This past week, a working mom of four told me a story that broke my heart.

She’s doing everything the right way. She and her husband are working to help their family get by but can’t keep up with the $1,000-plus per month additional costs that have been brought on by the Kamala Harris and Elissa Slotkin agenda.

People who do the right thing, pay their taxes, and tuck their kids in at night should NEVER have to choose between food on the table or gas in the tank.

My parents raised five boys on a teacher’s salary. I’ve seen firsthand how a tight budget can put undue stress on a family and even a whole community. That’s the hard reality for families across Michigan who are working paycheck to paycheck.

It’s no secret Washington, D.C. is full of out-of-touch, political elites who are out for themselves and have little understanding of what it’s like to put gas in the tank or food on the table. That’s why this election is so critical. We need a fresh slate of leaders who are committed to working for our state, to bring our values to Washington, not their mandates to Michigan.

I’m running for the U.S. Senate to fight for those families, to stop the reckless spending and high taxes that are making lives harder, not easier. I’ll put my record in Congress of delivering results up against anyone.

In my first term, I worked with my Democratic partners to eliminate federal taxes on education savings plans and health savings accounts, helping parents and students save for higher education and unexpected health care costs.

I didn’t stop there. My time as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee gave me a unique perspective on the wasteful spending that’s become the norm in Washington. For example, did we really need an expert on operating fax machines? Of course not, but we were paying for it.

In the midst of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts, I once again worked with my Democratic colleagues to cut over $7.5 billion in wasteful spending from the intelligence budget.

It’s simple. Slashing wasteful spending keeps prices low and puts money in the pockets of Americans. That should be the goal of every elected leader in this state. Americans shouldn’t have to suffer at the hands of Congress’ spending addiction.

There’s even more we can do to lower prices.

America is home to some of the largest energy supplies in the world. We should do everything we can to unleash it and stop sending our money to nations that hate us. Northern Michigan is especially vulnerable to the radical climate agenda being pushed by Harris and Slotkin, who wish to eliminate access to propane and drive up costs for families.

As Michigan’s senator, I’ll ensure gas is affordable and the simple act of heating your home is never treated as a luxury.

The solutions to lowering costs and helping families are simple: Stop Washington’s wasteful spending, unleash American energy, and get the government out of the way.

The problem is our leaders don’t have the courage to get the results by fighting the swamp.

I’ll need the help of every Michigander. As your senator, we’ll get to work on day one for Michigan and bring normal back!

Mike Rogers is a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.