Burnt Orange Report

Mark Strama Update

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

This update from the campaign for all you naysayers out there...

Let me give you a brief update on where things stand after 6 months of campaigning.

-We have had unprecedented fundraising success for a non-incumbent candidate, thanks to a tremendous amount of help from friends and supporters like you. Our internet-based fundraising efforts alone have generated over $32,000, illustrating the power of the Internet to level the playing field against the big special interest groups supporting my opponent. Our total fundraising to date is over $250,000 - nearly half our total goal.

-In the March primary, Democrats turned out in larger numbers than Republicans in my district, indicating that this district will be very competitive in November. Remember, Democrats John Sharp and Kirk Watson both carried this district in 2002, and Democrats enter the 2004 election in a much stronger position than they were in two years ago.

-Over 50 young people have signed up to spend their summer vacation participating in our Campaign Academy. Each day they spend an hour or two with guest lecturers, who teach them about politics, public policy, and grassroots campaigning. The remainder of the day they are registering voters, block walking, phone banking, data entering, and doing whatever they can to make a difference in this election. I am more proud of this component of the campaign than anything else we are doing.

-Capitol Inside newsletter has ranked this campaign as the second best chance Democrats have to take back a Republican-held seat in the Texas Legislature. For those interested in restoring balance and bipartisanship to Texas politics, this has become a critically important election.

I am very pleased with the organization and infrastructure we have developed moving into the coming critical months of the campaign. I am incapable of expressing my gratitude to the many friends, supporters, and volunteers who have helped us reach this point. Thank you again for your support.

Send Strama some Jingle since his Texas Tuesdays Thunder was a little overpowered by that John Edwards guy.