The clock is ticking in Virginia in the race for the US Senate and if I could, I would like to put some perspective as to where that race sits as of today. Jim Webb got into the primary almost exactly 100 days prior to the June 13 primary. He did so largely on the backs of a blogginggrassroots effort to find a candidate who could excite the Democratic electorate, broaden our party, and who would have the stature, intelligence and moxie to take on and defeat George Allen. They found a star in Jim Webb. But there was a problem -- mounting a 100 day campaign against a better known and well funded lobbyist who would be willing to tap into his own considerable personal wealth, would be a Herculean task. Throw in a corporate lobbyist opponent who is willing to say and do seemingly anything negative to defeat Jim Webb and the strength of the grassroots blogging community would be tested like never before.
In the past 86 days, Jim Webb has been running hard to defeat lobbyist Harris Miller. He has batted down the harshest negative attacks against him. He has worked hard to gain the support of some of the biggest political names in Virginia (gaining the key endorsement of Del. Donald McEachin just today) as well as unprecedented national support. He had, as pointed out in the media, a very successful statewide kickoff tour; he consistently out performs Harris Miller in joint speaking appearances, his supporters routinely dominate public visibility events, and he has even decisively won three key straw polls among Democratic activists -- even the Fairfax County Straw poll conducted in Miller's political backyard. Webb's populist message is resonating and he clearly worked hard on the issues and decisively won the only debate to date between the two candidates.
But for all his work and efforts, money still drives American politics and from where I sit the biggest threat to the grassroots effort amassed behind Webb is special interest money to which Miller has access -- whether it is Miller's personal money or money he gets from his lobbyist friends.
That is why, while Webb needs his grassroots supporters to continue to do all of the good things they are doing, he now also needs them to step up and do something else -- contribute to his campaign to guarantee he has the funds necessary to hold off the blistering negative attacks by Miller. Toward that end, Webb has just launched a campaign to raise $100,000 in the next week to help blunt the Miller attacks. He is asking 1,000 of his closest grassroots and blogging friends to each send the campaign at least $100 in the next seven days. I truly believe that if this effort succeeds along with several other key efforts in the works, Webb will hold off Miller and win the primary. If he doesn't raise these funds, however, all bets are off.
The blogging community has showed it can raise significant funds nationally and in local and state races in which they have become involved. If they can help Jim Webb defeat a well-funded lobbyist with longstanding ties into the deep pockets of his lobbyist friends, it will send a signal far bigger and much more long lasting than any other effort has for the past couple of generations that there is now a well established entity able to compete with big corporate and lobbyist interests. That would be a vital and much needed shot in the arm for Democracy. But as I said at the outset, the clock is ticking and we will have to see how the critical final two weeks of the campaign play out.
[UPDATE: We hate to keep asking, but we really need money to fight back against Harris Miller's attacks. Please donate here. Thanks.]