Every election cycle, somebody says, "I'm just voting for the lesser of two evils."

And I get where that feeling comes from. Because if we're being honest, there are elected officials who have often frustrated me, too.

They've been too timid when communities needed courage. Too willing to negotiate away priorities that working families depend on. Too focused on playing defense when people needed them to fight. They've missed opportunities. They've disappointed voters. They've earned criticism.

But let's stop pretending that's the same thing as what we're seeing from the opposition.

The death of Nolan Wells sits heavily on my heart because it is painfully familiar. Nolan Wells was a son, a friend, a neighbor, a young Black teenager whose life carried promise. People who knew him have mentioned his warmth, his loyalty, his humor, and the way he showed up for others. His life deserved the fullness of what was likely a trajectory to greatness. His story deserved more than its abrupt end. So, no, I will not move on, and neither should you.