We at the campaign gave our hearts and souls and savings throughout the campaign and after. We Dems got stuck with a slim majority, unfortunately, because we were too cowardly to think bigtime. Instead, the Dems went into a play-it-safe four-courner stall to ensure victory in the House.
The party let us and well over a hundred other challengers down (except for wonderful visits by true 50-state Deaniacs like Max Cleland and Russ Feingold -- thank you!). Here in a district where the GOP has only a slim edge and a do-nothing, foot-in-mouth incumbent, John Mica, it wasn't worth even a crumb from any Democratic Leadership PAC we contacted.
More to the point, 2008 will most likely be decided in this part of Florida, the only large swing state, so it's horrible strategy to concede the district and alienate the voting base. When voters here learned that folks like Tammy Duckworth were getting $6 million, mostly from outside their highly Republican district, there was a lot of anger among lifelong Democrats. Why aren't the 750,000 people in the 7th worthy? Tammy's story is wonderful and we love her, but our guy was a much better speaker and as qualified (as well as being an ex-Marine who overcame Post Tramatic Stress). And those who talk about the close races they lost. Guess why? Incumbents like Mica used their free time to raise millions for leadership PACs which went to help beat those guys.
P.S.: Our candidate does intend to run in '08. We hope we get the same great help and support next time. This time, I know we'll make you all proud.