I’d like to start off by saying how thankful I am to be able to serve the people of Southern Colorado for another term. This election was different in every aspect, and – as in every election – there are winners and losers. I feel the people of Colorado have spoken, and we have a great deal of work to do.

Nationally, we saw that President-elect Donald Trump won the electoral vote while Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. The difference could be debated, and probably will be debated for years to come, but when I view the maps and overlays for popular versus electoral, the argument for how our president is chosen is clearly the right one. This is actually the fifth time in American history that this has occurred, and it is the second time in this century. Most will remember Bush v. Gore in the year 2000.

We also saw Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate. With a declared winner for the presidency, control of the House and control of the Senate this is why I say “to whom much is given, much will be expected.” We, the Republican Party, have an opportunity to do the work that the American people are asking for, and if we squander the opportunity now, we may not see it again for a very long time.

As I campaigned across House District 47, I heard over and over about the impact of the Affordable Care Act. It’s simply not working for American families, and it’s far from affordable for most. A solution has to be found, and the opportunity exists.

Americans have clearly expressed their fears about terrorism. To those we have been elected to serve us in Washington D.C., you have an obligation to address national security. A safe America is desired, and it is deserved. A solution has to be found and the opportunity exists.

Opportunities exist for solutions to become reality with a myriad of other issues like the economy, jobs, entitlement reform, immigration, crime, poverty and the deficit. This is not the time to squander the opportunity. As I said above, “to those whom much is given, much is expected”, and we all, from the top down, owe it to the American people to offer solutions.

In Colorado, Republicans lost three seats in the state House of Representatives, and in the state Senate, Republicans held on to a slim one-seat majority. The state Senate has a heavy lift this coming legislative session, and searching for compromises that don’t grow government won’t be easy. However, with new leadership in both the House and the Senate, I can assure you that neither party will be getting a free ride this session. If anything is going to get to the governor’s desk, it will have to be through a bipartisan effort.

Leaders in Colorado have a clear responsibility to address education, transportation, jobs and the economy. It’s my firm philosophy that there are options and opportunities to address these issues without growing government, without increasing taxes and without burdening the state with an overwhelming amount of regulations. Prioritization in spending matters, and the answer to every problem we face, is not always increasing fees, taxes or regulations. This is where transparency in government and political courage truly matters.