On July 13, we have a chance to make history as the first African American Congresswoman elected from the State of Alabama. But more importantly we have a chance to make historical changes in our states poorest areas by sending an advocate for the people to Congress. There's a stark difference between myself and my opponent in this race.
I have a record of community service and being a voice for the people. My opponent has a record of being a voice for Wall Street.
When you send someone to Congress, send someone who will impact your life and not his or her own.
I've been fighting for people my entire career as an investigative journalist and now as an elected official. My opponent, a former Wall Street Attorney, has no record of service to her own community. My opponent didn't even think it was necessary to vote in this State up until the time she voted in 2008 when she ran as a delegate for the Democratic National Convention. She moved back here from New York in 2004. Even then she ran as a delegate in the 6th Congressional District of Alabama which is one of the most Republican districts in the country. This is especially troubling since she was raised in Selma, Alabama which is considered the cradle of the civil rights movement and the 1965 voting rights act. People in Selma were bloodied and beaten as they marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge asking for their right to vote.
While my opponent has been representing the interests of Wall Street and other large corporations, I've been fighting for working people my entire life. I lost my job as as a result of union organizing in Lansing, Michigan as the head organizer when I was a news reporter at WILX. Last year I fought for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union to make sure that Bruno's Grocery Store, a longtime staple in the community that ran into financial trouble, was only sold to a company that protected the rights of their workers and honor their union contracts. I am proud to announce that The Central Labor (AFL-CIO) councils in my district have endorsed my candidacy because I am union.
Through my hard work and commitment I have successfully gotten increased funding for roads and bridges in my district. I have also created opportunities for our seasoned citizens in the form of new senior housing and programming and I have created opportunities to bring more green space in the form of founding and creating the Jefferson County Greenway Commission. I have championed the first Brownfield redevelopment project in my district that successfully took away 30 years of blight in one community and I have created numerous business opportunities for women and minorities as well as establishing a high tech industrial park in my district that created thousands of jobs for area citizens I will take the same attitude, commitment and work ethic to Washington D.C. and most of all to the 7th Congressional District.
We need to put someone in this seat who will hit the ground running and I am that person. I will make the sacrifice that is needed to represent the people of the 7th Congressional District of Alabama. This seat is not for sale.
We also need your financial help. This is a grassroots campaign and every dollar counts. Visit my Grassroots for Smoot Act Blue page.
My campaign team wanted this goal posted. We need to reach this and keep going.