Friend, your grassroots support is making a HUGE difference, with recent polling showing me just 2 points behind Marco Rubio! We can flip Florida blue – but the Cook Political Report says our GREATEST obstacle will be mustering the resources it takes to win.

So I'm asking for your help because I'm still $12,442 short of tonight's fundraising goal. With the GOP pouring millions into keeping Florida PERMANENTLY red, missing tonight's goal will cost me major momentum in this race – and it WILL jeopardize Democrats' chances of defending our Senate majority.

I can't wait until tomorrow, next week or next year. I need your support to hit this goal NOW: friend, will you rush a contribution of $5 or more – whatever you can spare so I can make up this fundraising shortfall – to defeat Marco Rubio in Florida and defend our Democratic Senate majority?

Think of our warming planet, friend. Think of the progress we need to make on gun safety and criminal justice reform, improving affordable health care and expanding Medicare. It's not just my name on the ballot, it's progress for everything we care about – and with a slim 50-50 Senate, Florida's race can decide the majority, so the stakes couldn't be higher:

So believe me, I get it – Election Day seems far away. But this isn't the first time I've thrown my hat into a tough race. Election Day will be here before we know it, and national Republicans are already pummeling our state with millions of dollars to keep Democrats from ever winning in Florida again. Quite frankly, there's too much on the line for that to be an option.

We can only fight back and win with a surge in grassroots support. Will you rush a contribution now to help me defeat Marco Rubio and defend our Senate majority?

Thank you,

Val Demings