Team,

I wanted you to hear this directly from me:

I am officially launching my campaign for the US Senate.

Before I get into the details, can you split $5 or more between Kirsten Gillibrand and me to become a Founding Donor of my Senate campaign? It's going to take a huge team of grassroots supporters to make me the first Black woman to represent Delaware in the Senate, so please chip in:

When I think about being the first woman and first person of color to represent Delaware in Congress, I think about my great-great-great grandfather. In 1867, he signed a document that afforded him the right to vote.

Fast forward to 2017, when I was being sworn in to Congress for the first time, my sister, Thea, found the document. That document has come to represent the importance of expanding rights and representation. It’s my proof of where we come from and it’s my inspiration for where we need to go.

The historic nature of our campaign is not lost on me. My family and other families of color have come so far just to be fairly represented. All the way from being enslaved, to finally getting the right to vote, to being elected to represent the First State.

To make history on launch day, my team and I have set a goal to earn the support of 30,000 Founding Donors, and we’re counting on generous donors like you to help get there. Can you rush anything right now, split between my campaign and my friend Kirsten Gillibrand's, so we can get the ball rolling on the race of a lifetime?

I am all in for Delaware, folks. I've never been more ready to continue making history as a United States Senator.

Lisa Blunt Rochester