Dear Friend,

This past week, we celebrated our nation's independence -- which for me, meant marching in parades in Coon Rapids, Edina and Chanhassen, attending community events, and spending as much time as I could with family and friends. I hope you were able to do the same.

We also closed out the second fundraising quarter of 2019 last week, which was an opportunity to celebrate independence of another kind: independence from special interest money.

Thanks to supporters like you, our campaign continues to be funded entirely by individuals -- no PACs, no Federal lobbyists, no Members of Congress or their committees.

That independence means that when I vote, I do so without having to assess how it may affect fundraising. Instead, I only reflect on my own principles and values and how best to represent my entire district. It doesn't make hard decisions any easier, but it allows me to always do what I believe is right.

The corrupting influence of money in politics and the exorbitant time dedicated to fundraising continues to be my primary focus -- even while we work to address the many other challenges facing our country. And thanks to you, we are showing the country that it can be done differently. So, while others put up big fundraising hauls next week generated from hundreds of hours of dialing for dollars, let's remember that a little independence can go a long way.

Sincerely,

Dean