1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

As your constituent, I am writing to urge you to publicly defend one of the most fundamental rights in American democracy: our right to directly elect our United States senators. This right is currently under a coordinated, two-front attack that threatens the core principle of voter accountability. THE LOUD FRONT: Attempting to Repeal the 17th Amendment On June 25, 2026, Representative Keith Self (R-TX) introduced a joint resolution to repeal the 17th Amendment. While sponsors argue this would restore the Founders' vision of state sovereignty, the pre-1913 system they seek to revive was plagued by systemic corruption. Senate seats were routinely bought and sold by railroad, oil, and banking monopolies in backroom deals. By 1910, the corruption and legislative deadlocks were so severe that 31 state legislatures themselves demanded direct election reform. This is not a matter of state power versus federal power; it is a matter of citizen power versus elite backroom deals. Amending the Constitution to strip citizens of their voting rights over internal party loyalty disputes is a dangerous overreach. THE QUIET FRONT: Gutting the 17th Amendment Via State Law While a full constitutional repeal is a long shot, a quieter, more dangerous play is already happening at the state level. Kansas recently passed SB 105, which bypasses the national amendment process to gut the 17th Amendment's intent. By stripping the governor of independent appointment authority and intentionally delaying special elections, this law hands Senate power directly to political bosses and special interests rather than the voters. For example, under current Kansas law, if a Senate vacancy occurs in July 2026, a permanent election could be blocked until 2028, which bypasses the will of the people. This creates a dangerous playbook: using state statutes to ensure that party bosses—not regular citizens—control Senate seats for years at a time. I urge you to take these three actions: 1. Publicly oppose the Self resolution. Clearly state that moving the power to choose senators from citizens back to party-controlled legislatures is an entirely backward step that invites corruption. 2. Support federal enforcement of the 17th Amendment. Congress must explicitly prohibit states from rewriting vacancy laws to indefinitely delay direct, popular elections. 3. Declare that the right to vote for our senators is non-negotiable. Whether through a direct constitutional repeal or quiet state statutes, the result is identical: regular people lose their voice, and politicians take power they were never meant to hold. The 17th Amendment was passed because Americans of all political stripes realized what happens when senators answer to party bosses instead of the people. I expect you to stand firmly on the side of the voters and protect our right to choose our own leaders.