Before I get into the main part of my post, I want to tell you all how much we appreciate the generous contributions the netroots community is sending our way. It means a lot to me to see people all across the country embracing our campaign’s message — “It’s time for a change.”
Together we raised nearly $7,000 from more than 140 contributors during the last 14 hours and we’re back in the Top Five on Act Blue.
Markos and many other bloggers have done us a great service with their writing and the response from the readers has been tremendous. Thank you all very much!
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On Sunday, my cousin, U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo and her neighbors, Vega and Steven Gerber, graciously hosted a fund-raiser for my campaign for Congress at their home in Atherton, California.
First, I should tell you that my cousin, Anna, a Democratic Congresswoman from California, and our respective families share a very close bond.
During the Armenian Genocide, both Anna’s grandmother and my own grandmother, Esther, escaped their homeland together to America. Their journey lasted three long years.
For Anna and I to stand together — a sitting Congresswoman and a candidate for Congress — was truly an honor. I don’t think our grandmothers ever imagined that something like that could happen. I think it is true testament to their courage, the tenacity of immigrants, and their pursuit of the American Dream.
To introduce Anna to our friends and meet with hers was a great joy for me and my wife, Leslie. My cousin paid me the ultimate compliment when she called me a true patriot for having the courage to run for Congress.
Anna and I both believe strongly that, no matter your district, this race is your race.
Why?
Because every time your representative stands up in Congress to make the right vote on issues like stem cell research, choice, the Iraq war, FISA, privacy — you name it — Congressman Dan Lipinski stands up and votes with the Bush Administration and cancels out your voice.
Throughout his tenure, when the Democratic side of the U.S. House votes blue, there’s a red blip in that sea of blue. That red blip is Congressman Dan Lipinski voting the wrong way.
This past week, we saw the Senate stumble when its Democratic leaders tried to draft legislation to force the Bush Administration to change the direction of the war. We’ve seen Democrats in the House try and fail. The reason this keeps happening is because of Democrats like Congressman Dan Lipinski who are working against the wishes of real Democrats and the mandate from a majority of the voters.
President Bush has said in no uncertain terms that he wants to keep our troops in Iraq indefinitely. Democrats need to say, with one voice, that we believe the troops need to come home and this war must come to an end.
We need to do the same when we vote on stem cell research, choice and other issues. This is what the people who voted to change Congress last year want us to do.
Why have Congressman Dan Lipinski and the Republicans silence those voices?
Again, I want to say “thanks you” to Anna and all the people I met in California for their time and their contributions. Thank you Vega and Steve Gerber for your warm hospitality.
To the readers, thank you for keeping up with he campaign here in IL-03. If you believe it’s time for a change, we need your help.
Sincerely,
Mark
For more information, visit www.PERA08.com.