NOTE: This is my first ever diary!
Hi folks,
If you want to know how we're going to take back this country, take a tip from my friend Ty Harrell.
Over a year ahead of the election, Ty's already running hard for a NC house seat -- one currently held by Russell Capps, a hypocritical and nasty Republican (my words) who supports teaching "Intelligent Design" in the public schools and who's been widely recognized as one of the least effective legislators in Raleigh. Yet believe it or not, this guy hasn't had a challenger in years.
Follow the jump for the good news...
Now that Ty's in the race -- big-time -- the Repubs are running scared and rumor has it Capps will step down.
It won't be hard for them to find a Republican candidate who's younger and more appealing than Capps, but they'll have a VERY tough time finding anyone who can match Ty's smarts, qualifications, wit and charisma... He's an amazing guy who I got to know during the primary. He's running in a conservative district but he's one of us!
It won't be easy, but I believe Ty will win this seat in 2006. What I KNOW is that Ty's candidacy is forcing the Republicans to spend time and money defending that seat -- money that they could otherwise pour into other races in swing districts. For that alone, we all owe Ty a huge thank-you! Every one of us needs to be thinking about running for office -- especially seats that have gone uncontested. Those of us who aren't yet ready to take that step, we owe it to people like Ty to get on board and support them NOW.
Please read Ty's message below, then go to his website http://www.votetyharrell.com and show him some love before the June 30th fundraising deadline. He has a long hard fight ahead, but this kind of fight is exactly what it's going to take -- and nothing less -- to take our country back.
-- Lanya
----- Original Message -----
From: Ty Harrell
To: Lanya Shapiro
Sent: 6/23/2005 8:39:44 PM
Subject: A quick note from Ty Harrell
Friends,
I think Russell Capps (and the Republican Party) is beginning to realize he has got a race on his hands now! Because my campaign started early and we're getting organized for this election right now, Capps is getting pressured to step down so that they won't lose his seat so easily. This is apparent in today's Under the Dome in the N&O, http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/dome/story/2527265p-8931422c.html. Now, let's take the fight to them!
Presently, my campaign is comprised of more than 30 stellar committee members. Two of my committee members (Jeanette Hyde and Sam Poole) are former U.S. Ambassadors, with Ambassador Hyde serving as a Campaign Co-Chair. Our organizational strength is growing, but I need your help.
I need you to become a part of my team. I need you as my eyes and ears across the County. I need you to write a letter to the editors of the N&O to point out Capps' inconsistencies about believing in term limits, as long as HE'S not term limited. I need you to point out that I will be a formidable challenger to Capps for this seat. I need you to emphasize that Capps has consistently been ranked near the bottom (if not last!) in effectiveness as a member of the General Assembly. I need you to remind the N&O and inform other readers who may not know that Capps was the ONLY member of the State House to vote to keep sterilization of "mentally retarded" women on the books; THE ONLY ONE TO VOTE FOR THIS!!! And when asked why he would vote this way, he responded by saying, "I didn't understand the bill."
I am in this election to win it, and let me tell you, with your help, I AM GOING TO WIN!
Please visit my website (still in its infancy and very rough, but getting better everyday!) http://www.votetyharrell.com. There you can learn more about me, my values, and why North Carolina deserves better than what we are getting from Russell Capps!
Please take the time to make a contribution to my campaign. I MUST raise money to be competitive. More specifically, I MUST raise as much money as I can prior to June 30, the last day of this fundraising reporting period.
Thank you for all you have done and continue to do to make North Carolina better!
Warmest regards,
Ty Harrell