Solidarity-- Inside Wisconsin And Between Wisconsin And Florida

Today's big news in the WI-01 congressional race between Randy Bryce and Paul Ryan was about an extraordinary endorsement from neighboring congressmember, Mark Pocan for Bryce. So why is that extraordinary? Well, Mark is a very good congressmember who have long been known-- both in the state legislature and in Congress-- throughout southeast Wisconsin for standing up and fighting hard for the legitimate interests of working families. In fact, when Ryan refused to meet with constituents, Pocan went and did them in Ryan's district. He's the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and he has an incredible voting record-- the best of the best. But that isn't what the biggest news is. As we mentioned a couple of weeks ago, there's been, for many years, an informal convention among Wisconsin politicians-- something formulated by former Congressmember David Obey (D) and Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R)-- that Wisconsin congressmembers won't endorse against an incumbent (even of the opposing party) if their districts border each other. Obey, himself endorsed Randy Bryce, but he's not a sitting member, so his rule stood... until this morning.

This is what Rep. Pocan told his fellow Wisconsinites in Paul Ryan's district this morning-- at the UAW hall in Kenosha-- just about an hour ago: "The first Congressional District needs a member of Congress that will put his constituents first-- not Donald Trump, not the Tea Party, and not the wealthy special interests. Paul Ryan has become a part of the problem in Washington, and his values are out-of-touch with the people of southeast Wisconsin. I was raised in Kenosha, and I know the people there don’t want to cut 20 million people from their healthcare, privatize Social Security or provide tax cuts only to the wealthiest. We need a representative like Randy Bryce who will bring our working class values to Washington and fight on behalf of the people he represents and not the special interests." The Obey Rule is O.V.E.R.-- and for the best of possible reasons: replacing Paul Ryan with Randy Bryce.

As you probably know, everyone running for office is frantic this week because Saturday is the end of the FEC reporting quarter. The DCCC tries to make this arbitrary deadline into "a thing" that helps candidates raise money. "Help me, help me-- the deadline is coming, the deadline is coming." Yeah. Instead of that kind of stupidity-- which Debbie Wassermann Schultz has used at least once or twice every day for the last week-- her progressive, reform-minded, anti-corruption primary challenger, Tim Canova, sent a different kind of fundraising letter-- one urging his own donors to contribute to Randy Bryce! That should tell you a lot about what Canova is all about-- and what kind of congressman he'll make. This is the letter he sent his supporters:

Support Randy Bryce vs. Paul Ryan & Win a Green Day Guitar

Dear Friend,

I am proud to support Randy Bryce in his race against Paul Ryan, the Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives who has pushed an extreme conservative, corporatist, and regressive agenda.

Randy is a working-class hero, a union ironworker and U.S. Army veteran who, when elected, will fight for our progressive agenda in Washington.

I am also excited that Blue America-- the very first progressive grassroots group to support my campaign last year against Debbie Wasserman Schultz-- is helping Randy with a contest. Blue America will give away a guitar signed by all the members of Green Day to one person who contributes any amount to Randy’s campaign by this Saturday, September 30th, by contributing here at the NoTrump.NoKKK.NoFascistUSA page.

Randy has pledged to take no money from Big Oil or from Wall Street. He will fight tor a Single Payer Health Care system, while Paul Ryan is trying to repeal Obamacare and take health care away from up to 32 million Americans. Ryan supports unfair trade deals, repressive tax policies, union busting, and the fossil fuel industry. He wants to strip away a woman’s right to choose. He has been swimming in corporate cash. And he has no problem with our broken immigration system that continues to tear families apart.

Meanwhile, Randy supports the Fight For 15, investing in renewable energy, fighting climate change, defending women’s health care and reproductive rights, committing to real campaign finance reform and overturning Citizens United, and pursuing comprehensive immigration reform.

Please go to the NoTrump.NoKKK.NoFascistUSA page and contribute to Randy's campaign by this Saturday. You'll be automatically entered in the contest for the signed Green Day guitar. Of course, the real prize is not an autographed guitar; it's repealing and replacing Paul Ryan!

Randy Bryce gives me hope that change is on the way. Imagine a Congress without Paul Ryan and without Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Let’s visualize a Congress in which I’m working side by side with Randy Bryce for the progressive agenda our generation so urgently needs.

A new day is dawning-- a Blue Green Day-- when corporations no longer call the tune in our politics. If we all pull together, if we refuse to back down, we will turn the tide and restore our broken democracy.

Thank you for standing for Randy Bryce and thank you for your continued support for my campaign.

In solidarity,

Tim Canova

Two thermometers below-- the first (on the left) for the Green Day guitar contest, where you can contribute to Randy and possibly win the guitar. And the second (on the right) is the Blue America congressional page where you'll find all of our House candidates (including Randy and Tim).