John,

I wanted to share an update on my race, FirstName/Friend, and I hope you'll read this through to the end.

The Suffolk University/USA Today Florida poll shows that I can win, but only if I reach more voters: in on-the-ground organizing, in fundraising, in voter registration – nearly every single way you can imagine. And recent polling could be confirming this: I'm trailing 2 points behind Marco Rubio when the last Florida Senate race was decided by just 0.12 points.

Does it worry me? Absolutely. Particularly when I'm just hours from my midnight fundraising deadline and still falling 12% short of my $10,000 midnight fundraising goal. Every dollar I fail to raise now means fewer resources I can pour into mobilizing voters and fighting back when Rubio's airing deceitful attack ads. It means the GOP and Marco Rubio inch closer to keeping Florida red and flipping the Senate.

I know you don't want that to happen. As a supporter of No Dem Left Behind, I know you care deeply about this race and defending our Democratic Senate majority, and I appreciate that so, so much. But we simply will not have the resources it takes to compete – and most importantly, win – if we don't hit our daily fundraising goal by midnight.

Every single dollar will make a difference in this must-win race, so I'm asking: Please, donate $20.22 or whatever you can spare to split between No Dem Left Behind and my campaign to help us defeat Marco Rubio in Florida and defend our Democratic Senate majority.

With so much gratitude,

Val Demings