John,

In just a moment, we're going to ask you to make a donation to Seth Bodnar's campaign before midnight tonight. Today is our mid-month mark, and the halfway point to September 30th, the close of the last full fundraising quarter before Montanans vote.

Please, let us explain why that date and your donation matter.

You know what this summer looked like. A Super PAC tied to Kurt Alme's backers spent roughly a million dollars on ads attacking Seth. Someone blasted out a mass text with his personal cell phone number in it. And for weeks, the political class floated "speculation" that an Independent would surely come to his senses and step aside.

They thought they could make an example out of an Independent who stepped out of line, and use him to scare anyone else who might think about doing the same into silence and obedience.

That's not what happened.

Seth stayed in. He kept showing up in every corner of this state. And the newest independent poll shows him gaining seven points since spring, the largest gain of any candidate in the race.

That's why we're writing tonight. When the third quarter closes on September 30th, what this campaign raised gets reported publicly. How many Montanans chipped in. How much. Everyone reads that number — the press, the Super PAC deciding how much more to spend, the people still wondering whether an Independent can win.

When that report hits, we want it to show everyone, from Washington on down, the true strength of what Montanans have built here. If you want to send that message, chip in whatever you can before midnight.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

The amount really isn't as important as the donation itself. Every gift is one more Montanan on the record, and they add up fast when a lot of people decide at once that this seat isn't for sale.

Thank you.

— Seth Bodnar for Montana