It's funny to think about how different my life was when this photo was taken – and how much is still the same as we build up this campaign to defeat Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA). Back then, all I knew was my small town of Sherrill in rural Iowa – around 200 people, five churches, a bar, a post office and a school.

I was raised in a working class family – my dad was a union pipe-fitter welder and my mom worked in the public school system. My parents couldn't give me a trust fund or debt-free college, but what they taught me was so much more valuable: how to treat people with respect; to never think you’re better than anyone else; and that when there is work to be done or a problem to solve, you say “yes.”

That's why, when my community needed a fighter in the Iowa State House, I stepped up and won my first election at only 25. I served for four years in the State House, and I fought hard to deliver for my constituents – one night, I kept the House in session until midnight to demand equal pay for women.

I was proud to serve in the State House, but the work didn't stop there for me. That's why I decided to run for Congress and became the youngest woman to flip a House seat from red to blue. Then, after just two weeks in Congress and during a government shutdown, I became the youngest woman to pass a bill through the House of Representatives with my legislation to create more opportunities for rural America.

My story is about service, community and understanding the value of hard work. That's why I'm running to defeat Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) – to give working families a real fighter in the Senate. Right now, he's facing RECORD-LOW approval with Iowa voters, so we've got the best chance in decades to flip this seat blue and expand Democrats' Senate majority. We simply cannot win without major grassroots support, so will you rush a donation of $5 or more now to seize this momentum, defeat Sen. Grassley and expand our Senate majority?

I know that defeating Sen. Grassley won't be a walk in the park. However, I've had plenty of people tell me that I was too young or that I lacked the experience to take on a challenge – and we've proved them wrong time and time again.

We can win this race. I feel it in my bones. Unfortunately, the campaign arm of the Senate GOP is sitting on a war chest of $39 MILLION to defeat challengers like me, and right now, I'm still falling short of February's end-of-month fundraising goal with just hours to spare.

So if you're with me to defeat Sen. Grassley, protect our Senate majority and fight for working families, then please donate $5, or whatever you can spare, before midnight tonight. This is a grassroots campaign, so I'm really counting on your donation before tonight's big fundraising deadline.

Thank you,

Abby