A couple of weeks ago I outlined a strategy of taking the enthusiasm of the OH-2 race and turn it National. I noticed that some of the links I suggested that hadn't gotten too much activity suddenly got a small surge. So I THINK people responded to my call to action. Or maybe just a coincidence...? Either way, I want to parse my call to action, focusing on the actions bit by bit. I started doing this with a call to local activism last week. In some ways I could stop there because last week's diary summarizes the most important stuff. But there really is more we can and should do. I honestly think that our activism now...today...will be what determines the 2006 and 2008 elections.

This week I want to focus on our defense of fellow Democrats. Why am I starting with defense? Simple. A strong strategy for winning is to first make sure your defenses are strong enough in case your more aggressive attacks fail. We need to make sure that in 2005 and 2006 we don't LOSE ground.

I will start with the 2005 NJ Governor's race. I choose to start here for a very personal reason. Karl Rove and Dick Cheney came to New Jersey, using 9/11, the attack on my city, to try and raise funds for the Republican candidate in the NJ Gov race. I am offended that they used my city's tragedy to further their political goals. So I am doing all I can to support Corzine, the Dem candidate for NJ Gov. This is a personal vendetta I have against Rove and Cheney for desecrating the memories of NYC's 9/11 dead. We need to make sure that the Repubs do not take the NJ Gov race. We have to defend this seat for the Dems. PLEASE visit the Corzine webiste and consider donating (or volunteering if you live in or near NJ).

Next I want to focus on the 2005 Virginia Governor's race. Again, this is currently held by a Dem and is now contested between the DEm Kaine and the Repub Kilgore. Kilgore is a wingnut. We have to work to strengthen the Dems in Virginia. Please consider supporting Kaine for Governor in Virginia.

The above two races are defending Gov seats for the Dem party in 2005. Now I want to turn to 2006. The first thing I think we all should consider donating to is the ActBlue site supporting the Democratic Reps who are currently MOST TARGETED BY THE GOP. We will lose these seats if we blink and don't defend them. Imagine 8 more Republican pickups in the House. THAT is what we need to prevent. Donate to one or more of these folks and you help to hold the line against Repub advancement. This is not as glamorous as something like the Hackett near victory in OH-2. But it is just as necessary. I have donated. A couple of others have donated. Anyone want to add to this? There are three donors right now (one of them me). I am going to do my own little matching promise here. I will match every third donation up to 12 donors (so donor number 6, 9 and 12 I will match if I possily can!). If I can't afford it, I will do my best. But I promise the 6th, 9th and 12th donor that I will donate SOMETHING to try and match you. Anyone else want to sweeten the pot and offer a match? Or just go donate and see me spend money I can't afford for a good cause.

There is at least one Senator well worth defending. Among the strongest critics of George Bush for years now is Robert Byrd of W. Virginia. He is now running for one last term and the Repubs HATE him for standing up against the Halliburton Republicans when all other Dems were cowering in terror. Show Robert Byrd that we support the hard line he has taken against Bush's lies and failures.

I also want to point out that some of our Blue states are being targeted by the Repubs. California, New York and New Jersey are being heavily targeted for Republicanization. We need to defend against that. Along these lines I want to suggest targeting the red districts of these states. KEEP CALIFORNIA BLUE by helping the Escondido Democrats. They have a chance to take their house seat due to the corruption of the local Repub Rep, Randy Cunningham. KEEP NEW YORK BLUE by helping the Staten Island Young Democrats or the Staten Island Democratic Committee. They are battling against an out of touch Republican Rep, Vito Fossella. And KEEP NEW JERSEY BLUE by supporting the Ocean County Democrats or Long Beach Island Democratic Club (Long Beach Island being the reddest county in NJ and in Ocean County).

So please spend this week finding a way to defend the Democratic party in these areas. This will put us in a good position in 2005 and 2006 to then get aggressive and take some more districts.

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