Swing State Project

We have just officially begun Q2 of the election cycle.  I want to bring back a good friend to the netroots community from the election cycle of 2006- Larry Grant.

As a refresher, Larry ALMOST pulled off an upset of epic proportions by barely losing to extreme right-wing nutjob Bill Sali.  In 2006, by running a grassroots and netroots oriented campaign, he gained recognition amongst both communities and garned immense name recognition and popularity.  Alas, Larry lost the district by a slim margin of 50-45.  

Here is a quick summary of the district from plf515‘s Congressional round-up diary:

District: ID-01

Location Western ID, bordering OR, WA and MT including Boise

Representative Bill Sali (R)

First elected  2006

2006 margin 50-45

2004 margin NA

Bush margin 2004 30-69

Notes on opponents Larry Grant raised about $750K to Sali’s $1 million

Current opponents   Larry Grant

and

Rand Lewis (site down)

and

Walt Minnick

Sali is also being primaried

Demographics Tied for fewest Blacks (0.3%), 14th most Republican

Assessment Even for a Republican, Sali is crazy. Even for an Idaho Republican Sali is crazy.  He’s really nuts.  He might even lose in this Republican stronghold (I hope he wins the primary)

 

To kick off our fundraising efforts for our BlueMajority, Red to Blue, and Obamajority candidates in Q2, I would like everyone to consider Larry as a potential candidate to donate to.

Although Idaho is a ruby red state, Larry provides the Democratic Party and the progressive community the perfect candidate to paint this state with a brilliant shade of blue.  

Here are his stances on the important issues:

Dear Friend,

Recently, I was asked what the Democrats should do when we win the election in 2008. I started imagining what it will be like having more seats in the U. S. House, a filibuster-proof Senate, and a Democrat in the White House. Starting with what Speaker Nancy Pelosi called her “6 in ’06” agenda last time, it wasn’t hard to come up with 9 for 09

Here they are:

1.     Provide for negotiating prescription drug prices under Medicare:

Speaker Pelosi got this one through the House last time, but it got blocked in the Senate. Let’s try again.

2.     End subsidies for big oil:

Speaker Pelosi got this one through too, but it got blocked in the Senate as well. Let’s do it again, too.

3.     Pass the expanded State Children’s Health Insurance Program (“SCHIP”):

Six million more deserving children would have been covered by the new SCHIP program. Let’s get them covered as soon as possible.

4.     Repeal No Child Left Behind:

Let’s quit mandating what local schools have to teach without providing the funds to do it.

5.     Pass an extended Craig-Wyden plan:

We need to continue the Craig-Wyden program for replacing revenue that local communities lost when the timber harvest on federal lands was curtailed.

6.     Repeal the Patriot Act:

We need to protect our civil liberties and stop spying on American citizens without a warrant.

7.     Balance the budget:

We need to stop burdening our grandchildren with our national debt.

8.     Pass comprehensive immigration reform:

We need to protect our borders while providing employers the workers they need.

9.     End the war in Iraq:

The war is costing far too much in both lives and money.

There you have it, my goals for Congress in 2009.  Now its your turn what are your top 9?  

Larry Grant

His stances is a perfect example of a true progressive looking to make a difference in Washington.  

To add a bit of a personal touch, here is a story from NYBri‘s diary over at DailyKos:

I have asked those who work with Larry in his campaign to tell me in their own words about why they are committing themselves to working with Larry in Idaho, and over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing with you what they have written in a series called, In Their Own Words, and when it’s all over, I think Larry will be one of your favorite people as well.

Larry’s North Idaho Field Coordinator is Kristy Reed Johnson, and here is her story:

When I met Larry Grant over two years ago, I thought he was just another attorney who was willing to throw himself on his sword for Idaho Democrats in another 1st District Congressional race that would end like all the others since the early 1990’s.

I’m a fairly jaded political junkie.  In 1968, at the tender age of 22, and a “hostess” for Trans World Airlines I received two “special assignments.” First I was sent to work the Republican National Convention in Miami, FL. That was the  year of Barry Goldwater, Nelson Rockefeller, and Richard Nixon. We all know what happened.

My next assignment was to be one of three crews who worked the Hubert Humphrey Charter after he won the Democratic nomination. It was five years after John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and three years after the Democrats got Civil Rights legislation through Congress, lost all the support of the Southern Democrats, and Lyndon Johnson decided not to seek re-election.  It was also the year that Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Two months after that, on the same evening he won the California Primary, Bobby Kennedy was also shot to death, as we all watched on television.

I became a Eugene McCarthy supporter. At the scene of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, there were protests in a park across the street against the ongoing war in Vietnam. Those kids (my age) were dragged and beaten by Chicago Police, actions ordered by Mayor Daly (a Democrat and the father of the current Mayor Daly).  

I formed my life long opinion of politics that year. Politicians are just people, some good, some dreadful, and all flawed, just like the rest of us. There is nothing “grand” about them.

But they seem come in two types, regardless of party: The ones who are in it for their own aggrandizement and those who honestly believe they can make a difference in the lives of ordinary people.

Larry Grant is the only candidate I’ve had the opportunity to know that I would walk on hot coals for to get elected. Larry Grant earned my respect.

Time after time I have seen his honesty, his integrity, his core values and moral compass lead this campaign team in a way that restores my faith in the democratic process. It’s all about us, the people of Idaho, the team, the crew, the mission. I actually believe Larry possesses at the very roots of his character everything we so desperately need in our political leaders.

His kind of responsible, intelligent, thoughtful leadership is missing in most of the politicians who are running for office these days. Larry leads by example.  

He will take that Idaho-grown moral and ethical compass to Washington D.C. and restore our faith in how a government should be run — of the people, by the people, and for the people. Can you support a man like that?

Larry has a list of 9 reasonable, achievable goals he wants to accomplish the first year he gets to Congress. They are his ‘9 for 09.’ Check them out. You don’t have to walk on hot coals for him, but could you help us, his staff, help him, communicate with the voters in the 1st District?

Larry doesn’t take money from corporate lobbyists. Small donations of $9 or $19 or $29 are gratefully accepted. Larry knows times are tough for working families in Idaho, and he knows every donation that comes to him means that the donor is sacrificing something for him or herself.  

As I write this, The Grant Team just received a bulletin: Larry Grant just received a phone call from a person who offered him the database for the Republican Party in Idaho. He refused. He thanked the potential donor, but said it would not be ethical, and warned us (the staff) not to accept something like that either.  

I can vote for a man like that. Will you join me? Become a member of the club and let’s send Larry Grant to Congress. He is just what the citizen’s of Idaho ordered.

There you have it, please head on over to Larry’s website to join and contribute to a truly stand up guy!

Grant for Congress:

http://www.grantforcongress.co…

Larry’s stances on Issues:

http://www.grantforcongress.co…

Give Larry a shot in the arm!

http://www.actblue.com/entity/…

If we start now, we can provide Larry with an even BETTER chance!  

Earlier in the cycle, Democrats had hoped to target three House Republican incumbents in New Jersey: NJ-07’s Mike Ferguson, NJ-03’s Jim Saxton, and NJ-02’s Frank LoBiondo.  With the retirements of Ferguson and Saxton, Democrats have a solid shot of picking up both seats with the candidacies of Linda Stender and John Adler.  For a while, it looked possible that state Senator Jeff Van Drew would round out the trio by challenging the entrenched LoBiondo in his D+4 district.  Alas, that wasn’t meant to be:

State Sen. Jeff Van Drew won’t challenge incumbent Frank LoBiondo for a congressional seat in November, Van Drew said this afternoon.

Van Drew was elected to the Senate in November after serving three terms in the state Assembly. […]

“We are approaching the most complex and challenging budget in the state’s history and for that reason, I’m going to stay where I am for now, although I will clearly say I look forward to the day when I will run for the United States Congress,” Van Drew said in a telephone interview this afternoon.

Van Drew said it’s possible he could challenge LoBiondo in 2010.

This is the safer move for Van Drew — fresh from beating an incumbent GOP state Senator last November, another bid against an incumbent so soon after his last race might have rubbed some voters the wrong way.  However, it does look promising that Van Drew will be willing to make a real race of this seat in 2010.  I look forward to his candidacy.

Meanwhile, the promising campaign of Rabbi Dennis Shulman against NJ-05’s ultra-conservative Scott Garrett leaves me hopeful that we could see three pick-up opportunities in the Garden State, after all.

Cross-posted from Jane Mitakides for Congress

What’s a Congressman to do, when the only legislation he’s passed during five years on the job renamed a Dayton park, when he votes as a right-wing partisan 87% of the time, and if he has a 30% rating with veterans groups?  Especially when he’s being challenged by a strong candidate, in a now-blue district that went 55% for Ted Strickland?

Well, he could just make something up. Unless of course, the Chairman of Ways and Means catches him!

Turner accused of causing needless worry

Democrats say questions he raised about Delphi worker eligibility for tax rebates were unfounded.

Cross-posted from Jane Mitakides for Congress

What’s a Congressman to do, when the only legislation he’s passed during five years on the job renamed a Dayton park, when he votes as a right-wing partisan 87% of the time, and if he has a 30% rating with veterans groups?  Especially when he’s being challenged by a strong candidate, in a now-blue district that went 55% for Ted Strickland?

Well, he could just make something up. Unless of course, the Chairman of Ways and Means catches him!

Turner accused of causing needless worry

Democrats say questions he raised about Delphi worker eligibility for tax rebates were unfounded.

By Lynn Hulsey Staff Writer Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Democrats are accusing U.S. Rep. Mike Turner of needlessly worrying former Delphi workers.

At issue are questions Turner raised about the workers' eligibility for economic stimulus rebates after he'd already voted for the bill that ensured the workers would get the money.

On Monday, March 31, Turner, R-Centerville, denied he misled anyone. He said he was responding to concerns from constituents and trying to change the bill to get rebate checks into workers' hands more quickly.

However, J. Jioni Palmer, spokesman for the House Ways and Means committee, said Turner sent no legislative language to the committee prior to final approval by Congress.

Turner's Third District Democratic opponent, Washington Twp. businesswoman Jane Mitakides, accused Turner of trying to create the "illusion of working for the people of this district."

"The notion that these rebates were at risk and then somehow salvaged was absolutely misleading," said Mitakides. "It's the legislative equivalent of turning in someone else's homework and taking credit for it."

[…]

On Feb. 1, a day after Turner voted for the House bill, he announced he'd sent a letter to House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel, D-N.Y., and three other House and Senate leaders in response to concerns by former Delphi workers.

"I am writing to request that clarifying language be added to the Economic Stimulus package that ensures tax rebates will be given to workers" displaced by foreign trade, wrote Turner. He said workers' buyout payments should not count as income.

[…]

The next day Rangel wrote to Turner and said Turner's Feb. 1 letter was unnecessary because the problem "did not exist in the legislation that passed the House" with Turner's support.

"I'm hopeful that the misunderstanding did not cause alarm among Delphi workers who may have questioned their rebate eligibility," Rangel wrote.

[…]

Mike Turner did nothing but try to gain political points from a controversy he created.  He voted for the bill before he had problems with it, yet offered no legislative language – because none was necessary. Maybe the Congressman from the Ohio 3rd needs a little lesson in the legislative process? May I suggest the following?

The trickle begins:

AZ-01:

     Ann Kirkpatrick (D): $240K raised

VA-05:

     Tom Perriello (D): $340K raised, >$500K CoH

Add any others you’ve heard about in comments.

UPDATE (James):

SC-02:

     Rob Miller (D):  $200K CoH (March only)

UPDATE (David):

TX-07:

     Michael Skelly (D): $750K raised

SurveyUSA has the first public poll of the Democratic primary for race against Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, and so far, it’s looking like a rout for Bruce Lunsford:

Bruce Lunsford (D): 42%

David Williams (D): 11%

Greg Fischer (D): 6%

James Rice (D): 5%

David Wylie (D): 5%

Mike Cassaro (D): 4%

Ken Stepp (D): 3%

Other: 17%

Undecided: 8%

(MoE: ±4.2%)

Lunsford’s only serious opponent in the primary, Greg Fischer, a seller of stadium bleachers, has some serious ground to make up.  It’s likely that Lunsford, from his acrimonious runs for the Governor’s mansion, has a ceiling of support in the Democratic primary, but the crowded field opposing him is splitting the remainder of the vote so far.  

Will Fischer be able to close the gap and consolidate the non-Lunsford vote in time for the Kentucky’s May 20th primary?

In a recent column in Roll Call, Stuart Rothenberg takes a moment to lament the diminished spotlight for a talented crop of young men and women running for Congress across America.  Now, that’s all well and good, except when you don’t know what you’re talking about.  

Here’s Rothenberg’s “assessment” of IL-18 GOP candidate Aaron Schock, who is running for the open seat of retiring Rep. Ray LaHood:

If you like your candidates young, you’ll find Illinois state Rep. Aaron Schock (R), 26, more than interesting. He was elected to the Peoria school board in 2001, even before he graduated from Bradley University.

In 2004, Schock knocked off an incumbent Democratic state legislator in a Democratic district, and he turned back a major challenge two years later. A conservative who says he focuses on constituent services, Schock is the GOP nominee for retiring Rep. Ray LaHood’s (R) open seat.

The clean-cut hopeful looks like the president of a College Republicans chapter (and acts far older than his years), and he sounded well-versed on most matters. If you can be a seasoned political pro at 26, Schock is. It’s a bit scary, actually.

“Well-versed on most matters”?  Stu, were you lost in his dreamy eyes or did you flat-out forget to ask him about his downright scary foreign policy musings on selling “Pershing nuclear missiles” to Taiwan?  You may have read about this thoroughly whacked-out and amateurish suggestion in the press as something that Ray LaHood himself blasted as “outrageous”:

In his announcement address in late October, Schock said that if China didn’t work to persuade Iran away from development of nuclear weapons, “we will sell Pershing nuclear missiles to Taiwan for their defense. Non-proliferation will either be enforced universally or not at all – it is their choice. The Chinese will come around, I have no doubt.”

“My advice on that is that he should have done his homework, and I think it’s an outrageous statement to be making,” LaHood said, “particularly when you have as your No. 1 employer in the Peoria area Caterpillar (Inc.), that has developed many, many relationships with the Chinese, including establishing facilities in China.

“To make a statement that you’re going to arm one country with nuclear weapons to attack China I think shows a fairly high level of not doing your homework, and… immaturity and not using good political sense.”

Sure, Schock eventually backed off from the plan, but not before his campaign manager dismissed his skeptics as ivory tower eggheads.  Schock claimed that the idea was “more in jest” than anything else, but that didn’t quite jibe with his campaign manager’s depiction:

In a phone interview with the Journal-Register’s political writer, Bernard Schoenburg, the day Schock retracted the statement, his campaign manager, Steve Shearer, said Schock’s proposal was “not just something that he pulled out of his pocket. … It’s a deeply thought-out policy.”

So, the GOP’s golden boy in IL-18 is a nutter on foreign policy?  It’s a bit scary, actually.

Could Frank Lautenberg’s bid for another term in the U.S. Senate a complication in the form of a primary challenge?  From the Star-Ledger:

Rep. Robert Andrews (D-1st Dist.) announced today he is thinking of challenging U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) for the Democratic nomination.

A statement issued this afternoon by Andrews’ chief of staff, Bill Caruso, said, “Over the last few days, Congressman Andrews has been approached by many leaders of the Democratic Party who have urged him to step forward and run for the Senate because they think that 2008 is a year where voters are seeking a change in government. Because he respects the judgment of these leaders, he is carefully considering how to best to serve New Jersey and the country.”

Andrews was the only New Jersey Democrat in the House of Representatives not present today for a “unity rally’ in support of Lautenberg, who formally announced he is seeking a fifth six-year term.

Andrews currently sits on a $1 million $2.4 million nest egg, and could marshal enough resources to give Lautenberg a bit of a headache.  Not being much of a fan of Andrews’ machine pol style, or his record in Congress, I hope that this challenge doesn’t materialize.

The GOP had hoped to convince State Senator Tom Butler (D-Madison) to switch parties and run for Congress as a Republican, but sources now say he'll sit out the race. With the filing deadline falling this Friday, Republicans are left with businessman Wayne Parker, who was defeated by incumbent Bud Cramer in 1994 and 1996. Democrats are in a strong position to hold onto this open seat with State Senator Parker Griffith (D-Huntsville).

Last Monday I launched the Obamajority to give Barack Obama a strong progressive Congress that will enact his bold agenda. I started it out with three canidates, Rick Noriega, Darcy Burner and Patrick Murphy. I also asked for suggestions for who to endorse next.

The canidate that received the most support by far was Tom Perriello. I had already heard about his impressive run for Congress and so I am exited to announce that Tom is the latest canidate to be added to the Obamajority. So go and give him some change for change. In this essay I take a look at Tom and his campaign to bring much needed leadership to Virgina’s 5th Congressional District.

First let’s take a look at the current representative for the Virgina’s 5th Congressional District. His name is Virgil Goode, Jr. I’ve known about Goode for a little bit over a year because he is a national prominent bigot. On December 7th Goode sent this letter out to a constituent. Take a look at that bigotry.

You see that “Muslim Representative from Minnesota” is Keith Ellison the great representative elected to my neighboring district. That is a perfect example of the hate and fear that is too powerful today. Many times people have attempted to defeat Goode but again and again they have lost. But this time we have a chance to change that.

Why? Because we have a great canidate running. Tom Perriello. Tom was called to serve at a early age.

After receiving his law degree from Yale University, Tom accepted an assignment working to end atrocities in the West African countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone, which had suffered long civil wars fueled by blood diamonds. Tom’s work with child soldiers, amputees, and local pro-democracy groups in Sierra Leone played a significant role in the peace and reconciliation process that ended twelve years of violence in that country.

Tom then became Special Advisor and spokesperson for the International Prosecutor during the showdown that forced Liberian dictator Charles Taylor from power without firing a shot. After this success, Tom served as a national security analyst for the Century Foundation. He has worked inside Darfur and twice in Afghanistan.

Since 2004 he has been a leader in building a faith-based movement dedicated to working toward the common good instead of spewing hate.

Since 2004, Tom has helped to launch a political and social movement in this country that is credited with shifting the national debate about America’s moral priorities. He helped found FaithfulAmerica.org and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, which bring together faith communities to fight for children’s health care, supporting a higher minimum wage, environmental stewardship, and responsible solutions in Iraq. Inspired by the prophetic vision of Dr. King, Wilberforce, and Micah, Tom believes that America must reverse the erosion of our commitment to the common good and restore our understanding that our nation rises or falls together.

Tom also helped found Avaaz.org a great group that I am a part of. It tackles some of the toughest issues of our day by working with it’s millions of members from every country in the world.

Tom sat down for a great interview with Lowell of the great Virgina blog Raising Kaine. In it he explains why he is running, how he thinks he can win, his strengths and passions. Let’s look at some highlights from that interview.

First of all the big question. Why? Why run for Congress?

Like so many in my generation, I felt called from an early age to devote my life to community service, because it felt so much more real than trying to change things through government. For over a decade, I have felt inspired to work on economic fairness in our communities and on ending atrocities from inside Darfur and Sierra Leone.  

But I could only work in a broken system for so long before I began to understand how important it was to fix the system itself. In Darfur and West Africa, I saw how much of a difference a single Congressperson could make if s/he were willing to speak out and hold the Administration and State Department accountable. And the last few elections have made it clear how important it is for Democrats to reclaim the values debate and restore America’s commitment to justice and the common good.

I believe we stand at a unique point in history. Our challenges are large enough that our only pragmatism is the idealism to think big and expand our sense of what’s possible. I am running because I believe that politics should be seen as community service by other means. It can, and should, be a place to make people’s lives better.  

And how will he win in this traditionally Republican district?

We are going to win because we have a stronger movement on our side and better ideas for how to secure our country, our jobs, and our environment. Beating Rep. Goode will not be easy, but all the pieces are coming together:

1) Energy and Resources – We tripled Rep. Goode in fourth quarter fundraising, and raised more money inside Virginia in four months than he did all year. When we are outpacing an incumbent from the Appropriations Committee, you know that people are hungry for a new generation of leadership. Also the DCCC has put our race “in play,” and if we hit our fundraising target this quarter, we will move into the top tier of their targeted races.  

2) Grassroots – Our campaign has already logged over 1300 volunteer hours, and we are working hard to build the largest and most sophisticated grassroots network this district has ever seen. We are investing heavily in field, already have offices in Franklin County and Charlottesville, and will have an office in Danville by the end of this quarter. In a district the size of New Jersey, this race will be won on the ground.

3) Blue-mentum – Like much of America, our district is a swing district that is now trending blue. The wildly popular Mark Warner is on the ticket, Gov. Kaine is tirelessly devoted to building the party, and Obama just got more primary votes in the Fifth than all the Republicans combined. Meanwhile, Rep. Goode has gone from being a populist maverick to marching lockstep with President Bush and out of step with our independent district.  

As for being a “faith-based progressive,” I can tell you that voters respond to authenticity. My faith is a big part of who I am and why I’ve dedicated my life to justice, and most voters just want to know what I am all about. It also provides a common experience and language that resonates with voters in my district, especially in areas where Democrats have struggled in the past.    

And finally his answer on one of the most pressing issues of our day. Climate change.  

We need to commit to independence from fossil fuels within a generation, and that will require major investments, a substantial shift in incentives, and a culture change as consumers. A revenue-neutral tax shift is one way to do this, but so are cap-and-trade systems that have worked to address problems such as acid rain.  

As for the target, I most often hear from experts that we must draw the line at no more than a 2-degree Celsius temperature increase. Our goal must be set not by what seems politically possible but what will actually produce the end result we need.  

That brings me to a excellent series that Tom wrote for TPMCafe’s Table for One. You can read it all here (under latest posts) but I want to focus on what I think is the most important one. It is entitled “Conviction Politics… in Practice.” In it Tom breaks from the notion that only DLC-poll driven campaigns can win. Instead he shows that conviction politics both makes it more likely for him to be elected and will also make him more effective if he is elected. I strongly recomend you read it all but here is part of it.

While some strategists focus on positioning candidates on issue after issue, I believe most voters focus more on whether the candidate integrity and character on the whole, demonstrated by the conviction to take a stand. These lines from Toby Keith probably strike pretty close to how many people, including me, feel about this:

“I’m a man of my convictions. Call me wrong. Call me right.

But I bring my better angels, to every fight.

You may not like where I’m going. But you sure know where I stand.

Hate me if you want to, love me if you can.”

For the rest of the week, I will be talking about my struggle to apply these simple principles to the issues of the day (Iraq War, culture war) and my experience putting conviction politics into practice. The successes of conviction candidates in 2006 inspired me to run for Congress. I am still very early in the process, but am hopeful that this campaign will be part of building on those lessons for a better democracy.

The more I learn about Tom the more exited I am about this campaign. I hope you will take the time to read his great interview with Raising Kaine, teacherken’s excellent case for him and Tom’s postings on TPM. Hopefully then you will be as exited by Tom’s campaign as I am.

Electing Barack Obama isn’t enough to bring real change. We will also need to send a strong message to Congress that more of the same won’t cut it. Electing someone like Tom would do just that. Tom wouldn’t just be another vote. He would be someone who lead by example. He will use his power as 1 of 435 to do good in the world not get sweet deals from lobbyists. He will lead by conviction and indeed he already is leading. He helped develop the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq and appeared in this video promoting it:

If you want that kind of leadership. If you want to send a strong message that conviction politics is the right kind of politics then consider making a donation to Tom via the Obamajority page. Tom has set a goal of raising $500,000 in this quarter and he is very close to reaching that. If he does this will become a top-tier race nationally. He is running a grassroots campaign and we have a good shot at replacing one of the worst congressmen with one of the best. Right now is a critical time in the campaign though so donate and together we can bring about some real change. But only it you help make it.

Donate to Tom Perriello and together we will build a Obamajority.

We need to restore the founding American ethic that we are better off when we are in this together. Since the original thirteen colonies joined together as the United States, through Civil War and the Great Depression, we have risen or fallen according to this simple rule: America thrives when we are united in a common purpose for the common good.- Tom Perriello

P.S. We are always open to adding new canidates. Keep the suggestions coming to obamathon (AT) gmail (DOT) com. Thanks!

It’s been a very busy week for the campaign with many highlights:

Monday March 24: I attended the Voices of Central PA dinner in State College.  It was a very nice event and I got the chance to speak with the truly progressive minded people who support Voices.  The questions were tough but fair and I really enjoyed the Indian food on the buffet at the India Pavilion restaurant where the event was held.  The food was a little on the spicy side but was very good.

Tuesday March 25: I spent the late afternoon and evening getting signs out to people.  You always get the chance to speak with your supporters while delivering signs and the feedback was good.  I did get home in time to catch American Idol with Kelly and Amanda.  Not as important as the Obama / Clinton race but Kelly, Amanda and I seem to be pulling for David Cook and Brooke White.

Wednesday March 26: All 12 candidates were on hand for the candidate forum sponsored by the DuBois Chamber of Commerce.  Getting the chance to hear the other 11 candidates, I feel very confident of the message our campaign is spreading.  We recognize the problems of 2008 and we are offering solutions for 2008 and beyond.

Sadly, many of the other candidates keep offering solutions from the 1980’s.  Perhaps most troublesome from several of the candidates are calls for the return to and expansion of the use of fossil fuels.  I will continue to stress throughout this campaign as long as I am part of it that we MUST invest in cleaner, domestically produced alternative fuels.  It will help our economy and our national security.

Thursday March 27: First, I was interviewed on C-Net, the local cable channel in State College.  The interview will run in the State College cable market several times before the April 22nd election.  Then, at the invite of Raymond Snyder, I traveled to Lewistown for the appearance of former President Bill Clinton.  Prior to the public being admitted to the Lewistown High School gymnasium, I had the opportunity to walk the line waiting to get into the event.  I shook hands with approximately 1,500 people who were waiting to get in.  Perhaps the most interesting story was about halfway through the line I met a lady and her young son.  He asked for my autograph, the first time this ever happened.  As I was signing, I saw the young boy reach over and tug his mothers coat and ask “Is that President Clinton?”.

We did have to wait quite awhile in the gym as President Clinton was behind schedule.  When he did arrive after 6:30 he didn’t disappoint.  He gave a rousing speech that lasted approximately 50 minutes and he actually made mention of ethanol as a viable alternative fuel source and even said that ethanol from cellulose material is the way to go in the future.  Then, as he left the stage, he worked his way around the barrier between the stage and the crowd and I was able to shake his hand.  I was 3 rows back but I reached up over the 2 rows ahead of me and got the handshake.

Friday March 28: I attended the opening of the Obama campaign office in DuBois.  I am so encouraged that a presidential campaign has opened an office in Clearfield County.  This is proof that rural Pennsylvania is going to have our say in this election.  I met several people at the opening and they are truly committed to making a difference in 2008.

Saturday March 29: I hosted a visit to the Clearfield area by John Cordisco candidate for State Treasurer.  I first met John last August at Rep. Bud George’s picnic and I was very impressed with him.  One thing that made me interested in him was that he also started his political career by serving on a school board.  I invited John and his staff person to join me at Denny’s Pub, famous as the home of the biggest hamburger in the world.  

He had a nice interview with Jane Elling from our local newspaper and then we all enjoyed one of Denny’s famous burgers.  Not the big one, just one of the regular sized burgers available on the menu.  John was very interested in the alternative fuels industry that we’ve brought to Clearfield County and north central Pennsylvania.  We also talked about state funding and investment issues and his vision to be an active and involved state treasurer.  He is a great candidate and I feel he will make an excellent treasurer for Pennsylvania.

Sunday March 30: Although I was not able to personally attend due to a Commissioners’ Conference, our campaign attended the Obama Rally for Change Event on the campus of Pennsylvania State University.  We had a chance to talk with a lot of young eager minds ready for change in Washington.  Although the gates opened at 11:30am, it was brought to our attention that students and interested citizens started lining up at 5:30am and even earlier.  This is the kind of dedication we need from our young people and from the citizens of the 5th District.  Although the lines were long and the wind brisk, the message of change kept the spectators lively.

Obama’s message of change and a new direction is precisely what the 5th District is looking for.  He pointed out that it is time to move beyond our differences and come together to forge a better future for all Americans.  He addressed the massive amounts of money we send overseas to fight this war and the rising costs of gas.  His solutions, and ours, is to invest in alternative fuel sources like ethanol.  We are proud to join Barack Obama in this fight.

In our seating location, we were honored to meet up with the great candidate for the 171st State House seat Tim Wilson.  Many state officials were also there including Senator Casey and State Rep. Dan Surra.  We thanked them for the warm welcome.  Luckily for us, we had a great seating location!  We were also informed that this rally was the largest in the history of Penn State and we were honored to attend.

It’s been a busy week and every day between now and April 22nd has something on the schedule.  Please keep spreading the word about the campaign and let us know what you are hearing.

Also, we expect to release some important campaign news on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Mark B. McCracken

Your Candidate for Congress

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This diary is cross-posted at McCracken’s campaign blog, PA’s Blue Fifth

Mark McCracken for Congress

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