Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff's greatest honor may be how hard Rep. John Lewis is working to help elect him.
I was born in Atlanta and spent my early childhood years growing up in John Lewis's congressional district.
My brother and I attended pre-school with Lewis's kids, and my mom and dad attended parents' meetings with Lewis and his wife, Lillian. I'll always feel lucky because of that personal connection, but it's not why John Lewis inspires me.
Like so many others, I'm inspired by his life of service and his willingness to sacrifice for what's right. Lewis says what he believes and stands fearlessly on principle. He demonstrates that politics is an honorable avenue to achieve change.
Lewis inspires Jon Ossoff, too.
As he shares with Lewis in this moving new video, Ossoff wrote to Lewis when he was just 16 years old to ask if he could work for him.
"You've been such an inspiration to me as someone who has displayed courage of your convictions," Ossoff says. "I'm honored by your support and it gives me a sense of heavy obligation to make you proud, to represent our state with dignity."
And now Ossoff is inspiring John Lewis.
Lewis says Ossoff reminds him of another time in his own life, when he was 17 years old and wrote a letter to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who invited the teenage Lewis "to come to Montgomery to meet with him. And that changed my life forever."
When I was 16, I read @repjohnlewis’ memoir and wrote him asking if I could work for him. His support means the world to me. pic.twitter.com/PJdKMeO0aS
— Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) June 19, 2017
Lewis says he's "never seen anything like" the times what we're currently facing. "These are times that try men's souls. We are being tested as a country and as a people. We need you and need your leadership more than ever before."
And he's showing that he means it, hitting the campaign trail to get out every vote he can for Ossoff.
Looking for #MondayMotivation? Civil Rights hero John Lewis urging folks to use their “sacred” vote! Let's go to the polls and vote #GA06! pic.twitter.com/Sm5qmhlQXt
— DCCC (@dccc) June 19, 2017
LEWIS: Let me just say to you. The vote is precious. The vote is almost sacred in a democracy such as ours. It is the most powerful nonviolent instrument or tool we have. And we must use it. So all of us must get out and vote on Tuesday like we've never voted before, OK? Tell your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, your cousin, your husband, your wife, your girlfriend, your boyfriend. Everybody must to go the polls and vote.
We are all Jon Ossoff. Deeply inspired by John Lewis, we crave to be part of his legacy.
Flipping the deeply red 6th Congressional District would be a historic victory. The seat was never supposed to be competitive. Former Rep. Tom Price, who vacated the seat to become Trump's Health secretary, won it by 23 points in 2016, and Republicans have held the seat for nearly four decades.
By helping to elect Ossoff, Lewis is inviting the people of Georgia to take part in history.
