In most ways, I’m a pretty typical single mom in Wisconsin.

These middle school years can be a challenge, but my son is a smart, kind, and funny person who is the light of my life. I have a career I enjoy and live in a great community with friends and neighbors who have one another’s backs.

But here’s where my story gets a little different — my ex-husband, Randy Bryce, is running for Congress, and now D.C. politicians are putting our family’s personal business all over the news and television, right where our son can see it.

In the 12 years that Randy and I have been blessed with our son, we have always worked together to put him first. As you may know or can imagine, divorce is very tough. No couple goes into marriage thinking of divorce, and, while at times Randy and I might disagree, I am still very grateful for the supportive and respectful co-parenting relationship we have.

I have never asked to be in the public spotlight and, frankly, have no interest in discussing details of my private life with strangers. When the negative attacks about our family first started to run back in May, I clarified for the media that Randy is a loving father who has been honest about his financial struggles. When he lost his job and fell behind on child support, Randy reached out to me, and we worked things out between ourselves, just like millions of other families do. Child support is very important, and Randy handles it as such.

I have asked that this matter be put to rest. Yet I turn on the TV, check my phone or social media, or open my mailbox, and I see I was ignored.

These D.C. politicians don’t care to know all the facts about my family, and they don’t care who they are hurting. They are passing judgment on situations they couldn’t possibly understand – like living paycheck to paycheck, like not being able to miss a shift without falling behind on bills. I don’t think people should be shamed for falling on hard times. Sometimes people need the opportunity to get back up and dust themselves off, and that’s what Randy and I have done.

We as Americans face some really big issues right now, and it’s going to be a tough road ahead for many families if change does not happen. We need elected officials who will focus on issues that affect us all, such as Social Security, Medicare, public education, affordable healthcare, and student loan debt, just to name a few.

Randy cares about these issues, about protecting working families like ours, and about our son. I again ask for these attacks to stop.

Thank you,

Faye