On March 3, I had the distinct pleasure of having coffee with a number of constituents in St. Cloud. I extend my sincere thanks to them for giving up part of their Saturday to share stories, concerns and comments. As representative of the 6th District, hearing constituents’ perspectives on the direction of their country is of utmost importance.

My husband Marcus and I have always known our fellow Minnesotans were exceptional, but the St. Cloud residents we were introduced to only reinforced this belief. There were students, business owners, community activists and patriotic Americans both young and young at heart.

I also had the opportunity to connect with Doug Schmitz and Paul Hetland, the mayor and city administrator, respectively, of Cold Spring. Individuals like these make me proud to represent the district.

I appreciate the words of encouragement (as well as the invitation to the Benton County Fair), and I look forward to continue serving the residents of the tri-county area. ... I care about this district, and if there is anything my staff or I can do, please contact my Woodbury or Waite Park offices or my Washington, D.C. office.