The 2018 Midterm Elections are most definitely one of the most crucial elections of our lifetime. While exercising your right to vote is always an important choice to make a difference, the issues that have arisen in this country since President Trump was elected are violations of what Americans stand for. The only way to change the direction our country is heading towards is by voting for Democrats up and down the ballot in Connecticut.

One might argue that voting for all Democrats is simply because one does not support the current president, however, the issues hit much closer to home for almost every American. Whether it be a family member with a pre-existing condition, a friend who has been affected by the travel ban, a member of the LGBTQ community or a person affected by the continuous gun violence in America; we have all been affected by the choices made by the election of Donald Trump and the Republicans.

In the state of Connecticut, Incumbent Democratic Senator Chris Murphy is running for re-election against Republican Matthew Corey. Chris Murphy cares about and continuously fights for issues that matter to Americans, such as the opioid epidemic in the United States that has affected millions of families every day. The Senate recently passed a bill for Support for Patients and Communities Act, a piece of legislation to fight the opioid crisis with Murphy-led provisions, according to Murphy’s official candidacy website. Murphy fights for issues that CT residents care about and are affected by– women’s reproductive rights, climate change, the environment, Connecticut infrastructure, education, health care, gun violence, immigration and more.

Being located in Hamden, Connecticut, those who are voting here are in the third congressional district. Rosa DeLauro, current CT State Representative for the third district, continuously fights for budget reform, education, food and drug safety, gun violence, health care, veterans and the economy. With so many American families affected by gun violence in the U.S., the American Medical Association calling it a “public health crisis.” DeLauro continues to fight for gun control reform, introducing the Safer Streets Act, a piece of legislation which would incentivize owners of assault weapons to turn them into a buyback program for a $2,000 tax credit, as a means to reduce the amount of gun violence at a local level, according to Delauro’s candidacy website.

If you are angry about the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, a powerful man accused of sexual assault, being confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court, vote for Democrats up and down the ballot.

If you are upset about women’s reproductive rights being stripped away or Roe v. Wade being overturned, vote for your local Democrats.

If you care about human rights issues and LGBTQ issues in America, vote Democrat.

There are so many other crucial issues that matter in the upcoming election, and every single person is affected by at least one issue at hand. Going out and supporting Democrats will fight for changes to be made against the GOP, which has continuously been dismissing issues that Americans care about. Voting for Democrats up and down the ballot will allow for change, and to prevent Republicans from undoing the progress we have made as a country.