent all the people when I go to Washington. I hope you will help me accomplish all these goals. Please join my “Love Thy Neighbor” campaign by donating, volunteering and of course voting for me.

And remember, if you want something done right—ask this woman!

Thank you!