Wednesday, 7 March, 2018, has been circled on my calendar for quite a while now. Since I started planning this run in May, we’ve been focused on making sure the campaign is in a position to file, compete, and do the unexpected.
The great news is that’s exactly what we’ve done. Through hard work, learning some new skills, and getting out and meeting with the Democrats of Georgia there’s a campaign launching. We even caught one of the breaks we need, when our current rep, Drew Ferguson, decided that Delta Air Lines’s decision to end NRA convention discounts on the basis of neutrality was just too much for him to take.
The field challenging Rep. Ferguson solidified today and is doubtful to change before qualifying closes at noon on Friday. On the Republican side, Republican turned independent turned Republican Phil Singleton qualified for the ballot as a Republican challenger to the incumbent. This will at least require Representative Ferguson to spend a little money reminding people that he’s the incumbent. I’ve had my business card handed back to me several times with the caveat “Unless you’re running against Ferguson”, so who knows.
On the Democratic side, we also have a contested primary. While I’m not excited about spending limited resources fending off a challenger, I’m optimistic about our chances both in May and in November. Here’s why:
My history is one of servant leadership. Going back to my days as a Boy Scout in Little Rock, through my time at the US Naval Academy, and throughout my aviation career in both the US Marine Corps and with Delta Air Lines, I’ve spent my life trying to improve the lives of others.
My platform is one that can build bridges and build a bipartisan coalition. I’m running to raise wages, care for our veterans, lower health care costs while increasing access, and ending our school shooting epidemic. This district is very rural, and I make sure to talk to anyone and everyone at events, whether they’re Democrats or not. I’ve yet to meet someone who’s genuinely opposed to my policy goals.
l have a team that’s built to do more with less. Everyone is volunteering their time and talent because they believe in the campaign and they believe we can win in November. We pay in cake, but my campaign manager will testify that we make good cake. If we can do it in-house, we do, because we know the finances of this district are tough. Since 2007, when this district took close to it’s current shape, no Democrat has raised over $60,000. That’s the reality we face.
So please help us change that reality. Right now we’ve got enough to win the primary, but only by being very smart and very efficient. The general is going to take a little bit more help. The math is still easy, $10 a voter exceeds our goals. I ask people I meet to sign up for just a dollar a month, because that’s all it takes. If we want to flip the house, it takes competing in all 435 districts. Help me flip this seat blue, and you help us flip the House blue.
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