Daily Kos

Nancy Farmer :: Website :: Contribute

Nancy Farmer is running for Senate in Missouri, challenging the oft-endagnered Kit Bond. Farmer can help put an end to Bond's squeaker victories.

She is behind in the polls and fundraising, but she has still raised a respectable $2.4 million. Furthermore, Farmer should be helped by Missouri's standing as a battleground state, and the armies of GOTV workers that will flood the state on behalf of Kerry/Edwards in November. :: Contribute

Selected Nancy Farmer dKos posts:

Stan Matsunaka :: Website :: Contribute

Matsunaka is facing über conservative hag Maryling Musgrave, single-issue representative with an overriding obsession with all things gay. As the chief architect of the Hate Amendement (Federal Marriage Amendment), Musgrave has reaped the benefits from adoring wingnuts everywhere, raising over $1 million in Q2 alone.

Stan Matsunaka was competitive in 2002, when he faced off against Musgrave in a surprisingly competitive open seat. However, the DCCC failed to pull through and Stan ran out of money in the critical stretch run, unable to respond to Musgrave's vicious attack ads.

It's a new cycle, and Republicans won't enjoy the same advantages they did in 2002. Matsunaka won't be financially competitive with Musgrave, but he needs just enough money to get the message out. It's up to the citicizens of the Colorado 4th to determine whether they want a representative who looks out for them, or is looking out for her personal anti-gay vendetta.

Selected Stan Matsunaka dKos posts:

Richard Morrison (TX-22) :: Website :: Contribute

When I originally announced these endorsements, I gave three criteria I looked at -- two of which where essential for a candidate to get a nod: 1) Whether the district was in a swing state; 2) Whether the district was competitive; and 3) whether the Republican incumbent was a major fundraiser that we'd rather pin at home, rather than fundraising for at risk Republicans in other competitive districts.

No Republican House member raises as much money as Tom DeLay, and he had not bothered to campaign for reelection to his House seat for over a decade, lacking any significant opposition. That meant all his campaigning and fundraising was directed at other candidates.

Enter Richard Morrison. Here was a candidate with no money, going up against the House Majority Leader. People laughed at his chances. But he raised a fair amount of money online, and parlayed that into strong fundraising via traditional means. Poll results proved DeLay was beatable, and the DCCC is now considering putting resources into the race.

This is still an uphill race, but consider that DeLay is now pinned down in his own district until election day. And given a potential criminal indictment, lingering anger over his heavy-handed redistricting coup, a district made more Democratic by the arrogant DeLay during that redistricting, and a fired up Texas Democratic Party, and this David v. Goliath battle has the potential of going our way.

Selected Richard Morrison dKos posts:

Jim Stork (FL-22) :: Website :: Contribute

What can you say about a candidate whose crowning achievement was the Reader's Choice award his bakery got from a local weekly newspaper? Here's a man who has his priorities straight. And a man that is giving incumbent Clay Shaw a run for his money in this southeastern, coastal congressional district.

Stork has already raised over a million dollars, showing a gift for fundraising stemming, in large part, from his well-connected partner. While this district has been made for Republican in the last redistricting, it's still a Gore district. And with West Palm Beach and parts of Broward County within its borders, this district is Ground Zero of the 2000 stolen election. Indeed, Clay Shaw would've been ousted where it not for spoiled ballots and other voting irregularities in the district.

Stork, who is openly gay, can help fix the historical travesty of 2000. And remember, every vote Stork is able to turn out for him is a vote for John Kerry in this critical battleground state.

Lois Murphy (PA-06) :: Website :: Contribute

Pennsylvania is shaping up to be a treasure trove of House pickup opportunities for Democrats, and Lois Murphy, former NARAL general counsel, is one of the best. With solid fundraising and favorable district demographics, Murphy is well positioned to oust incumbent Republican Gerlach from his seat.

Ousting an incumbent is difficult under any conditions, and Murphy must compete in the Philly media market, one of the most expensive in the nation. However, PA's battleground status has brought the grassroots 527 ACT into the state, and Murphy's district will be prime swing battleground. Not to mention that every voter Murphy turns out for her own effort, is a voter for Kerry in this must-win state for Democrats.

Jeff Seemann (OH-16) :: Website :: Contribute

Like many other candidates sprinkled around the nation in a House were the vast majority are non-competitive, Seemann was a nobody going nowhere. His opponent, Ralph Regula, was busy raising money for other Republicans, including $400,000 for Larry Diedrich in the South Dakota special election. Democrat Stephanie Herseth won that race by about one percent despite leading by double digits in early polling -- the power of $400,000 at work.

Early netroots fundraising allowed Seemann to hire a staff, while the district's deteriorating economic situation has made the political environment in this Republican-lean district a lot more hospitable to the Democrat challenger. In the last year alone, several major plant closings have cost the district thousands of jobs, many of them sent overseas.

Seemann has been a friend of this site, and it's been gratifying to return the favor. It's a David v. Goliath battle, but victory is no longer out of the realm of possibilities.

Jim Newberry (MO-07) :: Website :: Contribute

Missouri has been trending Republican the last few cycles, but the state's deteriorating economic picture has made it a surprisingly strong pickup opportunity for Democrats at the presidential level. Toning down the Republican advantages in districts like Newberry's will be key to victory.

Newberry is spreading his populist message in a solid conservative district made less-so by the deteriorating jobs picture. His opponent, Roy Blunt, is Tom DeLay's right-hand man, and may yet be caught up with DeLay's web of unethical behavior. Even if he doesn't, his inattention to the economic woes of his district may yet provide an opening for Newberry if he can get the resources to plead the case to the people of his district.