The 2008 Federal Election may be 280 days away, but life on the trail in a targeted congressional district has already heated up. We in the blogosphere do so much to impact the process, from contributions to candidates and volunteering our time (sometimes across the nation thanks to technology such as virtual phone banks) to simply giving attention to well deserving candidates who aren't receiving any from the mainstream media. But what is it like inside of these campaigns that we track, influence, and cheer for?
I work for Gary Peters for Congress in Michigan's 9th Congressional district. I'm focused on the campaign. I could tell you in my sleep that the district is currently represented by Republican Joe Knollenberg, however it has a Partisan Voter Index of R+0, making it one of our best pickup opportunities. I can rattle off the cities equally as effortlessly, and even give you a tour to some of the districts many landmarks including The Palace in Auburn Hills (home of the NBA's Pistons and WNBA's Shock), the Somerset Mall in Troy, the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak, or the Fallen Heroes Memorial in Pontiac.
No, not in either party's primary...I voted for Democracy for America's 2008 Grassroots All Star!
I voted for Gary Peters. Gary is a true progressive. You don't have to take my word for it. Here is Gary in his own words:
"In Congress, I will fight to make China and Korea play by international rules and we must demand that the world trade organization (WTO) address non-tariff barriers that prevent the importation of U.S. made products into their markets...Michigan manufacturers and our workers can successfully compete against any competitor in the world but the rules of the game must be fair. We must have a change in Washington and put an end to the disastrous Bush/Knollenberg trade policies that have exported thousands of our jobs overseas."
"I find it unconscionable that nearly 47 million Americans live each day without healthcare...Unfortunately, drug and health insurance companies have not offered constructive long-term solutions and are in fact currently spending millions of dollars every year on lobbyists dedicated to protecting the status quo and blocking meaningful health care reform. In Congress, I will fight for universal health care for all Americans."
"President Bush, Vice President Cheney and the members of Congress who continue to blindly support this flawed policy have all failed us...As a former military officer, I believe the best way to support our troops is to bring them home and we need to start bringing them home now."
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/AllSt arVote
Gary has been fighting for the people in this community his entire life. From his dedication to our country as a soldier to his dedication to the issues of education and health care in the Senate, he knows our community and has always been here working for us- not the special interests.
I want Gary to win and bring a DFA training to Michigan's 9th district. I want Gary to win and bring real change to the 9th District and to Washington. If you feel the same way, pass word along to your friends and families!
Today the SEIU Michigan Council has endorsed Gary Peters, in his congressional campaign for Michigan's 9th district.
"Our members firmly believe that Gary Peters is the best candidate to represent the citizens of Michigan's 9th District," said Phil Thompson, SEIU Michigan State Council president and executive vice president of SEIU Local 517M. "He has a proven record of standing by working families, particularly when it comes to providing access to quality and affordable health care."
Gary has also received the earliest Congressional endorsement from the AFL-CIO, been endorsed by the Michigan Building Trades, American Federation of Teachers, and the local Operating Engineers, Communication Workers, and Pipefitters.
Peters was proud to accept the endorsement, saying "I'm extremely pleased and honored to get the support of the SEIU Michigan State Council. The SEIU believes, as I believe, that working families deserve a voice in Washington and that it is time for a change."
Michigan's 9th District is currently represented by Joe Knollenberg. Last year Knollenberg received a dismal 0% rating on labor issues in the AFSCME House Scorecard.
Greetings from Peters for Congress! We have been up to a whole lot, which I am excited to share with all of you.
Recently we surpassed $50,000 in donations via ActBlue! The contribution that put us over the top was only $50, and was made on November 8th. We are excited to see the support from the online community. ActBlue is a viral network...if you would like to support Gary's campaign, you can create your own personal fundraising page and direct your blog readers, friends, and family to contribute. We can track how much your own fundraising page is responsible for raising.
Even more exciting is the money being raised and friends being made within the district. We were graciously welcomed to the homes of two Peters Supporters for house parties this past weekend. At our campaign events page you can check to see if Gary will be coming to a location near you soon! If you'd like to host one, get in touch with the campaign- if you'll have us, Gary would love to meet you and your friends and talk about the race. I would especially like to thank our pals in Royal Oak's 25th precinct for the cupcakes!
Did you hear that the entire Michigan Democratic Delegation has united to throw a fund raiser for Gary Peters and Mark Schauer? You would've if you were on our email list- be sure to Stay Informed by signing up at PetersForCongress.com
No, the campaign isn't all just about money: last Wednesday Gary got a chance to speak to the Troy Democratic Club. He got to address the critical issues we are facing. He continued to call for withdrawing from Iraq immediately and safely. He called the lack of access to affordable healthcare unconscionable...a stark contrast from Joe Knollenberg, who has voted against insuring 10 million more children by expanding SCHIP. Gary spoke about protecting our environment the way only a former Sierra Club Environmentalist of the Year could, and he has the experience to hit the ground running on these issues. He talked about preserving the American dream and making sure that no generation will be worse off than their parents.
You may have seen some of the YouTube drama surrounding MI-09 and candidate Gary Peters. Peters is currently serving as the Griffin Endowed Chair of American Government at Central Michigan University. As a former State Senator, State Lottery Commissioner, and Lt. Commander in the Navy Reserve he brings a unique perspective to the university.
In fact, the story was on the frontpage of AOL.com today.
Another unique perspective found at CMU belongs to young conservative Dennis Lennox. Lennox has been complaining that Peters should not be able to run for Congress at teach at CMU at the same time.
The root of his complaint poses a very significant question: should you be able to hold a job and run for office? We don't mind that incumbents, who earn a salary from the taxpayers, campaign for their re-election. Should a candidate have to be independently wealthy to run for office?
The Peters Campaign is off to an aggressive start, raising over $217,000 in the first six weeks!
That sum was raised from over 430 individual contributors, a sign of the overwhelming demand for change in Michigan's 9th district.
Gary himself is very excited about the results, and is ready to get to work.
"These numbers show that our campaign will be extremely aggressive and highly competitive," Peters said. "We want to give Oakland County residents the change they want and the representation they deserve in Congress, and based on the amount of support we've garnered in such a short period of time, I'm confident we will have the resources to do just that."
Many of the contributions came from ActBlue, where Gary raised $41,564.26 in the 3rd quarter. The average ActBlue donation was under $250.
The campaign has also received many early endorsements, including the AFL-CIO, The Michigan Building Trades Council, Triangle Pride PAC, and nearly every 9th district elected official.
The vigorous fund-raising and numerous endorsements are just the beginning. This will be a long, aggressive campaign that ultimately will bring about positive change for Oakland County. Are you ready to get to work?
(Full press release at: Peters for Congress)
(From the PetersForCongress blog, add it to your RSS reader!)
Today Peters for Congress is proud to announce the support and endorsement of the AFL-CIO! The Michigan AFL-CIO represents over 1 million members. Today's endorsement is the earliest the union has ever endorsed a Congressional candidate, with the election still over a year away.
The state's premier labor federation put their full confidence behind Gary Peters as the candidate to send to Congress from the 9th Distrct. As our Representative Gary Peters will protect our values.
"For too long, Oakland County families have gone without a strong voice that will put our jobs first. Gary knows Michigan working men and women can compete with anyone in the world - and he'll bring positive change that's good for jobs and for our working families."
- Mark Gaffney, President MI AFL-CIO
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