Friend, it's Gary. My colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee have officially ended their hearings for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination – and the GOP is mounting a massive opposition campaign. Grassroots teams like this one have to respond: Please, will you sign my petition to tell the Senate to protect Roe v. Wade and swiftly confirm Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court?

Watching the hearings reminded me of how much is at stake here. You see, Roe v. Wade is hanging on by a thread right now. Confirming Judge Jackson is the first step to protecting the right to choose. We cannot afford a single misstep.

This issue is deeply personal to me, friend: When my first wife was pregnant with a child we dearly wanted, her water broke at only four months. Our hearts were shattered. No words will ever describe the pain and loss. The doctor was clear: Our baby had zero chance of survival, and we had to go home and wait for a miscarriage to happen.

After two excruciating nights of waiting, our doctor became seriously concerned for my wife's health. She needed an emergency abortion immediately or her health could be at risk. But the hospital board refused to make an exception to their policy prohibiting abortions, and our doctor made it clear: The decision was based on politics, not good medical advice or practices, and we needed to immediately find another physician due to the worries about my wife's health. Thankfully, we found a hospital that would perform the emergency procedure in time. 

It was the kind of traumatic experience you could never imagine – and one you wish nobody would ever experience. But the truth is, this is still happening today all across our country. That's why I'm emailing you now: Protecting Roe v. Wade starts with confirming Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court. Democrats only have a razor-thin 50-50 majority, so I need activists like you to stand with me. Please, can you add your name before 11:59 p.m. to call on the Senate to confirm Judge Jackson?

My GOP colleagues in the Senate have already launched dozens of disgraceful and unfounded attacks against her during last week's hearings. And it will only get worse in the coming days.

To build the public pressure campaign needed to overcome the GOP's attacks and confirm her to the Supreme Court, I need people like you to stand with me. We know that grassroots efforts like this work: They're how we won victories like the Affordable Care Act, the American Rescue Plan and my legislation to protect our USPS.

That's why I need 496 more people to add their names before 11:59 p.m. so that we can show a united force and a powerful grassroots movement. I promise that together, we can win this one. I saw that you haven't signed on yet, so please, can you add your name right now?

With so much gratitude for everything that you do,

Gary