As I prepared to run for the Senate, I talked to hundreds of working people over the last few months, and I heard the message loud and clear: It's time to restore government by the people, for the people.

Since the disastrous Citizens United decision almost a decade ago, control of our democracy has slipped from the hands of the people, and into the pockets of wealthy special interests.

Those special interests have gotten used to calling the shots – especially with Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump ready to grant their every wish. But really, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have gotten too reliant on third party interests spending on their behalf.

Which is why, in my race for the U.S. Senate, I'm calling on my primary opponents to take the People's Pledge to reject any outside spending in this race. If a third party does spend any money to boost a campaign, that candidate will donate fifty cents on the dollar to a charity agreed on by all candidates.

That means I'm counting on your support: I'm relying on grassroots donations and individual contributions to grow this campaign and win this race. Donate $3 today and let's kick things off together.

My hope: that my primary opponents will join me in taking this grassroots pledge, and this campaign will be a fantastic debate of ideas and philosophies.

My concern: that they continue to refuse to take the pledge, and the debate will be drowned out in a wave of special interest dollars.

If we're going to break this cycle, we've got to step up and do things differently.

That's where you come in. Let's send a message with our grassroots energy before the critical end-of-quarter fundraising deadline.

We're just 266 grassroots donations shy of our first quarterly goal. Please chip in $3 before tomorrow night's deadline to get us across the finish line.

Onward,

Joe