On Sunday the House of Representatives delivered by passing healthcare reform which President Barack Obama quickly signed into law.
Many Democrats from vulnerable districts stood with us and voted for healthcare reform. And now we've got to stand with them. On Monday Adam B started an ActBlue page to send this message: stand with our party and for progressive causes, and the netroots will have your back.
The effort has been an amazing success so far: $35,615 raised from 366 donors as I post this. But we need to keep this going: Can we hit $40,000 from 400 donors by tonight?
Yes we can.
Politicians and the media pay close attention to fundraising and will be paying a lot of attention to the elections this November. We need to send a strong message: Stand for progressive values and progressives will stand with you.
Already Sarah Palin and her teabagger allies are going after many of these same representatives. We can't underestimate them, they are passionate, well funded and won't give up in their fight to defeat progress. They will come out in November in droves and if we let them win.
Don't let Sarah Palin win, get their backs.
Here's the list of people who you should be supporting -- these Democrats (listed by District, Name, PVI), elected in Republican and swing districts (and mostly in the past three years), for whom every close vote for reproductive freedom and health care reform can become the next opposition campaign ad:
AZ-01 Kirkpatrick, Ann R+6
FL-02 Boyd, Allen R+6
CO-04 Markey, Betsy R+6
AZ-05 Mitchell, Harry R+5
AZ-08 Giffords, Gabrielle R+4
FL-24 Kosmas, Suzanne R+4
NY-19 Hall, John R+3
FL-08 Grayson, Alan R+2
MI-07 Schauer, Mark R+2
NY-20 Murphy, Scott R+2
WI-08 Kagen, Steve R+2
CA-11 McNerney, Jerry R+1
IL-08 Bean, Melissa R+1
IL-11 Halvorson, Debbie R+1
IL-14 Foster, Bill R+1
MN-01 Walz, Tim R+1
NY-23 Owens, Bill R+1
NH-01 Shea-Porter, Carol R+0
NY-01 Bishop, Timothy R+0
OH-15 Kilroy, Mary Jo D+1
VA-05 Perriello, Tom R+5**
** Technically, Tom Perriello shouldn't be here: he voted for the Stupak Amendment the first time. But he has also voted for ACES and the stimulus bill despite being a freshman member elected by less than 1000 votes in an R+5 district -- McCain and Bush both carried it -- so if you're willing to make one exception, Perriello is the exception you should make.
Almost every one of these Democrats are top Republican targets in 2010. We've got two choices: Let the Republican attack machine take them out and block all progress or stand with them and show them conviction politics is winning politics.
So please, visit the WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK v2.0 ActBlue page and spread some sugar around today -- $3 each? $5? $10, $20 or more? Whatever you can do. Then promote it on your Facebook page, your Twitter feed and your own diaries.
As Adam said
If politicians in tough districts see that national support exists when they do the right thing on a big vote -- and there may be no bigger one than the one they cast last night -- they will feel more comfortable doing it again the next time. They won't have to worry about losing some donors over these pro-choice and pro-health care votes if they've gained our loyal support instead. And when the NRCC targets them this fall, they will be able to fight back.
The right is even descending into violence. 10 Democrats have gotten extra security because of threats linked to their healthcare votes and Rep. Perriello's brother had his propane gas line cut.
Don't let fear win. Don't let caution win. Don't let Palin and the teabaggers win.
$40,000 from 400 by midnight? We can do it.
Show them: WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK.