Last week, I was driving with my two-month-old son, Win, to our legislative session for the day. Win has joined me on the floor several times in session to make sure he is getting enough time with his mom. Without his visits, the 80-hour workweeks common during this time of year would render us near strangers until April. Everything that day had gone swimmingly. Win loves spending time with his “aunts” and “grandmas” in the Legislature and I’m hoping his experiences will convince him to pursue a different profession when he’s grown- my preference is for him to be a doctor, farmer, engineer… anything but a politician.

Babies rarely follow the schedules we would like; on this particular day, Win’s morning nap turned into fussiness during afternoon committee hearings. I excused myself from the hearing, changed and fed Win, and then walked the halls of the Capitol to coax him back to sleep. He snoozed for around fifteen minutes before I mustered the courage to re-enter the hearing room. Win’s peaceful slumber turned immediately into cries once we were seated. After three more failed attempts, the committee hearing came to a close. Our drive home back to Dunbar found me coming to a realization that had been in the back of my mind since the start of this session as a new mom: trying to juggle motherhood, a law practice, and the Legislature left everyone, especially my child, shortchanged.

You may have heard already, but I will not seek re-election in 2024. It has been the honor and privilege of my lifetime to serve each of you in our Legislature, but it is time for me to pursue a new chapter as a mom and attorney in the private sector. Even with another session left to complete, we’ve had some massive wins for Southeast Nebraska. I fought for funding for Peru’s levee repair and Falls City’s electrical upgrade, modernized our approach to state incentives for business growth in rural Nebraska, helped expand degree offerings at Peru State College, secured millions to expand internet access in rural Nebraska, and worked to complete long-needed projects, like finally resurfacing Highway 50.

I’ll spend the next months offering innumerable thank you’s, but thank you- whether we’ve agreed politically or not- for opening your doors, welcoming me to your communities, and entrusting me to serve you. In January 2025, District 1 will have a new state senator. Until then- I will keep fighting the good fight for Southeast Nebraska in our Legislature.