Minnesota Senator Al Franken made this statement in support of Florida Democratic Senate hopeful Kendrick Meek:

When I was in the midst of my tough election battle, I counted on the grassroots community for the support I needed to make it through.

Now Kendrick Meek is locked in an intense battle for a Senate seat, and it’s Floridians like you who will see him through.

Right now is a critical moment for Kendrick. Election Day is less than five weeks away, and Thursday is one of the biggest filing deadlines of the cycle. On Friday, he’ll find out if he has the resources he needs to win in November.

Kendrick has relied on you–his grassroots supporters–to get this far. Now he’s relying on you to push him over the finish line.

Progressives in the Senate are going to have a lot of work to do next year, so I’m going to need someone like Kendrick to help fight for the things we believe in. We’re going to have to fight to create jobs, reform education, invest in clean energy and protect Social Security.

Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio are determined to get to the Senate so they can work on behalf of their supporters–corporations, special interests and Tea Party activists. We can’t let that happen. We can’t allow either of these lifelong conservatives to be Florida’s representative in the Senate.

Democrats have won some close races these past few years–mine in Minnesota among them. We need to remember that even against tough odds, we can win. The key is for each and every one of us to commit to doing everything we can. I guarantee you that if all of Kendrick’s grassroots supporters do just that, he will win.

The last thing we need in the Senate is another politician who’s looking out for special interests. We need someone there who’s looking out for you. Please, do everything you can today to help Kendrick become the next senator from Florida.

“A very grave scenario.” “Very catastrophic.” That is how Federal officials are describing the situation developing in the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig sunk off the coast of Louisiana last week.

Some estimate that 210,000 gallons of oil are spilling into the Gulf every day – resulting in a slick roughly the size of the state of West Virginia.

Oil has already washed ashore the coast of Louisiana and a state of emergency has been declared in several of Florida’s Panhandle counties.

Now is the time to act and protect our coasts.

Offshore drilling is a threat to our state’s economy and environment and I’m the only candidate in this race who has been consistently against its expansion. In the wake of the oil spill, Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio are finally changing their stances on drilling, but it is too little, too late.

Today, I am calling for a moratorium on expansion of oil drilling in the Gulf and off the shores of Florida. Join with me today.

Click here to sign our petition right now and stand with me in demanding Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio call for a moratorium on expansion of oil drilling in the Gulf.

Expanded drilling won’t solve our energy problems. It will only increase the chance for accidents that cost Florida families their livelihoods.

I will continue to fight to protect Florida’s economy and deal with the aftermath of this disaster, but we need to send one loud and clear message today.

Sign my petition and let’s tell Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio that we aren’t going to take any more chances with our state’s environment or economy.

I need your help right now.

Sincerely,

Kendrick Meek