Hi there, John. I'm Jerry Finkenauer, and my daughter Abby is running to defeat Sen. Chuck Grassley (R) and serve as Iowa's next U.S. senator. These are some photos from one of my proudest moments as a dad: the day I got to watch my little girl take the oath of office to serve in Congress. I just need a couple of minutes of your time to talk about why this moment meant so much to me.

I can't put into words what it feels like to cast a ballot for your daughter, to see her fight for her home in the halls of Congress and to watch her take on someone like Sen. Grassley, who's left Iowa behind after spending 47 years in Washington. I'm so, so proud of Abby – especially because I know exactly how hard she had to work to get here. 

You see, we raised Abby in a town called Sherrill. It's a town that has more cows than people, and it's where her mom and I continue to live today. While Abby was growing up, my wife worked in the public school system, and I was a union pipefitter-welder.

For decades, Washington has been structured to keep people like Abby and our family out of the rooms where decisions are made. When Abby was elected, she actually became the first family member from my union to ever be elected to Congress. If you want to send the daughter of a union pipefitter-welder to the U.S. Senate, defeat Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley and expand Democrats' majority, would you please make a donation of $5 or more now to help Abby win?

We aren't the typical, well-to-do family that a lot of members of Congress come from.Abby wasn't born with a trust fund; she didn't get to college without the help of loans; and she didn't make her way to Congress with family friends or deep-pocketed connections bankrolling her campaign. Instead, my wife and I gave her something far more important: her Iowa values.

We taught Abby the importance of working hard, treating people with respect, staying humble and stepping up when there is work to be done or a problem to solve.

Throughout Abby's entire time in elected office – from the Iowa House to Capitol Hill – she has never once forgotten those lessons. She's never once forgotten where she came from or whom she is fighting for. That's what public service is all about, and it's why I know she is going to be such an incredible advocate for Iowa in the Senate.

The problem is, those political elites with deep pockets are still doing everything they can to stop people like Abby and keep people like their buddy Chuck Grassley in power. They're lining up to attack her campaign as you read this, and the GOP has $44 million in the bank to defeat candidates just like her. Abby can win, but she needs you to stand with her. So please, if you believe that we need more people like Abby in the Senate, will you make a donation of $5 – or whatever you can spare tonight – to help elect Abby, defeat Sen. Grassley and win the leadership that Iowa deserves?

Thanks for taking the time to read this email and for having Abby's back. It really means so much to our family.

Jerry (Abby's dad)