Howdy folks. I wanted to drop you a line and give an update on the Peter Gutzmer campaign for Illinois 27th Senate district (www.votegutzmer.org). Things are moving at light speed and this one will be a squeaker...the difference may very well be the kind of support we get from this community
Pete is a canvassing machine, walking precincts, shaking hands at the local train stations, going to every block party and bake sale in the district and it is paying off. He secured many endorsements, including a number of Republican mayors in the area. He recently picked up the endorsement from the Brady campaign for his rational and common sense approach to gun violence and gun control. Pete clearly reflects the views and positions of the majority of people in this area. He is one of us, a firefighter/paramedic, and in many respects, a hero.
BUT, this is and remains a traditionally Republican area. People vote Republican as a matter of habit and if they don't know the issues or the candidates, the GOP is the sick- making default. For all the work Pete has done, for all the walking and hand shaking and exposure, in this sound bite world of ours, television and radio are king. We know that if we get Pete's message out: funding for stem cell research, property tax reform, making certain Harper College programs into full four year bachelor degrees, and sensible gun control, we win. To get this message out, the campaign needs money to buy advertising and people to help make the advertising (hopefully pro bono).
SO why should you care about this one race in a solidly blue state? The Democrats only have a 3-seat majority in the Illinois Senate. Pete's opponent is against abortion, even in cases of rape and incest (and has tried to modify his position because it doesn't poll very well). Pete winning would help solidify the Democrat's position in the Northwest Chicago suburbs and help make the 50 state strategy real by building local capacity. AND Pete is a great person who would be a fantastic state senator.
We need your time, we need your good ideas, and most of all, we need your money. You have the power, with a five-dollar donation at www.votegutzmer.org to make history. I know everybody and their brother is asking for money; the five bucks from 1000 of you buys local radio; five bucks from 5000 of you buys radio and cable TV; five bucks from 10000 buys radio, cable, and broadcast TV sending a message to the GOP that we WILL fight every race, we WILL win, and we WILL fix the mess they inflicted on us at every level of government.