I am back on Brett Wagner's e-mail list. Brett, Although I know you might not read this because you said you don't read blogs much ( where do you get information about local politics?), thanks for adding me again and sending me all that information today. I will include it in future updates.
As many of you know fund raising is reported by quarters with one of those quarters ending today. The prowess a candidate has at raising early money is often seen as a mark of their strength which encourages more donors to support a candidate. If Democrats want to defeat Gallegly or his heir they must start serious efforts soon, not a few months before the election.
Brett Wagner understands this system and sent out an e-mail alert.
( Click on continue reading to read the e-mail).
For candidates, you can have the front page of my blog and attract attention by sending in updates. Brag about your fund raising success. Tell us about your upcoming events. Send in some photos. Let me know how I can get the word out about your campaign.
You can't expect a newspaper to cover you in print if you can't even attract attention of blogs devoted to nothing but politics.
The term for media attention is called earned media. I am tired of candidates that don't go and earn any media and then complain they can't get any attention.
Brett Wagner understands this concept. That is why he wrote a Candidate's Diary for the VCreporter in 2004.
That being said, I understand the frustration at the local media not covering enough politics. That's why I started this blog.
Brett, send some photos of any recent precinct walks and I will post them ASAP for you.
Dear Friend,
It's not an easy task raising money for a
congressional
campaign during a campaign cycle where the White
House is
up for grabs. But we Democrats take our new
majority in
Congress for granted at our own peril. The
Republicans
will surely be targeting all of our new seats
(where our
Freshman members will likely enjoy
record-breaking support
from the Democratic National Party) - and the GOP
will be
pouring tons of money to defend the seats they
already
have.
But what about us poor Democrats fighting to
turn red
districts blue during an election year when our
fellow
Americans should be ready for a Big Change?
You're the only one who can answer that
question.
As I mentioned in my last email, I strongly
suspect
that our current congressman, archconservative
Elton
Gallegly, is planning to pull out of the race at
the
absolute last minute, just like he tried to do
last time,
in order to handpick his Republican successor. A
side-effect of this strategy is that it
discourages
Democrats like you from contributing to our
campaign by
misleading you that the seat will not be up for
grabs,
just like the White House.
Please don't fall for Gallegly's cynical
political
maneuvering...
Today's the LAST DAY of the 2nd QUARTER...
Please make an online contribution today at:
https://etribute.durkeeandassociates.com/c.php?c=bwagner
Or please mail your check today (in order to
have
today's postmark on the envelope):
Brett Wagner
DURKEE & ASSOCIATES
1212 South Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502
Please help us make a good showing so that we
can begin
lining up our key endorsements and begin
receiving the BIG
money. Even if your contribution is only $25 or
$50 - the
pundits are also watching HOW MANY contributors
we have.
Together we can make this happen!
Together we can begin building a winning
campaign!
Yours truly,
Brett
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Contributions are not tax-deductible
for federal income tax purposes
FEC # C00389767
Kinde Durkee Treasurer
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Maybe Wagner reads the news days or weeks after it happens in the print editions of papers.
I expect him to run in 2010 and start talking about the new fangled "youtube" thing.
Are there any local Democrats that show interest in harnessing web 2.0 technologies for our movement?
Does anyone know what Brett Wagner does for a living? Is he able to pony up his own money to show he is serious about running?
I am still not on his email list after repeated attempts, although I do get forwarded his emails from other people so saw the email fundraising plea.
I do not know what Wagner does for a living.
When the June 30 Q fund raising FEC filings come out someone please alert me.
Not yet Brian, although here is the link to the March 31st in case you don't have that http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/cancomsrs/
Best as I can tell it is for a plane ticket to who knows where. Candidates can buy plane tickets for campaign purposes and this appears to be at the end of 2006 if I am reading it correctly.
Maybe he was flying to DC for meetings with party brokers about running again. He was at his boyhood home in Missouri at the time helping family from the link I left it appears. Maybe the campaign paid to have him come back to California for meetings about declaring himself as a candidate.
Say what you will about Brett Wagner, but he is willing to fight for what he believes in.
In politics as in war:
Highest commendations for fighting for what you believe it, but going into battle knowing you do not have the force and plan needed to win is nothing short of courting disaster and only serves to further the ambitions of your enemies.
Does anyone have a copy of Wagner's long explanation of the incident where he was injured in a parking lot? I recall that he had to go to a hypnotist to remember that he had bumped into a rearview mirror - contrary to his prior recollections of having been assaulted by the opposition.
To show he is really in the campaign mindset I'd hope Wagner would have at least a few thousand dollars cash on hand.
Is his campaign still in debt? Why does his fundraising team work for free?
Why does he pay them? According to his FEC filings if I am reading them correctly his fundraising team is a net loss. He could not hire them and come out ahead.
Brian:
Every time I see one of Brett Wagner's ludicrious appeals for money for his putative candidacy against Elton Gallegly, I am reminded of Schiller's famous quote, "Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens." Neither all the Democratic horses nor all the Democratic men could put Wagner back in the victory saddle again!
Heinrich
Heinrich-
Thanks to Google language translations.
"With the stupidity Gods themselves fight in vain "