I’ve seen lawn signs recently that say, Hagan=Obamacare, and I wonder why people think that’s a bad thing. I want to erect a sign that thanks Kay Hagan for her vote, and it should dwarf the one below it.

The Affordable Care Act has the potential to save 45,000 American lives a year. It would have saved my son.

Because of “Obamacare,” my husband and I have insurance. Before the law, we would have been out in the cold because he’s had heart surgery and I have asthma. His layoff last year could have been a death sentence for both of us, since we had insurance through his job.

I got to thank Sen. Kay Hagan in person this morning for her vote for access to health care for millions of Americans. She was in Asheville at Edna’s Coffee Shop, which I love even without knowing what strong progressives its owners are.

I also got to pet Edna (the pug for whom the shop is named) and thank the owners for sponsoring the event.

I don’t agree with Sen. Hagan on everything; I’m to the left of her on a lot of things. But she stands strong in favor of access to health care for everyone. Her opponent, Thom Tillis opposes that. He also opposes any minimum wage, not to mention a living wage. He was the architect of a disastrous legislative session that, in addition to refusing to accept Medicaid expansion, took away voting rights, de-funded education to an alarming degree, slashed unemployment compensation, closed women’s health clinics and passed one of the most restrictive voting laws in the country.

So far, Democrats are coming out in droves to vote before Election Day. We need to keep that up. We need to vote. All of us. Believe me, we can’t afford to have anyone sit this one out.