Growing up, I was diagnosed with a serious illness and spent three months in the hospital.

When I recovered, my grandparents, who raised me, searched for an insurance policy that would cover me in the future. They wanted to make sure I was protected in case I got sick again, but they couldn’t find any policies. Not from any insurer. Not at any price. All because I had been labeled as a child with a "pre-existing condition."

That meant my grandparents had to pay for my health care out of pocket — and they had to make significant sacrifices to do so.

That’s why I got into public service. My story isn’t a unique one. I’m one of 133 million Americans who have the "pre-existing condition" label 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 when Republicans like my opponent threaten to repeal the ACA, which would strip away coverage from millions of Americans. If Republicans flip this seat and take back the Senate, 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.

I’ve fought against Republicans’ efforts to repeal the ACA before, and I won’t back down now. But I can't do it alone. I need your help to keep up this fight in the U.S. Senate.

Will you make a donation to my reelection campaign and help defend our Democratic Senate majority? It’s the only way we’ll prevent Republicans from rolling back our progress and advancing their far-right agenda.

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Thank you for standing with me in the fight to protect accessible, affordable health care.

— Tammy