This Saturday, hundreds of loyal supporters from across Northwest Indiana joined me for my annual Spring Brunch.

The Spring Brunch is one of my favorite traditions. Each year, I have the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and strengthen ties with new ones at the brunch. It is one of the many times I am reminded how proud I am to call Northwest Indiana home. If you could not attend this year's Spring Brunch, please click here to view the online photo gallery.

Spring is here and what better way to welcome the season than with a Spring Brunch!

On Saturday, April 20th from 11 am to 1 pm at the Saints Constantine and Helen Church Hall, 8000 Madison Street, Merrillville Indiana I am hosting a Spring Brunch to support my re-election efforts.

On Thursday, February 28, 2013, I joined 285 of my colleagues to support the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women's Act. Regrettably, after these long struggles for women rights, it took Congress 500 days to reauthorize the Violence Against Women's Act to protect victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

The most fundamental right in a democracy is the right to vote.

That's why I'm outraged that so many of our citizens were forced to wait in long lines for hours in order to exercise their right to vote last year, if they even had the opportunity to vote at all. In La Porte County, Democratic Chairman John Jones asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the wrongful purge of 13,000 voters, potentially denying the citizens their right to participate in our democracy.

2012 was a landmark year for local, state, and federal Democrats. President Barack Obama, Senator-elect Joe Donnelly, and a host of good Democrats up and down the ballot ultimately prevailed. I don't think this happened by accident: Indiana families had a clear choice in this election, and they chose to move our country forward.

Please join me, along with Lake County Commissioner Gerry Scheub for an Election Night Celebration! Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 6 2012 from 6 PM to 10 PM at the American Legion Post 430 on 7430 Broadway in Merrillville, Indiana. Food and refreshments will be provided; please RSVP using the form below.

This election will come down to active volunteers campaigning until the very end on issues that are very important for the future of our country.

My earliest memories are going door to door with my father, former Gary Mayor John Visclosky, encouraging everyone in the neighborhood to participate in the election and support the Democratic Party. My soon to be 97 year old dad has already voted and I hope to encourage every last Democrat to do the same, this election is about the future of our county, state and country.

I will not be voting on Tuesday, November 6th, because I will have already voted early.

I know how busy we all can be, family and work obligations are our priority, and deservedly so. Unfortunately, if you wait to vote until Election Day, you may miss your opportunity to participate. What we can't forget - what we should never forget - is to vote, because voting helps to determine the kind of country we will leave behind for our children.