Can I get a bit more personal than usual?

This is a photo of me and my late grandmother, Polly. I’ve been feeling nostalgic and reflecting on why I got involved in politics — and my story starts with her.

My grandmother was my first role model and my fiercest supporter. At a time when few women were involved in politics, Polly was a force – a fixture in Albany and the first person to raise their hand and volunteer.

Growing up, I stuffed envelopes with Grandma Polly on weekends and slapped bumper stickers on cars — learning that civic participation is a responsibility that all of us should take seriously.

She was a fiery example of what it looks like to advocate loudly for anyone without a voice. She NEVER backed down from an argument she knew she could win.

I’m thinking a lot about the example Grandma Polly set for me, especially now that we’re preparing for our biggest fight yet: flipping the Senate in 2026.

We can’t be complacent in this work. The stakes are too high and I refuse to let MAGA Republicans corrupt our government and erase our progress any longer.

But if we’re serious about getting this done, we need this movement to step up and make sure we have the resources we need to invest big in our Senate work before our final public fundraising deadline on December 31st. Republicans already have shady super PACs and billionaires pouring dark money into battleground Senate races across the country.

I’m carrying on Grandma Polly’s legacy by advocating loudly and unapologetically in the Senate for everyone who needs a voice — and I’m ready to elect even more fierce Democrats to the Senate in the midterms. Will you join me and give $10 or more before our biggest deadline of the year?

Let’s fight for our futures and make all the Grandma Pollys of the world proud.

— Kirsten Gillibrand