Since last year, I've been writing about my friend Shelia Smoot running for Congress in AL-07. Shelia has run a true grassroots campaign on a shoestring budget. This campaign has been fueled by volunteers, friends and family and small individual donors. We earned our way into a runoff despite being outraised and outspent by two other candidates.
Shelia's progressive resume is fueled by support from longtime friends and supporters.
Since the primary she has also amassed a growing list of labor endorsements.
Terri Sewell on the other hand has simply run another mass media campaign fueled by Wall Street backing, independent expenditures by Emily's List, and what she says she will do when elected
The contrast is clear and we believe the records should speak for themselves.
This is a PVI +18 Dem district and the winner of this July 13th primary will be the next Congresswoman from Alabama.
I've known Shelia for quite some time and I can tell you that she means it when she says
You need someone in Congress who will impact your life not her own
Shelia is running on a platform of jobs, providing quality access to health care, better education and improving transportation and infrastructure. Sewell's platform is not much different and that should be commended.
Let me tell you about the differences - which should be highlighted
In 2002 - Shelia was elected as a Democrat,the First African American Female and Youngest Member elected to the Jefferson County Commission , Terri Sewell was donating to a Republican Candidate for Congress in New Jersey. Verified through The same address from which she donated to another candidate . At this time Sewell was working as a Wall Street securities attorney.
In 2004 - Terri Sewell returned to Alabama to work with a large law firm. Since that time She has had a spotty voting record. She did not registered to vote until 2007 and did not start voting until 2008. Just a year before she starts running for Congress. Her voting record which was sent from the Alabama Secretary of State.
Terri Sewell talks about having black belt values being from Selma - which is the heart and cradle of the civil rights movement. People put their lives on the line to vote during the civil rights movement especially on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. But Terri Sewell didn't even register to vote here until 2007. Meg Whitman said her voting record is unacceptable. I would hope we hear the same thing from Terri Sewell.
I'm tired of folks saying we are smearing Terri Sewell. My opinion is that we are painting a truer picture of someone claiming that she would be a progressive. Yes she was a big supporter of Barack Obama and it seems like that experience encouraged her to get involved. That's a good thing. However, we need to be wary of a candidate with the Corporate Wall Street Tiesthat are now fueling her campaign
Shelia Smoot is a great candidate and let's remember that. She come here to talk about what's she's already done in terms of building schools, supporting LGBT rights and fighting for working people.
She's being supported by labor on her record and they know she's a fighter. She's also been pushing for progressive ideas such as high speed rail and that's been recognized in the endorsement from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
Commissioner Smoot has always impressed our group with her dedication to working on light rail and her commitment to the safety of hard working members of the Brotherhood.
Let's not make the wrong decision here. Thanks for your support and despite what a few misguided others have said, I'm glad that my friends at Daily Kos have gotten behind a candidate that I believe in and so many others in her district have believed in that can be the one who will fight for them and improve their quality of life.
Tonight at midnight marks the end of the financial reporting deadline before the July 13th runoff. We would appreciate any contributions to Shelia who has been a guest here on several occasions and is committed to coming back as a Member of Congress. We don't have the backing of Wall Street or big law firms. We have mostly gotten small donations (see our Act Blue Page )
Any amount will help show that the people will own this seat.
We are trying to raise $1,000 by midnight tonight. Any amount will help