Friend, when my mom and grandparents came to America, it was a beacon of hope and opportunity – and a chance to rebuild their lives.

To them, America was a place where, if you worked hard, you could build a life, live in peace and freedom and provide a better future for the next generation. 

My mom enrolled in public school and went on to become an elementary school librarian. My grandparents started a small business to recover some of what they had lost. In doing that, they gave me – the next generation – every opportunity America could offer.

From them and from my dad, who was a dedicated public servant, I inherited the belief that we all have a responsibility to each other – and to those who follow us. It is our job as Americans to extend opportunity, reward hard work and make sure everyone has a chance at the American dream.

These are the same lessons my wife, Susan, and I worked to pass on to our daughters. That's why, in the Senate, I fought to increase opportunity for Coloradans, lower costs and protect our public lands. 

But Donald Trump doesn't believe in fighting for opportunity. Instead, he's taking a wrecking ball to our economy, and it's getting harder and harder to live in Colorado. Now, my generation is the first one at risk of handing our children less opportunity – not more.

At this point, I don't expect the solutions to the problems we're facing to come from Washington. They're going to have to come from us, right here in Colorado – including working to lower costs for housing, health care and child care, fighting corruption in government and building a better future for all of us.

That's why I'm running for governor, and if you agree that our kids and grandkids deserve a governor who will fight for them, I hope you'll chip in to my campaign today. It's going to take all of us to win this race and create the future we deserve.

Thank you for being a part of this team and fueling our grassroots movement.

– Michael