 This blog is going on strike until we as a community raise $1,000 as part of Chris Bell's $10,000 online fundraising launch for his state senate campaign for the special election in District 17. See below and donate to the strike fund to end it!
Longtime readers may remember that back in the old days (i.e. 2005/2006) I was not the biggest fan in the blogosphere of a man who ran for Governor named Chris Bell. Back then (thankfully), I was a minority voice in the Texas Blogosphere.
Wow. I feel ridiculous.
As you may know, that man named Chris Bell has done a lot of good in his time and is now our standard bearer in the newest competitive district in Texas- State Senate District 17, which Republican Senator Kyle Janek resigned from this summer.
And Chris Bell is going to win with our help- no joke.
Matt did a great job putting this race into context back in June as to why it's important to us up and down the ballot.
Senate District 17 now looks like one of the most interesting races in the state because of its effect on surrounding races. A strong candidate in SD-17 will help Hubert Vo who has a large overlap. It could reasonably effect Larry Joe Doherty in CD-10 and Mike Skelley in CD-7 by mobilizing Democrats in conservative parts of their districts (the northern part of SD-17 overlaps with both CD-10 and CD-7 and yesterdays poll indicates CD-10 is receptive to LJD). Not to mention having another Houston race will absolutely help native son Rick Noriega in his bid to defeat Big John Cornyn.
It will help the Houston Democratic Coordinated Campaign and candidates like Sherri Matula, Joel Redman, and Kristi Thibaut run for the Texas House. It will help Diane Trautman take on uber scary Republican Tax Assessor Collector Paul Bettencourt. Not to mention the judicial candidates and other down ballot races that will get a bump by having an aggressive campaign in SD-17.
Chris Bell was already ahead in the only polling done on the race,
Chris Bell, who is not even a declared candidate yet, is leading Republican Austin Furse by nearly 14 percentage points. The Opinion Analysts poll shows Bell at 40% and Furse at 26.5%.
Even more remarkable, the poll shows Bell's name ID at 74.3 percent. Not only is that way higher than incumbent state Sen. Kyle Janek's name ID (which sits at 47.7 percent) but it also tops (though not significantly) the name ID of John Cornyn who comes in at 73.2 percent.
I know our readers don't need any convincing about Chris Bell (which sadly, I did over the years). So all of this is to say that I'm on board 110% with this special election and intend to give it some special attention as well.
That's why today, I'm asking you, my friends, and the entire Burnt Orange Report community, to step up to the plate and join with Chris Bell in launching his campaign.
Give: http://www.actblue.com/page/burntorangeforbell
Burnt Orange Report is on strike until our $1,000 BOR community fundraising goal for Bell is met.
Give: http://www.actblue.com/page/burntorangeforbell
All front page writers have been demoted. Phillip and Matt, have been stripped of their admin powers.
Give: http://www.actblue.com/page/burntorangeforbell
Only you can put us back to work.
Only you can put Chris Bell in the Texas Senate.
P.S. I'll kick it off with $50. Also, how about a 100+ comment thread for old times sake? |
