--- Begin Message ---
Letter from US Senator Charles Schumer re: Obama and Details on the 2008
Races in Battleground States, from Democrat Perspective By Stephen Fox,
Contributing Editor New Mexico Sun News////please take the time to comment
on this important letter!
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stephenfox/gG5ccv
Here is something I am absolutely certain of: The only reason we're poised
to achieve once-in-a-lifetime change in the Senate is because our
grassroots - people just like you - have done everything we've asked to give
the DSCC all the campaign resources we need to execute our proven campaign
plan.
For that, you have my deep, sincere thanks. And if we elect that filibuster-
proof majority in November, you'll have the gratitude of an entire nation.
Let me tell you where we stand.
There are 11 battleground states. [OREGON, ALASKA, COLORADO, NEW MEXICO,
MINNESOTA, KENTUCKY, NORTH CAROLINA, VIRIGNIA, MISSISSIPPI, NEW HAMPSHIRE,
AND MAINE]
And that doesn't even count the five other states just on the horizon that
we'll all be talking about on Election Day. Here are just a few examples of
the success we're seeing this cycle.
Democrat Tom Udall holds a commanding lead in New Mexico. In fact, just a
few days ago we learned that the NRSC canceled its entire $2.3 million
television buy here, essentially conceding the race.
The nation's most vulnerable Republican incumbent, John Sununu, trails
Democratic ex-Governor Jeanne Shaheen by 11 points.
Even in a Republican stronghold like North Carolina, two recent polls show
Democratic State Senator Kay Hagan pulling even with incumbent Republican
Elizabeth Dole.
I know that we can make the most of our opportunity this year because we're
using the same proven strategy that took back the Senate in 2006. You're
helping us frame the terms of each race, respond to every attack, and
directly connect with millions of voters to drive them to the polls.
Thanks to your overwhelming support, the DSCC was able to launch TV ads in
North Carolina that exposed Dole as the 93rd most effective senator,
undercutting her hollow message of experience and results.
In Colorado, Democrat Mark Udall was under siege by $6 million worth of
attack ads paid for by shadowy third-party Republican groups. The DSCC
rushed to his defense with ads of our own and now Mark has an impressive
lead.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, your contributions support a bigger
and better version of the sophisticated voter contact strategy that took
back the Senate two years ago. Already this year, we've made more 2.5
million phone calls and knocked on 650,000 doors in our battleground states
nationwide.
That's just the tip of the iceberg. All told, the DSCC has already spent
$28 million of your money to put us in position for a monster November.
Like I've said before: there is no doubt we are in such a strong position to
deliver a filibuster-proof Senate majority entirely because we have you on
our side.
Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
Chuck Schumer
P.S. We're ahead in 5 races for current Republican seats. But that's only
halfway to a truly filibuster-proof majority. We can't get there without
your continued support.
-----------
2008 Senate Battlegrounds
Alaska
Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D) vs. Sen. Ted Stevens (R)
The corruption scandal sweeping through the Alaska Republican Party has put
Ted Stevens - a 7-term incumbent - on the brink of losing his seat in
November.
Democrat Mark Begich has opened up a lead in the latest polling, but nobody
is under any illusion that this race is over. Alaska has always been a
Republican stronghold, and with Governor Sarah Palin on the presidential
ticket, the party is sure to be energized to turn out in November.
Begich is doing everything necessary to hold on to his lead. He's raising
money and reaching out to voters. Just this week he launched a new ad to
drive home his commitment to repeal the disastrous No Child Left Behind law.
Stevens won't let a 40-year career end without a fight, so we won't let up
for a second before Election Day. With your help, the DSCC will do
everything possible to ensure that Mark Begich wins in November.
Colorado
Rep. Mark Udall (D) vs. Rep. Bob Schaffer (R)
Six months ago, this race was neck and neck. Now, Mark Udall leads by 10
points in the latest Denver Post poll.
What happened? First, Bob Schaffer was discovered to have been the
recipient of an all-expense paid tropical vacation from a front group for
convicted Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Then, it was revealed that
when he was vice-president of Aspect Energy, he negotiated an oil deal in
Iraq that the State Department officials specifically identified as
detrimental to stability in Iraq.
Then there were two different DSCC TV ads paid for by grassroots supporters
like you. Our investment here is another key reason Udall enjoys a strong
position heading into the stretch run.
Colorado will be a battleground state in November, so we're not taking
anything for granted in this race. In fact, Udall has already seen more
third-party attack ads than any other Democratic candidate this cycle. It's
our job to help him fight back.
Kentucky
Bruce Lunsford (D) vs. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R)
No matter how much money Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell spends,
he can't shake the tough challenge posed by Democratic business leader Bruce
Lunsford. McConnell is even getting hundreds of thousands of dollars in
help from corporate Republican third-party organizations.
None of it is slowing Lunsford, who is on the air with a devastating
straight-to-camera indictment of Republican failures in Washington.
Let's be blunt. It's always tough to beat an entrenched incumbent, but
Mitch McConnell has been the man responsible for all of those Republican
filibusters blocking progress on health care, energy costs, and the housing
crisis. It's critical that he is held accountable in November.
Maine
Rep. Tom Allen (D) vs. Sen. Susan Collins (R)
Republican incumbent Susan Collins likes to portray herself as a voice of
Republican moderation, but the truth is that she's been a reliable
cheerleader for even the worst of George Bush's policies.
Democrat Tom Allen is ready to hold Collins accountable for her record. He
has built a formidable campaign organization and has more than $3 million in
the bank for the stretch run. He will have the resources to bring his
message of change to Mainers.
Allen and the DSCC have both taken to the airwaves to push Allen's proven
record of results. This race is poised for a strong finish.
Minnesota
Al Franken (D) vs. Sen. Norm Coleman (R)
The race between Al Franken and Norm Coleman is a dead heat, and the massive
TV blitz has begun. Coleman has launched attack ads against Franken, and
corporate special interests are blanketing the state against Franken.
That's why the DSCC has unleashed a striking new ad this week that apes a
blockbuster movie trailer to make sure that every Minnesota voter knows Norm
Coleman is a classic Bush Republican. We think it's pretty terrific and
will break through the noise in this race to get a lot of attention from
voters. Take a look and see for yourself.
Mississippi
Gov. Ronnie Musgrove (D) vs. Sen. Roger Wicker (R)
The polls in the race for Trent Lott's old seat are just about as close as
they can get. Democrat Ronnie Musgrove and interim Senator Roger Wicker
have been trading the lead for months.
Make no mistake. Mississippi is top territory for Democrats. But
Republicans always do well in the Deep South, so Musgrove is working hard to
persuade independent and even Republican voters. Both sides are blitzing
the state with TV ads.
What's going to make the difference in this race? You are. Thanks to your
support, the DSCC is already running ads in Mississippi to expose Wicker's
sordid record. As long as we can count on you along the way, the DSCC will
be able to make the investments necessary to win on Election Day.
This is going to be one of those races - like Montana and Virginia in 2006 -
where we win by just a few thousand votes. You helped the DSCC make all the
difference before and I know we will do it again.
New Hampshire
Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D) vs. Sen. John Sununu (R)
Jeanne Shaheen is another big target for third-party attacks ads. By our
count, seven different groups have spent more than $2.5 million trying to
drag Shaheen through the mud.
These groups don't have to disclose their donors, so they can't be held
accountable. Instead, the DSCC just has to fight back. With our new ad
this week targeting John Sununu's dismal record on supporting funding for
Medicare, that's exactly what we're doing.
The DSCC's job is to level the playing field when our candidates are under
attack, and it's working in New Hampshire. Shaheen has sustained a strong
lead in this race, and John Sununu remains the most vulnerable Republican
incumbent in the country.
Still, New Hampshire is another presidential battleground state, and John
Sununu has a history of taking advantage of dirty political tricks to win.
We can't take a moment off if we're going to elect Jeanne Shaheen.
New Mexico
Rep. Tom Udall vs. Rep. Steve Pearce (R)
Democrat Tom Udall holds a solid lead in the latest polling and has more
than five times as much campaign cash on-hand as Steve Pearce.
While Udall continues to connect with voters and run TV ads focused on the
middle class squeeze, the NRSC has all but given up in this state. They
cancelled a $2.3 million planned ad buy and have essentially told Pearce
that he's on his own now.
The Washington Post has called a Udall victory a "done deal" and the
venerable political handicapper Charlie Cook has declared that Pearce
doesn't have a "fighting chance" in November. Very good news for
Democrats.
However, the United States Chamber of Commerce - one of the most reliable
Republican attack organizations - didn't get the memo and is spending
hundreds of thousands of dollars on ads against Udall. We haven't seen much
movement in the polls as a result, but the DSCC watches this race every
day. You know we'll be ready to support Udall whenever he needs it.
North Carolina
State Sen. Kay Hagan (D) vs. Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R)
Senator Dole is scared. We used to call this the sleeper race of the
cycle. Now, it's just another terrific opportunity to pick-up a Republican
held seat in one of the most closely-watched races in the country.
After trailing by as many as 12 points in recent months, two new polls give
Democrat Kay Hagan a slim lead in this race.
The Republicans are launching a major counter-offensive. Dole fired back
with her first negative attack against Hagan this cycle. Even the NRSC is
spending some of their meager budget attacking our candidate. They will not
go down without a fight.
At the DSCC, we always say we can level the playing field for our
challengers facing well-financed incumbents. The race in North Carolina is
a perfect example. We'll need your help along the way, but you better
believe that we'll do everything in our power to defeat Elizabeth Dole in
November.
Oregon
Speaker of the State House Jeff Merkley (D) vs. Sen. Gordon Smith (R)
Oregon remains one of the hottest Senate races in the country. Republican
incumbent Gordon Smith is clinging to a single-digit lead despite
outspending Democrat Jeff Merkley by a wide margin. In fact, in numbers
released Wednesday, Smith scored the highest disapproval rating of his
career in the Senate.
It really makes for a strong pick-up opportunity, which is why we've already
seen the Republicans' third-party friends taking aim at Merkley. Remember,
these organizations don't have to disclose their donors and therefore can't
be held accountable for the mud they sling.
Again, one of the keys to Democratic victory in this state will be a strong
and vibrant investment by the DSCC. We've known Oregon would be a strong
pick-up opportunity months ago and we have been airing TV ads statewide week
after week since May.
In our latest spot, we are directly responding to Smith's claims last week
that he's a strong opponent of the war in Iraq. The DSCC immediately
launched a new ad reminding Oregonians that no matter what he says now,
Smith supported George Bush's failed Iraq policy for 1,518 days.
In 58 days, we can show Gordon Smith just what we think about that and send
him packing. When you make a contribution, winning states like Oregon is
exactly where your money goes.
Virginia
Gov. Mark Warner (D) vs. Gov. Jim Gilmore (R)
Mark Warner has maintained a strong, double-digit lead in the polling in
this race, and it's easy to see why.
Warner has more than $5 million in campaign cash on hand. Gilmore is nearly
broke. Warner has been running TV ads emphasizing his bipartisan record of
accomplishment. Gilmore has been reduced to sleazy personal attacks.
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Coloradans for Obama" group.
To post to this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/coloradansforobama?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
--- End Message ---
