Friend – I just set an incredibly ambitious but important goal to raise $100,000 before our end-of-month deadline on Monday. Before I ask you to help me get there, I want to explain why this is so important.

Experts from FiveThirtyEight say I'm one of the most vulnerable senators up for reelection, and CNN reports that Mitch McConnell is personally zeroing in on me as a top target for defeat.

McConnell, his special interest allies, and the GOP are laser-focused on flipping my seat red because they know – as well as we do – that Ohio could decide Senate control.

Ohio's last Senate race was by far the most expensive our state has ever seen, costing more than the previous three races combined. So I mean it when I say that in a battleground this competitive, grassroots support from folks like you will be the difference between winning and losing.

So what do you say, friend? If you care about winning in Ohio and defending Democrats' Senate majority, will you please chip in $5 – or any amount that's meaningful to you – to help me hit my critical end-of-month goal before our deadline?

I can't thank you enough for being a member of my grassroots team.

With gratitude,