Why I first decided to run for public office:

So, folks, this is it. The final 8 days before the midterm elections.

It’s got me thinking about why I first ran for public office so many years ago. I was a dad to young daughters, a husband, and a tech guy.

Getting into the cell phone business wasn’t a straightforward shot for me.

I grew up in a middle-class family and became the first in my family to graduate from college. Something I couldn’t have done without the help of student loans. Early in my career, I put my life savings – a few thousand dollars – into starting a company. It failed in six weeks. My next venture failed in about six months.

But the amazing thing about this country is I got a third shot at success. So when I first stepped up to run for office – I was driven by one basic principle:

Where you start should never determine where you end up.

I ran for Senate – and lost that first race to the late Senator John Warner (no relation).

Over the years, and after more successful campaigns for Governor and then Senate, John became a good friend of mine. We didn’t agree on everything, but we always agreed on the end goal: strengthening Virginia’s economy, making our communities stronger and safer, and giving working families a fair shot at success.

It’s why in 2014, he endorsed my reelection campaign – despite our differences in political party.

And let me tell you – it’s been the honor of my lifetime to serve Virginia, first as Governor and now in the Senate.

During my time as Governor, I worked with a two-to-one Republican legislature and Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor, Tim Kaine, to turn a record budget shortfall into a surplus. When we left office, Virginia was named the “Best Managed State,” “Best State for Business,” and “Best State for a Lifetime of Education.”

And in the Senate, I’m proud of the investments we've made in public infrastructure, rural broadband, and economic growth.

It all comes back to making sure ALL Virginians have the same fair shot at success that I was lucky enough to have.

Deciding to run for another term was not a decision I made lightly – but frankly, after all the crap we’ve seen from this administration, I knew I couldn’t let up the fight.

We’ve watched as the president and his allies in Congress slashed health care to pay for tax cuts for those already at the very top.

We’ve seen the president personally profit over $2 billion – while wasting taxpayer dollars on vanity projects across Washington.

And perhaps worst of all, we’ve seen a foreign policy that is impulsive, inconsistent, and willing to put American servicemembers in harm’s way without a plan.

But it’s not enough just to stand against this administration. I’m also fighting for lower costs, safer policies for AI, universal healthcare, and a fair shot for every Virginian.

So Virginia, we’ve got one mission, and it’s an important one: We’ve got to win big on November 3rd.

We’ve got to hold this Senate seat for Democrats. We’ve got the opportunity to win multiple battleground House districts and flip control of Congress. And we’ve got three constitutional amendments on the ballot to protect marriage equality, stand up for reproductive freedoms, and strengthen voting rights.

I’m not taking any vote or any outcome for granted, and I hope you’ll keep up the fight with me for these final 8 days before Election Day.

You can click on the buttons below to sign up to volunteer or make a donation to my reelection campaign.

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The fight continues,

Mark Warner