Hello,
When Donald Trump was elected, I submitted my request to retire from the U.S. Navy after nearly 4 decades of military service. I never expected I’d one day run for office, but I felt called to continue to serve in whatever way was most meaningful.
People told me to prepare myself – to prepare my family – for what lay ahead. They warned me of the nasty attacks, that politics is a ‘blood sport.’ I never thought a Super PAC would run over a million dollars in TV ads attacking me for serving in the U.S. Navy, but that’s exactly what happened.
They tried to say that because my military service took me and my family from state-to-state, from country-to-country, that I somehow wasn’t an Iowan anymore. They pretended my upbringing in rural, northwest Iowa never happened. They ignored the sacrifices that my wife, my kids, and my family made in my service.
And worst of all, they attacked and denigrated every servicemember and every military family that has to pack up, change schools, say goodbye to friends, and sometimes spend holidays thousands of miles away from each other.
This time, I’m taking on an even greater challenge. And in my campaign to defeat Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, things are going to get even nastier. I am sure of it, because control of the Senate hinges on our race and whether or not we can turn Iowa blue.
In order to be ready to fight back, we need to raise another $50,000 before our critical deadline tonight, but right now, we’re still falling pretty short. I’m not taking money from corporate PACs, so if we’re going to have the resources we need to win, I’m counting on grassroots donors like you to give right now:
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All the Super PAC money in the world can’t defeat grassroots support from people like you.
I’m so grateful to have you on the team,
Mike Franken, VADM, U.S. Navy (ret.)