As a daily visitor to the DailyKos, every time I visit here I come away inspired by the passion you have for returning the Democratic Party to the grassroots, and restoring the principles of democracy to our Federal Government. Your dedication and commitment is truly amazing. In no small way, it reminds me of the very reasons I decided to run for the House of Representatives in 2004.
A lot has gone on the in the past few days, and we continue to prepare for the race as if it will be a special election. We must prepare that way, because the Chicago media and Republican Party are preparing as well.
Although veteran U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde promises he has not made a decision about retiring after this term, Illinois Republicans are planning their next race around him while senior aides on Capitol Hill say his departure is a certainty.
Two senior Republican aides confirmed Tuesday that Hyde, of Wood Dale, has told fellow GOP members that he will announce his retirement around his 81st birthday in mid-April.
The truth of the matter is, no one knows when Henry Hyde is going to retire, and if he will even serve out his full term or not.
Watching the Republicans on the ground in my district tells a different story than one of a party expecting the next election to occur in 2006. They have settled on a candidate, State Sen. Peter Roskam, who has already begun fundraising, meeting with D.C. Republicans, and is actually already running commercials.
The good news is, our campaign continues to work with the expectation of a special election. If it happens, our organization from 2004 has remained intact and continues to grow.
The grassroots and netroots were so vital to the campaign's success in 2004. We received a higher percentage of the vote than any Democratic challenger to Henry Hyde in 30 years (44.2%). Because of our emphasis on grassroots organizing, we were selected as a member of the "Dean Dozen." And the fact that we led with organization allowed us to compete despite a fundraising disadvantage that often befalls first time Democratic challengers.
Perhaps most valuable were the lessons learned from 2004. We have started fundraising early, I continue to attend DFAs around the district and surrounding areas, and the largest media outlets in the district, and city of Chicago, are already talking about the race as if it were a month before the election.
But what will put us over the top in 2005 (or 2006) is you. There are so many ways you can help. I know that many visitors to this site are actually from Chicago. In fact, some of our greatest volunteers and staff are members of the DailyKos community.
We have started early with the goal of turning IL-06 from red to blue. Today, I want to ask those of you who wish to help, to join us. There are several ways you can participate, either on the ground, or from anywhere in the country:
1.) If you are from the area of the 6th CD in Illinois, please consider volunteering your time with the campaign. We are already having events, Meetups, and would love to meet you there. You can find out more HERE
2.) You can blog about the campaign, on sites like DailyKos, and especially your own blog. This is something anyone can do from anywhere in the country. If you would like to receive campaign updates for your blog, please email us with your blog name and URL:
info@cegelisforcongress.com
3.) Of course, you can always contribute monetarily to the campaign. One of the most difficult jobs the candidate has in a campaign is asking for money. However, your contribution is a trust and responsibility we take very seriously. For more information, please click HERE
Thanks again for taking the time to talk with me about the campaign. I will be around for a bit to answer any questions you have about the campaign, our successes in 2004, and how we defeat whatever Republican they throw at us in 2005 or 2006.
Christine Cegelis