Do you recognize the little girl in this photo?

That’s me. Growing up, I was diagnosed with a serious illness and spent three months in the hospital. When I got better, my grandparents, who raised me, began looking for an insurance policy that would cover me in the future.

But they couldn’t find such a policy because of my previous illness. Not from any insurer. Not at any price. They had to pay for my health care out of pocket and make enormous sacrifices to do so — all because I had a pre-existing condition.

That’s why I got into public service. I saw my grandparents stay up late at night, worried sick that I would fall ill again and that they wouldn't be able to afford my care. I thought no one should ever have to go through that.

But I knew they weren’t the only ones. I’m one of 133 million Americans who have the label "pre-existing condition" attached to our care — and before the Affordable Care Act was passed, many of us could be denied coverage.

Now, insurance companies can no longer discriminate against someone based on their pre-existing condition. I championed health reform and wrote the amendment to allow young people to stay on their parent’s insurance plan up to age 26. These policy changes have led to millions more Americans getting the health insurance they need.

So, you can imagine my frustration whenever Republicans attack our health care or threaten protections for folks with pre-existing conditions — including my Republican opponent who has said there’s no part of the ACA he supports.

If Eric Hovde flips this seat and secures the Senate majority for Republicans, the ACA will be on the chopping block and countless Americans could find themselves in a place where insurance companies, once again, write all the rules.

The people of Wisconsin did not send me to Washington to take people’s health care away, which is why I’ve fought against Republican repeal efforts and why I will never back down. But I can’t defend the hard-fought progress we’ve made without your help.

Will you make a donation to my reelection campaign to defend our Democratic Senate majority? That’s the only way we’ll prevent Republicans from rolling back the progress we’ve made expanding access to affordable health care.

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Thank you,

Tammy