Team — every week since Donald Trump was inaugurated for his second term has featured one outrageous abuse of power after another. But it’s fair to say the past several days were like no other.

The Trump administration illegally sent the military into the city of Los Angeles. And they assaulted a U.S. Senator for asking tough questions at a press conference.

What the Trump administration wants, more than anything, is for us to feel powerless. But we aren’t. We all have it in us to stand up and fight for our democracy. There are many, many important battles ahead. I can’t promise you we will win all of them, but we will win some big ones if we stand together.

One of the most important battles we face in the coming months is the one to determine who becomes New Jersey’s next governor.

Now, that might seem counterintuitive, so let me explain:

With Washington in the grip of right-wing extremists, much of the work to fight for our communities is taking place in the states. And if I win this race, you have my word that I will always stand up for our fundamental freedoms when Trump or anyone else tries to take them from us.

On the other hand, my opponent in this race, Jack Ciattarelli, won Trump’s endorsement by promising to bring even the most disastrous elements of the MAGA agenda here to New Jersey. He won’t just permit Trump’s incursions on our rights and freedoms — he’ll double down on them.

But the stakes in this race go beyond New Jersey. This is our chance to show the entire nation, at the ballot box, that the people reject the chaotic, incompetent, and authoritarian direction that Trump has taken us in since he was sworn in.

It’s our chance to show that we won’t sit silently while our rights, our freedoms, and the rule of law come under attack. There is no more important bellwether ahead of 2026.

And it’s our chance to get started on a better path forward — one where loyalty to the Constitution comes before loyalty to any one individual, and where we prioritize doing what’s best for working families over what’s best for billionaires and corrupt political allies.

The stakes for our democracy are very high in this election, and the last governor’s race in New Jersey was decided by just 3%. So if you’re with me in this fight, we truly need all the help we can get. I’d be incredibly honored and grateful if you could pitch in $5 today and help me fight for our democracy →

Thank you, and have a great rest of your day.

-Mikie