Friend, happy new year! Now that 2024 has officially started, I want to take a step back and share why I'm running to be Florida’s next U.S. Senator. Please, will you let me explain?

My husband, our three children, and our dogs.

I was born in Ecuador, and when I was 14, my mother brought my sisters and me to America in search of a better life. 

We made a new home here in a small, one room apartment. My mother worked double shifts as a home health care provider, and at night, she took classes to learn English. When I was 15, I got a job at the local doughnut shop. My minimum wage checks helped us make ends meet and keep our heads above water in those early days.

My mother raised me to work hard, give back to others, and fight for the life I dreamed of. Thanks to her sacrifices and courage, I was able to graduate college and become the first South American immigrant to serve in Congress. She showed me that a better education, a better home, and a better future is always possible if we never give up. This is the promise of America.

And that’s why I’m running for Senate. Because Florida deserves better — but we’ve got to fight for it.

Right now, our state is being pushed backward by far-right extremists like my opponent, Sen. Rick Scott. He’s targeting the most vulnerable among us, dividing our communities, and threatening the American dream. It’s no wonder why his approval ratings are totally underwater.

Polling data has shown that this race is already a statistical tie. But Rick Scott is a megamillionaire who has already spent millions of his own money to defeat us. And now that the election year is officially underway, he won’t pull any punches.

I know that we can defeat Rick Scott and restore the promise of America – but not without all hands on deck. So please, will you join the fight for a better future by donating $5 to my campaign? Winning in Florida could be the only way to save our fragile Senate majority.

Thank you for joining me in this fight. I’m so grateful to have you by my side.

Debbie