John –

I wasn't planning on running for Senate right now, but after Joni Ernst mocked Iowans for being concerned about Medicaid cuts, I knew I needed to get off the sidelines as fast as I could.

So yesterday, I literally launched this campaign from my living room.

We have a very bare-bones operation right now. Joni Ernst has $3 million in her bank account from corporations and ultra-wealthy backers.

Maybe that kind of money has made her complacent. Maybe it's made her forget she represents Iowans, not billionaire special interests. Maybe it's why she thought she could get away with insulting us while pushing to gut our lifesaving health care.

Well, John, I can tell you that Iowans are fed up – and no amount of glossy campaign ads from Ernst's $3 million war chest will change that.

Taking on Ernst's political machine is no small task, but everything I've seen and heard from folks over the last 24 hours tells me we can do it. So if you're with me, please chip in $11 to power our movement forward.

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We may not have the funds to blanket Iowa's airwaves right now, but we have three things that money can't buy: heart, grit, and Iowa values.

We don't give up when we're told the odds are against us. We don't let pundits or entrenched interests dictate our message based on what's "popular." We know the system doesn't have to be rigged against those who can't afford a ticket to the fanciest dinner party of power brokers.

We believe a better tomorrow is possible when elected leaders choose to put the people's interests first. That's what this campaign is about, John. And it's why we're going to win this tough fight if we have the resources to spread our message.

So please, pitch anything you can to help us reach folks – block by block, town by town, county by county. Together, we're going to lift up Iowans and build something that can truly Stands Tall for All.

More soon,

J.D. Scholten