Our June FEC Deadline
Our first big test since kicking off the general election is coming up.
I know June is just getting started, but I wanted to take a moment today to talk about something that’s happening at the end of the month that’s pretty darn important.
On the 30th, we’ll face our first quarterly FEC fundraising deadline since we won our primary election.
This deadline, and the money we need to raise before then, is the most consequential of our campaign so far. It’s not hyperbole – this is the first big test since kicking off the general election, and whether we’re able to meet the moment will set the tone for the months ahead.
And at the end of June, the entire nation will be watching what happens on our campaign here in Ohio. We’re doing what nobody thought possible a year ago:
Our people-powered movement has put Ohio on the map as one of the top, most likely pickup opportunities in the country, and we’ve done it the right way – with the support of working folks like you. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for this team having my back over the past several months.
The progress we’re making in this race has Republicans absolutely panicking – which is bittersweet news for us. Sweet because obviously we’re giving them something to panic about... A Fox News poll shows us up 8 points, outside the margin of error. Another poll shows us statistically tied with our opponent. Can you feel the momentum? I sure can.
But here’s what makes this bitter: When National Republicans panic, they spend money.
A lot of it.
The Senate Leadership Fund – the only organization solely focused on defending and expanding Republicans’ Senate majority – is pouring $79 million into baseless attack ads that smear my name and distort my record. Add that to what Husted is spending on ads, plus new spending from the Koch family super PAC, and I’m staring down at least $83 million worth of lies and attacks.
In a battleground state like ours, that kind of money does a lot of damage and threatens our chances of flipping this seat. And they have virtually unlimited resources to tap into whenever they see our race gaining traction.
We’ve been able to launch ads of our own to stand our ground, but that alone won’t be enough to score us a victory come November. We need to keep pushing our message out in faster, more innovative, and more effective ways to reach millions of Ohioans with the truth about who I am and who I’m fighting for.
That’s why this FEC fundraising goal at the end of the month is so critical.
If we don’t match – better yet, exceed – the pace and frequency of what the GOP is doing on the ground, on TV, and online, we could fall behind for good.
So, when this quarterly deadline comes and we have to publish our fundraising numbers, we need to show the strength of our campaign. Everyone will be watching.
My Republican opponent, Jon Husted, and his dark-money backers will be watching to see if our numbers are weak. If they are, it’ll embolden them to flood Ohio’s airwaves with millions of dollars in new attack ads – because they’ll know that we don’t have the resources to respond.
Political pundits and the news media will be watching to see if our campaign continues to be viable. They want to see if it’s worth giving us more airtime and in-depth reporting – two things that could help us introduce our campaign to voters who we might not otherwise be able to easily reach.
And folks like you will be watching to see if it’s worth your time and hard-earned dollars to continue fighting for Ohio’s Senate seat – and working people everywhere. To see if this is still a strategic investment you can make in our country’s future.
All in all …
What we’re able to raise by June 30 will shape how this race is covered, how resources get deployed, and what investments our campaign can afford to make heading into the next few months. Some pretty significant stuff.
I’ll keep you posted on the breaking news in this race and the state of this campaign as we head further into the summer, but today I’m writing to introduce our end-of-quarter fundraising drive a whole lot earlier than I usually do. That’s because we’ve set our highest goals yet of this campaign, and we need a head start to reach it.
We’re building something special here in Ohio, and I’m grateful to have people like you by my side through it all.
Sherrod
A personal note from Sherrod 👋
There's nobody fighting for Ohioans in the U.S. Senate right now, and I won't sit on the sidelines while hardworking families get screwed over by Washington politicians serving themselves.
If you work hard, you should be able to afford a decent life. But the reality is, life is too expensive. Costs are going up. Wages are staying stagnant. Working people are working harder than ever before, and they’re not getting their share of the profit.
This campaign is all about changing that – and election analysts say we have a strong shot at winning in November.
But I'll need your help to pull it off. My opponent is a Washington insider being propped up by the Republican establishment, and he's got virtually unlimited resources.
That's not how our campaign works. We're a grassroots movement, and that means we rely on ordinary people chipping in a couple bucks - not billionaires or corporate special interests. If you're able, please make a donation of any amount today. It could be what helps us flip Ohio and the Senate.
Sherrod Brown is an honest man who has served Ohio well. I support him whole-heartedly.
Take a lesson from Momdani. Ohioans need a clear voice on their side to turn its economic wasteland around. Our farmers are losing their generational acres while our money goes to killing people overseas. People need hope and evidence of a commitment to change. Don’t listen to the national Democratic Party. Their ideas are dated and voter poison. You can do better.