Crossposted from Michigan Liberal
Dear Friends,
Yesterday, I welcomed Senator Barack Obama to the 9th Congressional District for a town hall meeting in Troy. From the energy in the crowd, you could really feel how much the momentum for change is building here in Oakland County.
Below the jump is the video of my speech welcoming Senator Obama to Oakland County.
Last week, the newspapers here in Michigan reported what many of us have known all along – that Oakland County, and our race in the 9th District, are going to be at the center of the storm this November.
The Detroit Free Press:
...The county is trending more Democratic, having supported the Democrat for president in the last three election cycles and picking up six seats on the 25-member commission since 2004.
In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Democratic state party chairman Mark Brewer said Republicans used to assume that Kent and Oakland counties were their main bases of support.
"They can no longer do that," he said....
Gongwer News Service (Subscription)
...Led by U.S. House candidate Gary Peters, [Democrats expect] to shrink the GOP lead in the congressional delegation, pick up one state House seat and potentially take a majority of the county commission.
"This is shaping up to be a really important - potentially a watershed - year for Democrats," said state party Chair Mark Brewer during a teleconference on the races Tuesday. "I think Oakland County's going to be one of the major battlegrounds."...
At the same time, my opponent continues to be out of touch with the change that’s happening all around him. In response to the stories above, his campaign manager told the Detroit News:
"While there may be some trends here and there, the bottom line is that Oakland County and the 9th Congressional District have re-elected Congressman Knollenberg."
We’ve heard that logic before – in Illinois, Mississippi, Louisiana, and across the country in 2006 – and we all know exactly how that turned out.
With the Cook Political Report rating this District at R+0, and calling this race "one of Democrats’ better opportunities to knock off a veteran incumbent," it’s pretty clear that the tired old politics of President Bush and his long-term followers like Rep. Knollenberg are on the way out.
This campaign is about reaching out to new voters here in Oakland County – people whose voices haven’t been heard by Rep. Joe Knollenberg for years – and the response has been amazing. People are tired of the kind of failed leadership that votes with President Bush over 90% of the time instead of representing the interests of middle class families, workers, and businesses in Oakland County.
People are tired of elected representatives who have voted over and over again to ratify the Bush Administration’s mismanagement of the war in Iraq – when even the Administration’s own former spokesman is publicly admitting that the case for war was made on misinformation and propaganda.
Thanks to your support, this month we passed the $200,000 mark in online fundraising on ActBlue, and the total keeps rising every day! While I would rather have 10 voters than $10 any day of the week, we also know that my opponent is going to be very well funded this fall – backed by the entrenched special interests that are counting on him to be their representative on the House Appropriations Committee. To fight back, and to get our message of action and leadership for Oakland County out to the voters, we’re going to need every penny we can get – so thank you for your support!
As part of our ongoing effort to reach out and take action in the community, there are several exciting events coming up that I want to tell you about.
- On June 8th, House Minority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) will be coming here to Oakland County. Congressman Clyburn is a great leader and champion for justice and civil rights, and I’m honored that he will be joining me to reach out into the community in Pontiac on Sunday morning.
- On June 14th, we will open our new campaign headquarters in Clawson! After the barbeque and opening party, I’ll be going out knocking on doors with our volunteers. To learn more about the kickoff, or how to join our campaign team and be part of the change in Oakland County, visit my website.
This is an exciting time here in the campaign. With our momentum building, and with my opponent still clinging to the failed policies and strategies of President Bush, I am confident that we will win in November and bring real leadership to Oakland County for a change.
Thank you again for your continued support!
Gary Peters
Please click here to support my campaign on ActBlue.