Rep.-elect Jerry McNerney says: "Please help Christine [Jennings] make sure every vote counts" in FL-13, which the GOP is nearly finished stealing

Over the course of the primary and general-election campigns, Howie introduced DWT readers to a lot of impressive candidates across the country, and I know his only frustration was that he--and we--couldn't do more for them. A bunch of them are headed for Congress in January, or to assorted state houses. The rest of them will, I hope, be back to fight another, happier fight.

One of the earliest candidates to attract DWT attention was in fact making his second try at what was once considered a hopeless task: unseating entrenched Republicrook "Dirty Dick" Pombo. Jerry McNerney waged a heroic battle for the Democratic nomination in 2004, then got in his first licks at Dirty Dick, and this year was all set to finish the job he started two years earlier--only to find himself up against a field of primary candidates including a hand-picked, well-financed stooge of Rahm Emanuel (without strong roots in the district, like most Rahmocrats).

Well, Jerry cleaned the stooge's clock, and in the process earned the eternal enmity of Boss Rahm, master of the DCCC and its purse strings. Nevertheless, last month he sent Dirty Dick to a richly deserved early retirement. Well, Jerry hasn't even been sworn in yet, and he's already continuing the good fight: urging us to support Christine Jennings' struggle to hold off the forces of darkness in Florida's 13th CD--the one that had the 18,000 "undervote" ballots cast, without a congressional vote. This is a race that so obviously demands a recount (as a prelude to getting a new election ordered) that no sensible person could oppose it.

Of course in Florida sensible people are mostly excluded from control of the election machinery, which is mostly in the clutches of the state Republican Party, which steals elections for a living. The legal process to prevent the GOP from completing the theft of this seat is expensive. It would be no problem for a Republican candidate, of course--the money would appear as if by magic. But Christine needs our help.

Ironically, Christine was one of Boss Rahm's candidates, a recently converted Republican sent into battle in the primary against a real grass-roots progressive, Jan Schneider. Even so, we can't allow the Republicans to steal the seat, at least not without a fight. And who do we find at the front of the march? The pride of CA-11, Rep.-elect Jerry McNerney!

His message? "Please help Christine make sure that every vote counts!"


Dear ----------,
Many of you have heard me tell the story of how I used my home equity to pay for the re-count of my write-in campaign against Richard Pombo in 2004. That recount resulted in me winning the Democratic nomination by ONE vote.
Well, it has been nearly four weeks since the midterm elections and we all have had a chance to rest, but there is still a race yet to be decided that reminds me of the importance of one vote. And it's also an unfortunate example of the importance of election integrity. Democrat Christine Jennings is locked in a tough battle to determine the next representative of Florida's 13th Congressional district and she needs our help making sure every vote counts.
CAN YOU CONTRIBUTE NOW TO MAKE SURE EVERY VOTE COUNTS?
In Christine's home of Sarasota County, election officials have maintained that an astounding 18,000 voters simply did not vote in her Congressional race - - a 14% "undervote" that is six times higher than the undervote rate in the rest of the district. You don't need a Ph.D. in Math to know this is a statistical aberration, and combined with numerous reports of voters who said they voted for Jennings but didn't see this choice registered on their voting summary, makes it clear that a new election or re- vote is the only solution.
PLEASE HELP CHRISTINE BY DONATING NOW!
Jennings needs to pay for a legal team, voting machine experts, and maintain a full staff while they work to ensure that every vote is counted. They also must prepare to mount a strong campaign if a judge orders a re-vote. These efforts will cost money, an estimated $1,000,000. No winner has been declared yet, and at this point, anything can happen.
PLEASE HELP CHRISTINE MAKE SURE THAT EVERY VOTE COUNTS!
The FL-13 Recount Fund is a joint account supported by the Florida Democratic Party. That means you are able to make a personal donation of any amount up to $12,100. Your donation will not count toward the federal limit. Any amount you can give today will be truly appreciated -- and it will help protect our fundamental right to a free and fair election. You can contribute by donating securely online at: http:// www.actblue.com/page/recount.




Jerry McNerney
Congressman-Elect CA-11


NOT TO THROW COLD WATER ON THE EFFORT, BUT . . .

But I thought that before I posted this appeal, I should make my contribution, and I had the requisite ActBlue page filled in, but when I clicked to "complete transaction," my browser claimed not to be able to open the page, and the ActBlue site claimed not to recognize it.

Probably I screwed it up somehow.


UPDATE

No, it all seems to be OK! I've got my e-mail receipt confirming my contribution! So if the same thing happens to you, it's probably OK too.