Jeanne's Cookies: What it means to be an American

Hello there,

It's Martin Sheen. As you might recall, I was once "acting" president of the United States.

And today we celebrate the 250th anniversary of this country's founding.

I won't pretend my time on The West Wing is anything like actually being Commander-in-Chief. But I am proud that the work we did got people to realize the power that they have in this country.

You might be asking what it means to be an American.

I think it can mean a lot of different things, but if there's one thing that sticks out to me, it's that each of us has the agency to bring about change in a way that very few people in human history ever have.

I know what you're thinking, friend: What can I do that will really change things?

Feelings of despair and powerlessness can be seductive. But I think you'll be surprised at how much power you actually have.

The Senate race in my home state of Ohio is a perfect example.

Sherrod Brown, a dear friend of mine, is leading his Trump-backed opponent by a narrow margin… and experts are saying that the outcome of this race will determine the balance of the Senate.

And what would winning Ohio's Senate race and flipping the Senate mean?

It will mean putting working families front and center, not billionaires and special interests.

It will mean being able to stop Donald Trump from putting more far-right ideologues on the Supreme Court.

It will mean lowering costs and solving problems.

Believe it or not, you and I have the power to make it happen. Since Sherrod's race is so close, the littlest of things matter. A couple bucks here and there could be the difference in his race – and in Senate control.

So if you're able, will you make the most strategic donation you can make this election year and chip in directly to Sherrod's campaign?

If you've saved payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

Thank you for using your power.

Martin

Note: This email only reflects donations made online with this email address. If you've made a previous contribution via check or with a different email address/phone number, you may not see it here – but know that Sherrod and our entire team are deeply grateful for your support.

When you love your country, you fight for the people who make it work.

Hey there! It's Sherrod Brown.

There's nobody fighting for Ohioans in the U.S. Senate right now, and I won't sit on the sidelines while working people get screwed over by large corporations and wealthy political donors.

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. If you're able, please make a donation of any amount today. It could be what helps us flip Ohio and the Senate.

If you'd like to receive exclusive updates from my team, you can text "OHIO" to 64054.

Thank you.