First lady Michelle Obama urged Democratic donors at a fundraiser in Los Angeles Wednesday to “write a big, fat check” to help the party's incumbents and challengers win in November.
The event -- held in a gated community at the home of Phil Rosenthal, the creator of “Everybody Loves Raymond" -- benefited the Democratic National Committee.
The first lady urged the donors to give the maximum possible contribution to Democratic candidates.
“There is something all of you can do right now, today, to make a difference... You can write a check, do you hear me?” Obama told the donors, according to a White House pool report. “I’m serious, write a big fat check. Write the biggest check you can possibly write.”
Obama cited the 2014 midterm elections, telling the audience Republicans only have to capture six seats to take back the Senate. In that case, President Barack Obama's second-term priorities could take a back-seat to vetoing legislation that a Republican-controlled Senate might pass, such as a repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
"When you hear us talking about the 2014 midterm elections, elections that are less than 10 months away, that’s what’s at stake," she said. "And what we need to ask ourselves is whether we will have leaders in Congress and across America that share our values and will work with Barack to move the country forward."
The first lady didn't only focus on federal races, however, noting that 37 governor’s seats are also up for grabs this cycle.
“It’s simply not enough to elect Barack Obama president if we don’t also elect leaders in Congress and in our state houses who will work with him to keep making the change we all believe in," she said.
Donors had to pay at least $1,000 to attend the reception, and could pay as much as $32,400 to meet the first lady in a separate, more intimate gathering.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti attended the event, along with actors Barbara Streisand and James Brolin.