Georgia here, Director of New Media for Alexi Giannoulias, a great progressive running for Illinois Senate. This past week, thousands of you checked out our new advocacy tool, 700BillionReasons.com to help tell Congress there are 700 billion reasons why we can't let Republicans and some Democrats hold middle class tax cuts hostage.
Recently, we learned that the Senate plans to delay the vote on whether to protect middle class tax cuts until the lame duck session. That's frustrating to a lot of folks, I know.
But these latest developments underscore why we urgently need your help today.
You see, a lot of people don't know this, but there will be TWO IL-Sen elections taking place on November 2nd. A court ruled that Senator Burris' term expires early, so there will be:
(1) A special election to fill out the balance of President Obama's Senate term (from November until the new Congress begins, and
(2) A general election for a new six year term.
The polls here are a dead tie. Republican Congressman Kirk and Alexi have been locked in a fierce battle for the last year. Here's something you may not know: Mark Kirk is running on a platform of being a top obstructionist in the lame duck session.
Yes, he even set up a website, SaveUsFromTheLameDuck.com, to boast about how he'll block anything the Democrats try to propose.
Which brings us back to the tax cut debate. Alexi isn't going to be just another "D" vote in favor of protecting middle class tax cuts. With his site, he's made clear he wants to be a leader in that debate, and he'll work to convince every single Senator he can -- Democrat or Republican -- that we need to give tax relief to those who need it the most.
Trust me, Alexi taking the lead on this issue isn't something pundits are taking kindly too. Karl Rove's Crossroads Fund, the NRSC and Mark Kirk are all pouring millions into ad attacking Alexi for wanting to "raise state and federal income" taxes.
Some Democrats would back away from the issue in light of Republican attacks.
Not Alexi.
So here's what I'd like today. I have an internal target in my New Media department to recruit 50 Daily Kos volunteers for our campaign. I need 50 folks who aren't afraid to phone bank from home if you're outside of IL or who aren't afraid to knock on doors here at home. I need 50 folks who are ready to shout out from the rooftops that we will NOT let Mark Kirk and his "NO" vote on middle class tax cuts into the lame duck session of Congress.
Can you join us?
http://alexiforillinois.com/...
Update [2010-9-24 12:7:12 by Alexi for Illinois]:: If you'd like to donate to the campaign instead, you can do so on ActBlue:
DONATE TO ALEXI ON ACTBLUE HERE
Alexi doesn't take a dime from corporate PACs or federal lobbyists. Even $5 helps us get his message out to voters across Illinois. Thanks!
[END UPDATE]
By the way, if you haven't seen it, here's our new ad slamming Mark Kirk and telling voters about Alexi's record of standing up for Illinois workers. Check it out: