I'm on the John Kerry email list. Probably lots of people here are, but there's probably lots of people who are not too. I agree with a lot of what John Kerry said in 2004 and what he has been saying for the last 2 years too. I know that he is not the most popular person around this site, but his message often resonates with me. I include a copy of his email below the fold.
In this fundraising appeal, he directs our attention to 4 great candidates that need support. Are you pissed about Busby losing? Then help one of these four, or support one of the "Netroots" candidates, or find a local candidate in your area that needs support. He also explains why, in his opinion, the loss in the CA-50 is not a death knell for the party.
I do not think that this loss is a reason to pull our hair out. Sure it's disappointing, but Democrats did well in a district that they would have had no chance in 4 years ago. Things are not perfect, but this is not the end of the world. Let's learn from the errors and the successes here to help win more seats in November.
As the
New York Times
says
The intensity of the contest and the closeness of the result underscored the problems Republicans face in trying to keep control of Congress at a time when many Americans have expressed discontent with President Bush, Congress and the Republican Party. In a normal election year, this district would not even be near the playing field: Mr. Bush defeated John Kerry by 10 points here in 2004, and Republicans have a 44 percent to 29 percent edge over Democrats in voter registration.
Democrats said the results showed just how weak Republicans are this year, and noted how much money and effort the party had to put in just to squeak out a victory in a solid Republican district. Beyond the money and campaign workers, the party also had President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Senator John McCain of Arizona and First Lady Laura Bush make taped automatic calls to voters here, urging them to support Mr. Bilbray.
"In an election cycle that is about change and a new direction versus the status quo, Francine Busby has shown that a strong change message can make even former members of Congress vulnerable in deeply red Republican districts," said Sarah Feinberg, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committeee.
Chris Cillizza in the washingtonpost.com's Politics Blog says
The race, which was initially expected to be a slam dunk for Republicans, turned into a nip-and-tuck affair thanks to a toxic local and national political environment for the GOP.
This was another good article in the Washington Post, discussing these results and what they might mean.
As Kerry says below, the Republicans spent a bunch of money and committed a huge amount of manpower to win a seat that should not have been up for grabs, and they won by a tiny margin of victory. They cannot do that across the nation in November. Here's Kerry's email.
This morning, Republicans are making laughable claims of momentum in the 2006 elections. They poured over $5 million dollars of national Republican money into a California special election to hold onto a seat that they've held since it was created by the GOP, for the GOP 15 years ago.
And they eked out a victory by 5,000 votes.
Their claims of momentum are as phony as their claims of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Help make today a day of defiant determination by personally joining in a remarkable display of grassroots support for four key Democratic challengers locked in tight House and Senate races in historically Republican districts that are at the tipping point of electing Democrats.
Show them that, come November, we're going to win these elections, and we won't be denied.
The Republicans expect us to roll over after yesterday's special election. They're in for a big surprise. This fall's election is about removing the power to control America's agenda from their hands. And we won't stop working until we get it done.
We're fully committed to standing by Democratic candidates locked in tough races every step of the way. That's why today I'm asking you to help Keeping America's Promise give immediate urgently needed support to four impressive challengers who are running in tight House and Senate races in Republican bastions.
We've helped Tammy Duckworth before, raising over $150,000 in grassroots support to aid her aggressive, upstart campaign to pick up the open seat in Illinois' 6th District, which has been held by Rep. Henry Hyde (R) for 32 years. An Iraq war veteran, who lost her legs when her Black Hawk helicopter was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade, Tammy launched her candidacy just days after her release from Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Tammy is running an impressive issues-based campaign emphasizing health care, energy independence, and the need for congressional reform. She's ready, willing, and able to challenge the status quo.
And her opponent, Peter Roskam, is a Tom DeLay protege who has staked out extremist positions that are even to the right of Henry Hyde's ultra-conservative record. They're running neck and neck right now. But, you can help Tammy break this election open.
Harry Mitchell, the hugely popular former mayor of Tempe, Arizona, is taking on Republican J.D. Hayworth, one of the most divisive leaders of the "Republican revolution." You name the issue and, chances are, J.D. Hayworth has been -- loudly -- on the wrong side of it. That includes supporting reckless GOP spending and leading the effort to cut education and veterans' benefits.
But now, J.D. has a problem. He has to face Harry Mitchell, a highly-revered local political figure, in this year's elections. And Hayworth is apparently the leading congressional recipient of campaign donations associated with the Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
A Democratic win in this critical race would be a double victory. We'd bring a powerful new voice to Congress and we'd send packing one of the more wrong-headed GOP politicians of our time.
In another critical race, Mary Jo Kilroy is running in Ohio against Deborah Pryce, a member of the House Republican leadership. Pryce has supported the disastrous policies of the Bush Republicans up and down. She's never faced serious opposition for her House seat -- until now.
As Franklin County's top executive, Mary Jo Kilroy already represents 87 percent of the congressional district and she's a proven vote-getter. What's more, Pryce's district, historically a Republican stronghold, is changing. We battled George W. Bush to a tie in the district in the 2004 presidential campaign, and Mary Jo Kilroy is running in a deadlocked race. With your support, she's going to win. By helping her defeat a long-time member of the Republican House leadership team, we can send a powerful message this November.
The fourth candidate we're focusing on today is Jim Webb, the former Secretary of the Navy and proud Vietnam veteran. I am honored to have endorsed this Democrat in the crucial Virginia Senate race. Jim is a tireless advocate for veterans, and like the title of his book Born Fighting, he will not be afraid to stand up to this Administration -- no one pushes around a Marine. George Allen, his opponent, has stood with George W. Bush 97% of the time. In this critical election, we don't need to elect another rubber stamp.
Jim understands the many challenges facing Americans today: skyrocketing health care costs, the outsourcing of jobs and the lack of a level playing field. Jim knows President Bush has no plan in Iraq, and Jim will fight every day for real national security, unlike George Allen who says he's bored in the Senate, bored at a time when America's soldiers are caught in the crossfire in Iraq. Time magazine reported that Jim is "George Allen's worst nightmare."
Please help George Allen's nightmare come true by supporting Jim Webb in this crucial Senate race.
Today is a test. Do we yield to the ridiculous notion that Republicans have gained momentum in these elections? Do we buy their hollow spin? Or do we refuse to let them back in the game by working night and day to support strong, winning Democratic campaigns every step of the way?
You know what the answer has to be. Demonstrate our determination by rushing donations to the four key challengers I've just told you about. Thank you.
Sincerely,
John Kerry