THEY'RE ONLY ASKING FOR A BUCK

Lucas, we write a lot of emails asking for money when important elections are happening. You've probably gotten more than a few about the state legislative elections coming up in Virginia. If you have, you know that our campaign here is part of a long-term effort to wrestle control of state legislatures away from the GOP. The overwhelming Republican advantage in state legislatures has allowed them to draw the most gerrymandered, undemocratic maps in American history.

Can you chip in $1 each to eight Daily Kos-endorsed Democrats in must-win Virginia races?

It's not always clear exactly just how important your contribution is to campaigns—especially now, as we approach the crucial Get Out The Vote period—so we asked our endorsed candidates in Virginia what they could do for around $5,000 in additional contributions. Here are some of their answers:

John Bell (House District 87 in Northern Virginia):

If our campaign can raise $6,000 more, that will get us:

• Mailers to 6,734 targeted households
• Digital advertisements that will make over 500,000 impressions on targeted voters
• Five full-time field staffers for the final get-out-the-vote push

Shelly Simonds (House District 94 in Hampton Roads):

The field and mail programs are paid for, and with $4,200, we could pay for our online program. With about $4,200, we could serve GOTV cookie-matched ads to the most important turnout target voters for four days leading up to election day.

Sara Townsend (House District 31 in Northern Virginia):

If Daily Kos were able to raise a few thousand more dollars for our campaign, it would help us to pay for a GOTV direct mail piece that hits on the gun issue—Sara supports gun safety and her opponent is very much against it. It would also help us with a strong digital and online program for the final week and a half—running web ads, banner ads, and Google search ads to reach targeted voters in the district.

Elizabeth Miller (House District 32 in Northern Virginia):

Money raised now would go toward paid canvassers to make sure Democratic voters who tend to not vote in off year elections know about this year's races and the stakes; digital GOTV advertising to reach voters who may be tough to reach by door or phone; and water bottles and supplies for canvassers.