Friend – Marco Rubio is spreading lies about my loyalty to the men and women of law enforcement, so will you give me a second to set the record straight? 

In Rubio's latest ad, he says that I "abandoned" my community when I retired from the force to represent Florida's 10th district in Congress – and that couldn't be further from the truth.

I spent 27 years risking my life for my community. I pulled the midnight shift and worked my way up from a beat cop to Chief of Police. While I ran a police department and helped reduce violent crime by 40%, Marco Rubio was plotting his Washington political career.

Here's the problem: Millions of Floridians are going to see Rubio's ad when they turn on their TVs – and they may not know the truth about my law enforcement career. That's why I set a rapid-response goal to raise $25,000 before midnight to keep my ads on the air and set the record straight. Will you donate $5 today to help me reach voters from the Panhandle to the Keys?

Marco Rubio isn't the first person to call me names or tell me that I don't belong – far from it. I grew up a poor Black girl in the segregated South. When I entered the police academy, I was one of only three women in my class. I certainly had my share of naysayers along the way, and I've learned they hit the hardest when they know you're winning.

When I saw Rubio launched this attack ad the day after I ran my first TV ad, I knew that this grassroots movement has the GOP shaking in its boots. National Republicans know that my story of service will resonate with Floridians – and they know that if I win this November, experts say Democrats are practically guaranteed to expand our Senate majority.

We're at a turning point in this race: I'm so close to taking the lead, but if I don't have the resources to counter Marco Rubio's lies about my story, I'm in danger of falling behind.

That's why it's so important I hit my $25,000 rapid-response goal before midnight tonight: If you're with me, will you donate $5 or whatever you can right now to keep my ads on the air and show why we MUST vote out Rubio and flip Florida blue?

I can't thank you enough for joining this historic grassroots movement. It means more than you know.

– Val Demings