Hi John: I want to share an old photo with you. This is my grandma, Helen Finkenauer, with my dad, Jerry, who was just a baby then. This photo always brings a smile to my face, but it also reminds me of a big issue – one that's at the forefront of my mind every day that I'm on the campaign trail for our race to defeat Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA).

You see, back in 1958, my grandfather was able to come home from the war and find a job – and not just any job. A very good paying union job. He was able to make a living for his family of four, with money left over to get a chance to enjoy life. Not only that, he and Grandma had a sense of security knowing a pension and retirement would be there for them in the future.

It's nice to get nostalgic about old photos, but with that nostalgia comes an important realization: This picture wouldn't exist if my grandpa didn't have the means, provided by his union job, to purchase a camera.

I'm running for Iowa's Senate seat to defeat Sen. Chuck Grassley because our state and country have gone through too many years of seeing middle and working class jobs decimated. There's no way in hell I'm going to sit on the sidelines while billionaires increase their profits as unions get weaker. 

You see, working families are my family. That little kid you see in the photo above went on to become a union pipefitter-welder, and it was that good job that allowed our family to have a solid quality of life when I was growing up. We need a senator who will fight for legislation that bolsters the middle class. Sen. Grassley isn't that guy. But my public service has always – always – been about the fight for working families like mine. 

I'll keep this simple: If you believe that we need people in the Senate who will fight for our working families, and that we need to flip Iowa blue to protect our Senate majority – then I need you with me. Please, can you donate $5 to my campaign right here and now? In a race like this, every dollar counts.

Thank you for your support. I'm so grateful to have you on my team.

Abby