It was an honor to be the first Congressional candidate named to the Orange to Blue list last week. Thank you so much. It certainly is not lost on me that the candidates named to Orange to Blue all are running great races and will be strong democrats and agents of real change in Washington.
I am by no means a professional politician. My candidacy came about simply because I felt we were never going to meet the critical challenges ahead of us (energy independence, making the economy work for all Americans again, being fiscally responsible, restoring our educational competitiveness) without better representation from Arizona’s 3rd District.
More below the jump.
The response to our campaign has so far been overwhelming. What folks in Arizona first considered impossible soon was upgraded to a long shot, then a credible challenge, and, now, a competitive race. This last week we were named to Red-to-Blue and Orange-to-Blue and received the endorsement of the Arizona AFL-CIO. Following all the good news, Cook upgraded our race for the first time. [Roll Call, Swing State, and CQ already had listed our race as competitive.]
The campaign has been an awesome experience. Yes, It is extremely hard work, but the reward is worth the effort. The standing ovations from middle-class workers who desperately need better representation and the gratitude expressed by those who recognize, like I do, how debilitating our reliance on oil is in so many ways. The people in Arizona still have great hope that we can turn things around and create a future for our children even better than the future we enjoyed growing up. I share that hope, but also know there is much work to do.
The hope we all have truly is personified in Barack Obama.
We may disagree on some issues, but on the fundamental argument of this election - the need for change in Washington - I enthusiastically endorse Obama's candidacy.
As a candidate for Congress in Arizona's 3rd District, running against incumbent John Shadegg, I too want to change business as usual in Washington.
Over the last eight years, George Bush and John Shadegg have presided over a failed war in Iraq, run our economy into the ground and participated in the corrupt special interest politics that puts lobbyists, campaign cash and partisanship over the public interest.
John McCain's candidacy promises nothing but more of the same.
John McCain and John Shadegg supported George Bush's reckless, mismanaged war in Iraq from the beginning and continue to support an open-ended commitment.
Barack Obama and I have both opposed the war from the beginning and will work to bring our troops home.
I will also work to honor the sacrifices of our troops by making sure they have the health care benefits they deserve - and an opportunity to get ahead with a new GI Bill.
George Bush, John McCain and John Shadegg have supported an energy policy written by lobbyists for Big Oil. All three have worked to give corporate oil giants like Exxon-Mobil and Chevron billions in tax breaks even as these companies are making billions in profits and gouging us at the pump. While gas prices are climbing past $4 a gallon, Bush-McCain-Shadegg have consistently worked and voted against higher fuel mileage standards for our cars and trucks, something that could save the average Phoenix family $1,600 a year.
I will also work to increase fuel mileage standards and lower fuel costs - not give billions in tax breaks to big oil. We are united by a commitment to investing in renewable energies like solar, wind, and geothermal.
Finally, Bush-McCain-Shadegg are part of the corrupt special interest politics in today's Washington. John McCain's presidential campaign is run by a bevy of lobbyists, insiders and corporate fixers. John Shadegg even admitted his own culpability earlier this year saying, "We failed to live up to our word. Instead of changing Washington, Washington changed us." See it here:
Barack Obama will bring a fresh start to our national politics. As he said just last week:
"It is not left or right - liberal or conservative - to say that we have tried it their way for eight long years. And it has failed. It is time to try something new. It is time for change."
It very much is time for change. That is why I am running for Congress and why I support Barack Obama for President of the United States.
If you can help at the end of quarter, we are pushing right up until midnight next Monday. Thanks!