Friend,

From a young age, my parents taught me about seeing work to be done and doing it. They taught me to always treat people with respect and to never think you're better than anyone else – no matter what you do or where you go.

These are the lessons I brought with me when I served in Congress, and they will continue to guide me as the next United States Senator from Iowa.

My name is Abby Finkenauer, and I'm running for Senate to be a voice for working families. We can defeat Sen. Chuck Grassley and win this race, but only if grassroots folks like you join our team and help build our campaign from day one. If you're with me, will you make a contribution of $5 or more now to become one of the very first grassroots donors we need to flip Iowa blue and protect our Democratic Senate majority?

The fight for working families isn't some abstract concept for me. It's personal. Working families are my family: Mom is a retired Dubuque Community Schools employee, and Dad is a retired union pipefitter-welder. In fact, it was Dad's old sweatshirt – peppered with burn holes from sparks from his welding torch – that I carried with me when I first went to Congress so I'd never forget why I ran and who I represent.

What we know now is that the vast majority of Iowans don't want Sen. Grassley representing them in Washington anymore – and neither do I. He’s made Washington his true home since I was five years old. He used to be a voice that we could disagree with but still respect, knowing he at least had Iowans’ interests in mind. But these last five years, he’s changed.

In his seven terms, he has actively voted against and obstructed progress that would benefit working Iowans: He’s tried to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, he’s voted against our first responders, and he’s voted against most everything that would move communities in Iowa forward. Most importantly, he’s sided with Mitch McConnell time and again – even when it comes to undermining our democracy.

I don't know about you, friend, but something in me broke on Jan. 6. Former colleagues of mine crouched in the House gallery, fearing for their lives as an angry mob – incited by the former president – attacked our Capitol. Ever since that day, elected officials like Sen. Grassley and Mitch McConnell have turned their backs on our country.

Sen. Grassley's public service may have wavered, but mine sure as heck hasn't. The hardworking people of Iowa deserve to have their voices heard in Washington – and our nation deserves a Democratic Senate majority that will keep making progress happen for working families across the country.

The road ahead will be a tough one, but nobody will work harder than I will to win this race. With the right resources – with you on our unbeatable grassroots team – we will win. So today, as our campaign gets underway, I'm asking for your help to raise $50,000 before our first critical midnight deadline.

For Iowa, for this country we all love, for the democracy we cherish, please make a contribution of $5 or more now so we can win in Iowa and protect our Democratic majority in the Senate.

With truth and integrity, we – and democracy – will win. 

Abby