(It's a political year so I haven't been doing my own fundraising for the AIDS Walk- but please consider giving a few dollars through Becky's page. She's been a friend of the blog for years and can use your help. - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
The 23rd annual AIDS Walk Austin is a little over a week away - Sunday, October 17. If you are in the Austin area, you really should come down to City Hall. Registration opens at 12:30, step-off is at 2. As I write this, I am the 3rd-highest fundraiser for the Walk - I've raised 54% of my goal, and the Walk as a whole has raised 52% of their goal amount.
AIDS Services of Austin provides numerous vital services, both in HIV prevention and services for persons with HIV & AIDS.
Serious kudos to Jason Embry at the Statesman for originally posting these. Compiling campaign finance reports is tedious but important work. Seriously, many thanks. I've reorganized them by incumbent Party. We'll update our Texas Political Report posts with them soon.
Republican Incumbent Races
Rep. Linda Harper-Brown, R-Irving: $117,752
Democratic challenger Loretta Haldenwang: $27,459
Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland: $129,428
Democratic challenger Jamie Dorris: $25,639
Democratic Incumbent Races
Rep. Valinda Bolton, D-Austin: $107,946
Republican challenger Paul Workman: $134,623
WIth one month to go, candidates have only 2 major campaign finance reports of consequence- the 8 Day report and the 30 Day reports, the latter of which are now being released. While the full report is not yet available on the TEC (which doesn't post the PDFs until all candidats have filed) we have the following numbers via press release.
Bill White reported raising more than $4.68 million in the last fundraising period between July 1 and September 23. More than 80 percent of contributions that period were of $100 or less, and about 97 percent of individual contributions came from Texans.The campaign ended the period with $2.75 million on hand.
Online donations made up 65% of individual contributions for this reporting period.To date, the White campaign has raised over $21.3 million from over 25,000 donors since launching his gubernatorial campaign.
For comparison purposes, here are White's numbers from the mid-summer semi-annual report.
Bill White Report
Raised
Spent
Cash on Hand
Semi-Annual
$7,470,895
$3,276,607
$9,045,425
30 Day Out
$4,680,000
$10,975,425*
$2,750,000
*estimated spending based upon previous CoH+Raised to arrive at current CoH
Now, the drop in Cash on Hand is to be expected, especially if it includes media buys that have yet to run; we'll know more once the full reports are out. Otherwise Team White has spent nearly $11 million to move the polls about a point.
Update 1: Libertarian Kathie Glass reported raising $61,000 of which $35,000 is self-made loans. She's spend $39,000 and has $22,000 on hand.
Update 2: Republican Rick Perry reported raising $8.2 millin with $10 million cash on hand. It appears from reports that White's cash on hand is lower because of TV time already reserved and paid for, which Perry's number may not fully include resulting in the seemingly lopsided numbers. Phil will have more later on this point.
In Austin, we have several events coming up raising awareness and funds for organizations serving those affected by HIV & AIDS. Austin Red Week includes my city's hosting of a segment of the Quilt, and also events like Dining For Life and AIDS Walk Austin.
Hi, there all, it is time for me to start bugging people about the AIDS Walk Austin. So, the economy sucks, those of us with jobs are really grateful just to have them, candidates are asking for money, there's an important election in November..... And here's me, with my hand out, too. Well, not my hand. Well, yes, my hand, but I'm seeking donations to benefit men & women in Austin & Travis County who are living with HIV/AIDS. AIDS Walk Austin has been going on for 23 years, and bebefits people living with HIV & AIDS in Austin & Travis County. The agencies also do prevention & education, so that the population of persons affected does not continue to grow. I'm going to talk about the Walk, and about some other stuff I'm doing & there's a song involved. If you want to skip that part, here's my AIDS Walk Austin page. Please donate if you can.
Today marks a big defeat for kids in Texas, and anywhere else else kids read and use textbooks. The current State Board of Education (SBOE) approved history requirements that, among other things, incorrectly imply that:
Woodrow Wilson and Oliver Wendell Holmes were eugenics proponents,
Global organizations undermine US sovereignty through treaties,
Social Security and Medicare are not credible programs,
and a host of other inaccuracies that promote a distinct partisanship that can't be confused with historical truth.There were some small victories today but ultimately, most of the conservative agenda and amendments were or will be approved.
We are past the point of petitions & public hearings- the ONLY recourse we have now is to change the face of that board. That means we need to open our wallets and donate to Democratic State Board of Education candidates Judy Jennings and Rebecca Bell-Metereau right now.
Even if you don't live or vote in Texas, it's clear that the missteps of the SBOE might have implications for kids outside of Texas. Your donation matters more than a lot of races out there - because the outcome of this race has not only Texan implications, but national impact. Please vote with your wallet and change the face of the State Board of Education for all students' sake.
We also need your help to spread the word to others.
Below we've created one-click links for you to share a message of support on Facebook & Twitter. Click either or both of the links, customize the text if you like, and then share this call to action with your friends.
The Hill Country Ride for AIDS is next Saturday. I've raised way more than the minimum, so I'm writing a diary about the Ride in general, and ask for donations for others. This ride is full of amazing, wonderful, beautiful people. Come with me below the fold & see
I'm doing the Hill Country Ride for AIDS on April 24. This is the 11th annual ride, and it is a beautiful, amazing event. I've done a couple of lighthearted diaries, but this one will be serious. (ok, I'll still put something lighthearted at the end, can't be all seriousness on a Friday)
40 days from today - on May 18 - we will see two HUGE primaries for U.S. Senate. Even though these races aren't in Texas, they impact Democrats across the country and, well, the entire country as a whole.
In Pennsylvania, Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak will try to upset Republican-for-decades Arlen Specter.
In Arkansas, Democratic Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter will try to upset corporate lackey Blanche Lincoln.
These two races are tremendously important to defining who and what the Democratic Party is and what we will be fighting for.
If you can volunteer for these candidates (or encourage friends and family in Pennsylvania and Arkansas to do so), that would be amazing.
Of course, if you can help with a contribution to either or both via the Expand the Map! ActBlue page as soon as possible, it will make a big impact.
Polling shows that both Specter and Lincoln are at risk of - if not likely to - hand these Senate seats over to far-right-wing Republicans. (And, even if these two retain the seats, that's not much better on many key issues.)
Congressman Sestak and Lieutenant Governor Halter winning these primaries are critical to keeping these seats in truly Democratic hands. Your support can help make that happen! Please hop over to the Expand the Map! ActBlue page right away to make a contribution - an investment in the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party to pull out an old expression - and show your support.
Thanks SO much for any support you can provide. 40 Days.
So in 22 days, I'll be doing the Hill Country Ride for AIDS. It is a 1-day event, with varying ride distances, raising money for agencies that assist people in Austin & Travis County affected by HIV & AIDS. This is a cause that is dear to my heart, there are people who I adore who are HIV+, and I always try to raise a lot of money for this cause. Come with me below the fold & I'll inject some cuteness & levity into my appeal. Warning, cuteness & silliness follows.
