Folks, before I say anything else: you’d better be wearing sunscreen this summer!

I'm serious. I'm a scientist. I know exactly what UV radiation does to skin cells: the DNA damage, the cumulative effect, the way it compounds over years of unprotected exposure until one day it's not just a sunburn anymore.

Broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, reapplied every two hours, more often if you're swimming or sweating. And don't forget your ears. People always forget their ears.

Go ahead. I'll wait.

Okay, now let me tell you what I've been thinking about all summer in IL-06, in between town halls and sunscreen reapplications.

Protecting your skin from the sun and protecting democracy from corrupt authoritarians are actually fairly similar.

For starters, you can't do it once and call it done.

One bottle of SPF 50 on Memorial Day won't protect you through Labor Day. Democracy's the same. The founders handed us a framework, not a finished product, and it needs constant maintenance.

You can't rely on someone else to handle it.

Nobody's sneaking up at the beach to reapply your sunscreen for you (or at least I hope they aren’t).

Complacency, in skin care and in democracy, is a slow burn.

I don't need to belabor this one. We've all seen what a bad sunburn looks like. We all know it takes time, aloe, and patience to heal.

For a democracy, the recovery timeline isn’t weeks; it’s years. The consequences can be long and painful. But don’t let anyone tell you healing isn’t possible. It just takes all of us committing to the small habits that keep our democracy safe: showing up at local, state, and federal elections. Rebuilding bridges across party lines. Supporting candidates who share our values. Maybe even running for office ourselves.

So here's my ask, and it's a little different from my usual one.

Most of my emails ask you to support my campaign with a one-time donation. Today I'm asking if you'll become a monthly donor instead.

Democracy doesn't have an off-season. The work of building a majority, protecting this district, and fighting for good government is year-round.

A $2 or $4 consistent monthly gift is like your daily SPF routine. The benefits really stack up over time.

SPF = Sustained Political Fight. Reapply monthly. Set up a monthly contribution today and stay in the fight year-round.

If you choose a recurring donation, your donation will go through monthly:

Thank you. Now go outside. Just put on sunscreen first, and don't forget your ears!

— Sean Casten