There is a crucial vote going on over at ForwardTogetherPAC. This is deciding a sum of money that could equal nearly 20 thousand dollars. There is one candidate who needs it more than any other, and a candidate who has the best chance of knocking off a GOP Rubberstamper.
And, if that title didn't get you in, I guess the only thing I could to get better attention to this diary is retitle 'I'm Running for Congress!'
That Candidate is Eric Massa. A Military Veteran who spent over a decades in the military, then served as an aide to Wesley Clark through much of Clark's high profile positions. His opponent is an awful GOP Rubberstamper in a district that has been historically moderate. Massa has an excellent chance to take this man down.
First let me tell you about the incumbent. Kuhl's divorce papers alone are a disgusting mess, however, I do not believe in using personal problems as an excuse to get rid of an incumbent, so I will not outline them. But, his voting record is bad enough. He voted with Bush a whooping 94% of the time. He strongly supported Social Security Priviatization, opposed Stem Cell Research, is unquestionably behind the President on the Iraq War, supported the Bankruptcy Act of 2005, and is pretty much an all around Conservative Stalwart. He is not well conected to his district, and is not popular in this district.
Now let me tell you about this race. Kuhl is infamous under performer. In 2004 he defeated a very weak, bumbling Democratic opponent with only 51%, with a Conservative party candidate taking 8%, this was as Bush took 56%. Despite Bush's strong performence, this is a moderate district, though it is what I would call the 'second' most conservative district in New York. Schumer won it, and that proves that it is very much winnable. Kuhl is a lousy campaigner, and an even lousier fundraiser. He is also one of the most innactive freshman lawmakers of 2004, and also the oldest, he is nearly 65. Massa is a very strong candidate, who is running as a moderate Fiscal Conservative, Socially Liberal and Economic Moderate. His fundraising has been good, and he actually outraised Kuhl last time around. He has also been working this district hard non stop, and campaigning across the district.
Now let me tell yoou about the district. It has been traditionally moderate, but Republican leaning. It's previous occupent was liberal Republican Amo Houghton. He opposed most of Bush's tax cuts, supported Stem Cell Research, opposed the Iraq War, opposed Social Security Privatization, and opposed the Medicare Plan D Prescription Benifit Plan. Whereas Kuhl campaigned for SS Privatization, voted against extending the Medicare Plan D sign up date, voted against any sort of time table for withdrawl from Iraq, and voted to extend Bush's disatoruous Tax cuts while the country sinks even deeper into debt. The district is also trending more Democrat. Corning, the largest city within the district, in 2005, elected it's first Democratic Mayor in 60 years. I find this very encouraging news since Massa campaigned for him actively. A DCCC internal poll showed Massa, how is not particularly well defined in the district, even among Likely Voters, only three points behind the incumbent. It also showed Bush highly unpopular in this district, and gave Kuhl a negative approval rating for his job in Congress. Vote for Massa and give him the money to finish defining himself and kick a GOP Rubberstamper who raised only 80,000 dollars last quarter, and probably not much more this quarter.
Here is the link to the site http://www.forwardtogetherpac.com/mapchangers#vote . Once you vote, please post your vote, so that you can spread awarness to new, incoming voters about Eric Massa and his desperate need for more money.
P.S. I keep track of my polls, so could please be sure to vote in it, they're very useful to me.