Tomorrow from 2-4 pm on daily dKos, Fighting Dem Vets Diary will feature Carl Sheeler (RI-Senate). It will feature Carl's take on the Israel-Lebanon conflict and two recent blog interviews. Stay tuned Sunday afternoon.
Like Jim Webb, Carl is a Fighting Dem straight-shooter; like Ned Lamont, Carl is a new face to politics with only one shot in 2004. And like both of these superb candidates Carl is facing an entrenched establishment Dem in next month's primary. Right now Carl is moving up on his opponent with 36% now undecided. Now is the moment of truth.
And look how far Carl has come! After the third quarter of 2005, the two "forerunners" were Whitehouse and Matt Brown, the current Secretary of State. At this time, Whitehouse and Brown were in a fundraising battle and Carl as late as February of this year was under the radar at around 5%. Pundits suggested that with good luck Carl might top out at 10%.
Matt Brown, despite his name recognition, well-established party support and former fundraising ability had dropped out and Carl advanced in to be the serious challenger. Now he has moved closer Whitehouse with 36% undecided who might well swing for Sheeler. This mirrors the advance of Jim Webb in Virginia and the dissatisfaction folks have with steady as it goes politicians.
Today I thought it would be worthwhile to post a profile on Carl Sheeler as background for Kossacks to come live blog with Carl tomorrow.
Website :: Bio :: Contact :: Donate
After receiving Senatorial and Congressional nominations to the US Air Force Academy, Carl broke His wrist and was no longer qualified. He notes that "There is no shame in success or failure, just another lesson." Carl enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and became a combat & staff officer and training instructor who served in Operation Desert Storm. He is a graduate of the Command and Staff War College and Amphibious Warfare School (Quantico, VA non-resident program).
Carl presently is a business owner and financial expert witness for the past 14 years for Allison Appraisals & Assessments, Inc. Has also held management positions at Abbott Laboratories - Diagnostic Division and American Automobile Association - National HQ's as well as an Adjunct Professor, Bryant University teaching business and entrepreneurship.
Carl's BA is from the University of Illinois-Chicago and his Ph.D. is from Union Institute & University (Cincinnati, OH).
The sole political experience Carl has was running as a latecomer Independent in 2004 against a four-term Republican State Senator, garnering 41% of the district's vote.
Carl lives in West Greenwich, RI, with his wife, Sara, and his five children.
In his own words:
My name is Carl Sheeler. I am running for U.S. Senate as a democrat and I am asking for your vote on September 12. You have a choice between a political insider, business as usual hustle or a clean, fresh public servant with common sense and honesty. I'm a plain spoken anti-war, anti-Bush candidate who thinks middle class values need to come first. Look, I only may be a businessman outsider and a Marine vet, but aren't two Whitehouses in Washington one too many.
I also have learned that being a Democrat is about helping to give others an opportunity, not lip service. This is why I disaffiliated from the Republican Party, as some of its influential members see the party's role as "I know what's best for you". My experiences of helping others have shown me the importance of assisting people suffering from all the financial and legal struggles most of us deal with during our lives. I learned there are some great small and medium size business owners out there who are willing to accept the risks and are truly the engine that is our economy. Like you, I have become afraid that politicians are putting social security at risk, they're not keeping promises of prosperity and personal freedoms, they're creating an "us and them" society, they're buying their office and forgetting working families. I'm very afraid and angry -- I want to replace fear with hope.
Carl continues to put up the billboards that have energized his campaign and given him a great deal of name recognition. They convey his message forcefully and clearly.
But to keep putting them up and get his message across against the megabucks of his opponent, Carl needs the support of the Netroots. This is pitch:
No plastic, no poll tested answers. We want change. We want our dream of America back, we want our democracy back. We want Blue to mean something other than "sad". We want Democrats to walk the talk or step aside so we can take back our government of "We The People." This means a new breed of strong leaders with values and convictions.
Help us keep the billboard up and put up more!
And be sure to tune in tomorrow to speak to Carl when he live blogs from 2-4 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
Here is an email message from William Shaw of the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats of America that was sent out across the blogosphere:
The RIPDA is asking for your help?
Carl Sheeler's campaign is 3 weeks away fro the Rhode Island primary September 12th. All the help he can get will help him take back this seat for the democrats.
The Progressive Democrats of America are proud to endorse Carl Sheeler for US Senate. The next US Senator from Rhode Island is a "True Progressive Democrat" who will represent the average American, not special interest groups or political insiders.
MY GOAL IS TO HAVE 1,000 BLOGGERS OR MORE CONTRIBUTE $20 OVER THE NEXT WEEK so the campaign may run some additional TV spots over the last two weeks before the primary. The Sheeler Campaign is not excepting special interest money or funds from the political insiders.
The average contribution that is being sent in is $43 unlike his entrenched political insider whose average contribution is $983. That's almost twice the amount of money the average working class family brings home in two weeks.
Sheeler's campaign is 6 points behind with 32% still undecided; you can see how important this is. Now is the time for all of us too unite and make this work for Carl and America.
Anything you can do will be a huge help.
William Shaw
RIPDA State Coordinator
Here are some clips from the campaign Press Release on the endorsement by Rhode Island Progressive Democrats for America:
The Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) has endorsed Carl Sheeler, a former Marine, business owner and father of five who is running for U.S. Senate (D-RI) due to his socially progressive, fiscally responsible platform. Carl's "family, faith and flag" platform includes strong troop withdrawal and executive branch accountability initiatives stressing common sense and allegiance to our Constitution.
When asked why he is running, Carl says, "A public servant's duty is to take care of the least represented among us and those who make our country great - our seniors and our kids. It's not about legacy. It's about leadership. We have to look after our veterans here in Rhode Island and nationally," he emphasizes. Carl's own modest upbringing stresses middle class values and building bridges to work with our elected on both sides of the aisle. He believes in proper funding for our Veterans Administration, single payer, national health care, quality public education and the development of alternative energy to end our dependence on foreign oil and energy industry lobbyist influence. "These are achievable objectives after we bring our troops home and roll back millionaire and corporate taxes to their pre-2001 levels."
The PDA exists to carry the progressive agenda from the American grassroots to Congress to guide the development of legislation and fight for its passage into law. The PDA is committed to the realization of new models for achieving local, national and global security that redirect the current wasteful spending toward the uncompromising and effective funding of: health and education programs; an end to discrimination; the provision of full and meaningful employment; and an end to poverty for all people. PDA shares Robert F. Kennedy's belief that quality of life as a standard for American achievement.