Everyday I've been scanning through the Election Diary Resue, thinking I should really write a diary about my great representative, Congressman Jim McGovern, ActBlue.
Jim is one of the good guys. A member of the Progressive Caucus and a proud Liberal!
Earlier this year he was quoted as saying:
“It’s no secret that I’m a liberal; I didn’t poll any of this stuff, but I am who I am."
source: Boston Globe, 28 Aug 2010
This year, Jim is running against 2 candidates. A Republican with the backing of many local Tea Party groups and an Independent.
Jim represents Massachusetts 3rd District, a long narrow district running from Fall River (only the northern part of the city) in the southeast to the hill towns of Central Mass north and west of Worcester. The district includes all of Worcester, Massachusetts' 2nd largest city (and Jim's Home town) as well as several smaller cities (Marlborough, Franklin, Attleboro). Large towns in the district include Milford and No. Attleboro. But the district includes many smaller very conservative towns in central mass and along the I495 "off-ramps" communities. It includes Wrentham, home of Sen Scott Brown.
In 2008, the district went solidly for President Obama, with Wrentham the only community have a majority for McCain ( Massachusetts 2008 results ). However, in this years special election to replace Sen. Kennedy, only the two anchor cities Worcester and Fall River went to Martha Coakley. The rest of the district went to Scott Brown ( Massachusetts 2010 Senate Election results) ).
If you look at the second map, I think you'll agree, we cannot take this district for granted. We have some work ahead of us.
I think the DK community will agree with me, we need more people in Congress like Jim McGovern. Jim opposed the Iraq war from the beginning. He is trying to get us out of Afghanistan. He fought hard for comprehensive Healthcare Reform.
Tonight, Jim sent out email to his supporters:
With just 35 days left until election day, we are starting to see just what my Republican opponent’s strategy will be, and it isn’t pretty. Gimmicks, distractions, and distortions, and it's only just begun...
That’s why I need your help to raise $4800 in the next 48 hours, ahead of our next FEC filing deadline at midnight on September 30th.
Already, my opponent has showed off some of the dirty tricks he is convinced will help him win. He will do or say anything to get elected.
* An out-of-state firm has been calling voters, spreading lies about my record.
* A Nevada-based PAC has made at least one major out-of-state expenditure, running misleading ads on my opponent’s behalf.
* And there have been the distracting gimmicks: a barf bag, a bag of nuts, and a pair of scissors.
My opponent's strategy is to divert attention from his lack of solutions.
I am focused like a laser beam on job growth, tax relief for small businesses and the middle class and real solutions for our district. His ideas will only hurt families and small business owners while giving relief to big Wall Street CEO’s.
He wants to privatize social security while protecting tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. And he is against making healthcare more affordable for seniors, including closing the Medicare prescription drug doughnut hole.
I’m tired of gimmicks, and I know voters are too. I grew up in a family of small business owners, and I know how important it is to our economy that we work to help and not hurt those who invest in our communities. I’m running an aggressive race focused on solutions, not gimmicks.
Please help me raise $4800 in the next 48 hours.
In an election year where millions of dollars of corporate money is being spent to influence races around the country, and misleading independent expenditure ads have already been run against me, I need your financial support now more than ever to get our message out on TV, radio and the web.
My campaign needs to raise $4800 over the next 48 hours to hit our goals. Please help me work to move us forward, not back.
Sincerely,
Jim
Earlier this week, I received an automated push-poll call, sponsored by supported of Jim's Tea Party opponent. It was about 20 questions of full distortions, misrepresentations and outright lies. It made me ill to listen to all the questions, but after every bogus, "if you knew Jim McGovern ..., would you still vote for him?" question, I happily answered, "YES!".
So please, go to ActBlue - Jim McGovern, and show Jim some love!
Jim's Republican opponent has a campaign gimmick. He is passing out "Barf Bags" with his campaign slogans printed on them. Well, let's turn the tables and make Jim's opponent sick, by helping Jim McGovern reach and exceed his fundraising goal!
[ Disclosure: I am NOT a paid staffer for Jim McGovern, but I am volunteering for him. ]