Today's Guest: Josh Segall, Proud Alabama Democrat

A trusted friend turned me on to Josh Segall's campaign around 6 months ago and I've watched as Josh has built a credible effort in a red-leaning district worth fighting for, eastern Alabama's 3rd CD. In 2006 the far right incumbent, Mike Rogers, spent $1,046,764 against Democrat Greg Pierce's $7,674. Pierce still managed to win nearly 40% of the vote. This year Rogers had taken in less than a million dollars but his problem isn't that he has less than he had last year; his problem is Josh Segall... who's raised over $800,000, still not as much as Rogers... but a helluva lot more than $7,674!

Rogers is a classic rubber stamp Republican with an abysmal and indefensible voting record. Yes, it's Alabama but Rogers is part of the right-wing jihad against working families and on those kitchen table issues Alabama is just like the rest of the country. And right now, they are steaming. Even in Alabama Bush's approval rating is in negative territory, with barely 45% of the voters feeling he's doing an acceptable job.

At 29, Josh would be the youngest member of Congress if he's elected. We've talked intensely about the issues that are important to the progressive community. Unlike Chris Carney, who lied to us in 2006 in order to make us believe he was pro-choice and in favor of equality in order to gain our endorsement and financial support, Josh has told me that he was just looking for an opportunity to present his ideas and start a dialogue and that he felt that some of the social trends in the district, trends he is in sympathy with, wouldn't make him a Blue America candidate. He is however committed-- and outspokenly so-- to Choice. If elected he may wind up a part of the Blue Dog caucus.

He makes a living as a civil defense lawyer in the heart of the civil rights movement: Montgomery Alabama. There are a lot of reasons to want to see him in Congress. Obviously, one is Mike Rogers, a members who has taken $307,658 from the insurance industry, $236,003 from Big Pharma, $194,900 from Big Oil, $188,603 from Commercial Banks, $107,600 from Wall Street... and has a voting record that keeps that kind of special interests money flowing. When it comes to the bread and butter issues that impact the lives of Alabama working families, Mike Rogers is playing for the other team.

One of Josh's passions is infrastructure. He did a short guest post at DWT about it you might want to check out. The video below will also give you an idea about where he's coming from. And here's his website for anyone looking for more information or who would like to volunteer or contribute). Please join us in the comments section at Firedoglake today at 11 am, PT (1pm in Alabama) and find out what it takes to run for Congress as a Democrat in the heartland of Bush Country.