John,

I wanted to reach out to reiterate why we’re working so hard in the off-year to prepare for 2022. Here are the main points:

• We’re facing the headwinds of midterm elections. Historically, there have only been two times in the past 150 years where the President’s party has not lost seats. And right now, Democrats hold the House by 6 seats and the Senate by 1.
• We’re in the middle of redistricting. We still don’t know what our maps will look like – and we won’t for several more months. This gives us less time to recruit candidates and reorganize our local units around new district lines. 
• Every statewide constitutional office and the entire Minnesota House and Senate will be on the ballot WITHOUT a statewide federal race. Years where we don’t have a federal candidate on the ballot means less investment in Minnesota leading to a 40% drop in revenue for the Party. This drastic drop in resources comes at a time when we have the most crowded ballot in a decade. 

Grassroots contributions are always a critical source of our Party’s funding, but over the next 12 months, we’re going to be relying on them more than ever. That’s why our fundraising team keeps such a close eye on our budget targets.

I just ran the numbers, and almost halfway through the month, we’re lagging way behind. Will you pitch in $5 (or whatever works for you today) to help us pick up the pace? We’re counting on at least 200 people to step up by tomorrow night to get back on track.

With Republicans at all levels of government latching onto Donald Trump’s Big Lie to undermine faith in our free and fair elections, carrying out an unprecedented assault on abortion rights, and doing everything they can to obstruct the progress Americans voted for in record numbers in 2020, you can see why a potential 40% drop in revenue terrifies us.

Our Party’s infrastructure plays an integral role in every race for the midterms. From recruiting candidates and providing them with support to building a statewide organizing program to executing earned media campaigns to running TV and digital ads and so much more, we need you with us to full capacity through Election Day in 2022.

John, invest in our Party so we can keep Minnesota blue. Anything you can spare before tomorrow will make a huge difference.

Thank you,

Karen Velez-Barron
Deputy Finance Director
Minnesota DFL