Allow me to be perfectly straightforward with you, friend ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Friend, allow me to be perfectly straightforward with you: I've never been afraid of the gun lobby, and I will never stop fighting for gun safety legislation that will save lives. It's why I voted to pass expanded background checks in the House, and it's why I'll keep doing whatever I can to end gun violence in America when I get to the Senate.

You have my word.

That's why it is such a privilege to receive Fred Guttenberg's support in my race to defeat Marco Rubio. If you missed his message, I hope you'll give it a read below. I hope you'll stand shoulder to shoulder with Fred, Jaime and Jesse – those who've suffered the impact of gun violence. I hope you realize we have a unique opportunity right now to usher in the change our nation so desperately needs. I hope that, if you're with us to defeat Marco Rubio, you'll chip in a grassroots donation of whatever you can spare right now so I can win this battleground race, expand our Senate majority and deliver the change our country needs.

Thank you,

Val Demings

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Fred Guttenberg
Date: Thu, Dec 23, 2021
Subject: my daughter

Friend, I am all too familiar with the cowardice of Marco Rubio.

Just one week after my daughter Jaime was murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, I confronted Marco Rubio at a town hall on gun safety. He couldn't even look at me. He refused to work with Parkland survivors to make it more difficult for people to access assault rifles – weapons of war – like the one that killed my Jaime. He has continued since the Parkland shooting to politicize any efforts to reduce gun violence.

I will do anything I can to ensure Marco Rubio is no longer in the Senate. We need an advocate with strength and integrity like Val Demings to replace him. Will you join me in supporting Val Demings by rushing a contribution of $5 or more right now?

Each and every day during her service in Congress – especially after the mass shootings in Parkland and the Pulse nightclub in her Orlando-based district – Val Demings has been one of the strongest fighters for gun safety reform.

I'm reaching out asking you for dollars to meet this goal, but it's about the people we can save. It's about creating a gun safety majority in the Senate that will enact the urgent change our country needs – change to prevent families like mine from going through any more senseless tragedy. But incompetent Marco Rubio is backed by the nearly $30 million campaign war chest of the Senate Republicans. In fact, NRA-loving Republicans have already funneled tens of millions of dollars into Florida to defend Rubio.

Val Demings can only win with the grassroots support of people like you and me, which is why I'm personally reaching out today. I told the congresswoman I'd help raise $20,000 today for her Senate race – a race that experts are saying could decide Senate control. So please, can I count on you to donate $5 or more to help Val Demings win in Florida and make real progress on gun safety? Every dollar you give will build up grassroots resources that Congresswoman Demings needs to compete against massive amounts of GOP money.

I can never get my Jaime back, but helping changemakers like Val Demings – a leader who has passed lifesaving gun safety legislation – gives me the purpose I've needed since her murder. Thank you for doing your part to help.

Fred Guttenberg
Gun Violence Survivor
Jaime and Jesse's Dad

Contribute

Val Demings here: I can’t thank you enough for fighting alongside me to flip Florida blue.

Florida will determine whether Democrats keep our Senate majority – that’s why Republicans are pouring millions of dollars into this race to crush our movement and keep Florida red permanently. Our grassroots campaign is off to a great start, but in a race as close as this one, I need your help to surge ahead and defend the Senate.

I’m relying on grassroots supporters like you, donating to emails like this, to help me defeat Marco Rubio and stop Mitch McConnell from flipping the Senate. Will you donate today to help me flip Florida blue? Click here to donate now. If you’d like to purchase merchandise to show your support for this campaign, please click here to visit my campaign store.

Thank you for your continued support. Together we’re going to protect voting rights, expand access to affordable health care and fully recover from this pandemic.