It's been a year, friend. 

A year since the sitting president of the United States incited an insurrection on our Capitol – the temple of American democracy – a bone-chilling, violent riot that laid siege to overturn a free and fair election; an insurrection in which lives were lost, including five fellow law enforcement officers, and dozens were injured; an attempted coup that continues to cast a dark shadow over our nation. 

For as long as I live, friend, I will never forget how the events of Jan. 6 unfolded before my eyes. I was there that day following the orders from the Capitol police officers to 'get down.' We could hear the insurrectionists marching, shouting, banging through the halls. I offered some of my colleagues Scripture as comfort. I reminded them that "we are going to win and democracy is going to stand."

Nearly a year later, as the GOP pushes back against investigating the insurrection, the stakes of our democracy are clear as day, friend. Either we hand our congressional majorities to a party whose elected officials enable Donald Trump and the lies that led to the insurrection – or we fight with everything we have for our democracy, a beacon of light from which opportunity, prosperity and hope are made available for all. 

Together, we can rebuke and defeat the violent extremism of Trump's Republican Party. We can continue with the bold progress Democrats are making for the American people. And we can ensure our country stands for the rule of law and democracy – but not if we don't fight for it.

That's what I'm in this Senate race for, friend. The American experience can withstand anything so long as we defend it.

Let me say it again, what I said to my colleagues on that awful day when the strength of our nation was tested: We are going to win, and democracy is going to stand. 

Val Demings