Jeff Merkley’s running on the road to justice

The road to justice is a long one. And it cannot be traveled alone.

That's why I'm so thankful every day that Senator Jeff Merkley is right beside me, with all of his heart, on that road.

By now you've heard: Jeff is running a marathon for his 65th birthday—and he's asking all of us to join him by running a political marathon in 2022.

In a moment, I'm going to ask you to pitch in to my reelection campaign and to Jeff's Blue Wave Marathon Fund — so we can keep Georgia blue and protect our Democratic Senate majority. But first, let me explain why your support is so critical — and what could happen to the future of our progressive agenda without it.

My journey to becoming Georgia's first-ever Black senator was an unlikely one. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth — I had 11 brothers and sisters and grew up in public housing. But through hard work and the support of my community, I went on to become the senior pastor at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s church. Now, this kid from the housing projects is fighting in the Senate to build a government that works for everyone — not just those at the top.

Since day one, I've made my priorities clear: Defend and expand voting rights to strengthen our democracy, raise the minimum wage to build an economy that works for everyone, and expand affordable health care so filling a prescription doesn't break the bank. But here's the honest truth: I simply can't win these critical fights for justice without grassroots folks like you by my side — so I have to ask:

Will you split a $3 donation right now between our campaign and Jeff's Blue Wave Marathon Fund so we can protect our Democratic Senate majority?

With the Senate split 50-50, Republicans need to flip only one seat to put Mitch McConnell back in power — and election experts from The Washington Post to NBC News confirm that I'm the GOP's top target for defeat. This means that Democrats' razor-thin majority in the Senate will be in serious danger if we don't have the resources to keep Georgia blue.

My last election was one of the most expensive races in history, and there's no question that the GOP will spend MILLIONS on top of millions to try and crush our people-powered movement again. We can't let them. If we want to keep the Senate in Democratic hands, we have to keep Georgia blue. So please, I'm personally asking:

Will you split a $3 donation between our campaign and Jeff's Blue Wave Marathon Fund so we can win in Georgia, protect our Democratic Senate majority and continue fighting for our progressive values?

Just thinking about Jeff running 26.2 miles on his 65th birthday makes me tired. But thinking about you joining us in this fight—well, that makes me inspired.

Thanks for fighting alongside me and Senator Merkley during moments like these — I appreciate you.

Sen. Raphael Warnock