Friends -

This is a long email about defending the Democratic Senate majority, and what's at stake in November. Before you go on with your day, I hope you will take a moment to read it.

Look, I'll be blunt:

It isn't as simple as electing more Democrats – it matters what kind of Democrats we send to Washington.

We need Democrats who will be bold and unafraid. We need Democrats who will not stand in the way of meaningful legislation on gun safety and abortion access.

We need Democrats who understand the struggle of working people and will take action to address their needs.

That is the kind of Democrat that I will be in the Senate.

If elected, I am prepared to take on the corporate greed and powerful special interests that are trying to maintain the status quo and block progress.

If elected, I am prepared to be unapologetic in fighting for working class and middle class families. The people at the top are doing just fine – they've made unprecedented wealth gains over the course of the pandemic. It's time to make our government work for everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected.

If elected, I am prepared to be the 50th vote needed to end the filibuster. Because let's be honest: the filibuster is preventing us from passing legislation on so many important issues from abortion rights to voting rights to gun violence prevention.

We cannot afford to wait any longer.

So when I talk about defending the Democratic majority and flipping Wisconsin's Senate seat, I am ultimately talking about creating the change our country needs at this moment.

We haven't seen enough of that change come out of Washington lately. And at the end of the day, that change needs to come from us.

That is why I am running for Senate, and that is why I need to ask you today:

Can you please make a $3 contribution to my campaign for Senate? Any amount you can give will help us not only win this race, but organize for the change our country desperately needs.

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Let me be blunt again.

2022 is not expected to be a year that is favorable to Democrats. And our Senate race in Wisconsin is one of the very few opportunities where we have a real chance to flip a Republican-held seat.

Electing Democrats who will not shy away from the most pressing issues facing our country right now is not only the right thing to do – it is how we will win elections.

We cannot tip toe around the difficult issues, and we cannot be afraid to deliver bold change for the American people. If we miss the opportunity of this moment by not being as bold as we should be, Democrats will pay a price at the ballot box.

And by the way, we've got enough people in office right now who are very well-off and have long been a part of well-to-do society. They have never understood what it's like to struggle to afford health care, pay for a college education, or put food on the table.

I come from a working class family. My mom was a public school teacher and my dad worked 3rd shift at the General Motors plant. They taught me not to settle for what is, but to reach for what can be.

We are at a pivotal moment right now, and we cannot continue to accept the status quo. The future of our country, our democracy, and our planet are all at stake. So if there was ever a time to be bold, it's now.

The Senate needs more leaders who are unafraid to take on the powers that be. That's the kind of Senator I will be, and that is why I am asking you one more time:

Can you please make a $3 contribution today to show that you are ready to flip Wisconsin's Senate seat and defend the Democratic majority?

There are a number of crises facing our country right now – from gun violence and abortion rights to inflation and the climate crisis. These are all very real challenges. But we can overcome them, as long as we're in this together.

All my best,

Mandela Barnes

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