I'm not going to sugarcoat it, friend – the road to flipping Florida blue and defending the Senate won't be easy. Here's what we're up against:

$4 million. That's the staggering amount of money that Marco Rubio was able to haul in over the last few months alone. 

$28 million. That's the obscene amount of money the Senate Republican campaign arm just raised – and it will spend millions here in Florida at the drop of a hat to destroy our momentum and defeat me.

389. That's how many Florida Defenders my campaign needs by midnight tonight to hit today's fundraising goal and win. 

Our campaign is off to an incredible start – but election experts say my biggest challenge to defeating Rubio will be mustering the resources to do it. I don't like it, but that means emailing you for money, friend: Will you activate your Florida Defender membership by making a contribution of $5 or more right now? Every dollar you give will help us defeat Marco Rubio and protect our Democratic Senate majority.

Just 10,033 votes decided Florida's last Senate race – a margin of less than two tenths of a percentage point. In close races like these, every dollar we raise, every phone bank we run, every door we knock on – starting from day one – it all makes a huge difference come Election Day.  

I've won in Florida before, so believe me when I say this: The race to Washington is a marathon, not a quick sprint to the finish line. We need to hit our goals every step of the way to flip Florida blue, and that's why I'm counting on YOU to become one of 389 people to activate their Florida Defender membership today: 

Please, donate $5 or more to become a Florida Defender right now so we can flip Florida blue, defend the Senate and deliver the bold agenda that Americans deserve.

Thanks for having my back. I really appreciate your support.

Val Demings