John,

Time and time again, we’ve seen this pattern play out the same way: Early polls favor Democrats to win battleground Senate races, only for that edge to disappear by Election Day. 

So when I saw polls this spring and early summer showing me ahead of my GOP opponent, Michael Whatley, by double digits, I took them with a grain of salt (or, to be honest, about a pound of it). 

By July, however, the GOP had started spending nearly $100 million so far to defeat me. As the lies, attacks and dark money heated up, my polling lead shriveled down to just +4.

So if anyone thought that the momentum was on our side enough to coast to victory, then they’re in for a wake-up call in the fall: 

Unless we build the resources right now to fight back, President Trump's hand-picked candidate will win North Carolina, and his allies will keep the Senate until 2029.

But listen: If there’s a silver lining in my mind, it’s that polls don’t decide elections. People do. Folks just like you hold the power to change the outcome of this must-win Senate race – and with it, the future of our country. But only if we have all hands on deck as we enter the final sprint to Election Day. 

If you care about flipping this seat blue and taking back the Senate from the GOP, the best thing you can do today is contribute to this grassroots campaign. In what may be the most competitive and expensive race in the country, we’ll have to ride a tidal wave of people-power to victory. So I’m personally asking you, John: Will you chip in $5 or more to win in North Carolina?

Thanks for everything,

Roy Cooper