It's great to be back in Florida’s communities again now that Hurricanes Milton and Helene have passed, friend — but I'd be lying if I said it felt no different than before.

I spent some of last week in the Tampa Bay area, where over 3 million homes and businesses went without power, over 1,000 residents needed rescue from eight-foot storm surge and 18 inches of rainfall, and over two dozen more lost their lives as Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane — all while still reeling from Helene’s impacts just two weeks prior.

As they now recover vital resources and rebuild their communities — to the tune of billions in damages and disruption — I was proud to join efforts to distribute supplies and witness the resilience of my fellow Floridians.

The thing is this isn't our first big storm, and it won't be our last. It comes with the terrain, but there's no place we'd rather be.

So as the climate crisis worsens the effects of the already-extreme weather we're used to, the fact that GOP leaders would rather bury their heads in the sand isn't just dangerous — it's infuriating.

While visiting the homes of impacted residents, one thing that struck me during our talks was that they know it doesn't have to be this way. 

They're sick of the status quo, and they're ready for elected officials to put Florida's people over profit-driven industry interests.

But sadly, Rick Scott sold us out.

From taking millions of dollars in donations from the same big oil and insurance companies that are ripping off Floridians, to slashing crucial water management and conservation jobs, to even repeatedly voting against billions of dollars for natural disaster relief — it all goes back, some way or another, to him.

Now, we pay four times the national average for property insurance as worse disasters rip through year after year, while he and his corporate buddies line their pockets with our money and misery.

Ya no más.

So Floridians will still be rebuilding come Nov. 5 — and they will remember at the ballot box. And together, we will put an end to his rule.

I'm in this race because, unlike Rick, I'm 100% committed to protecting Florida's families, environment, and animals against climate change. And in the Senate, I'll fight like hell to make our state's natural wonders as resilient as its people.

But unless I reach my $500,000 goal by midnight tonight, I simply won't have the resources to take on Rick's massive fortune — let alone the millions in gifts from industries with a vested stake in keeping him in power.

So friend, will you please help me retire Rick Scott and keep up the fight for Florida's future in the U.S. Senate by rushing $5, $25, or anything you can right now?

If you've read this far, thanks for sticking around and for all you do.

Florida strong.

Debbie