Citizens Unite! — Buy your own ads for progressive candidates

Blue America has decided to lend a hand to the grassroots campaign going on in Utah’s second congressional district on behalf of intrepid progressive Claudia Wright. Claudia will face Blue Dog Jim Matheson June 22. We need to move forward and get this ad on TV immediately. If you don’t have time to read the rest of this post but want to help, you can do it by clicking on this link— and for as little as $5 get the ad up on CNN. Yesterday I was shocked that one of the Inside-the-Beltway publications, The Hill, actually took note of Claudia’s challenge to Matheson. They rarely do that and kind of function as a part of the company town incumbent protection program, just like the shills at the DCCC, who are, of course, fully backing Matheson despite his penchant for habitually crossing the aisle to vote with Republicans.

Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) had never been challenged in a primary before this year, in which he’s fighting off a political newcomer who could make him the latest incumbent casualty. Retired schoolteacher Claudia Wright gained traction in Utah’s 2nd district on a strongly progressive platform, while trying to paint the five-term Blue Dog Democrat as inaccessible and out of touch with constituents. She had never sought elected office and got on the ballot by capturing 45 percent of the delegates’ votes at the state party convention last month. She needed 40 percent to qualify. Matheson got 55 percent of the delegates’ votes but needed 60 percent to avoid the June 22 primary. University of Utah political scientist Matthew Burbank said the convention outcome shows this election will be, more than anything, a referendum on Matheson, who may have alienated his base with his “no” vote on healthcare reform. …Matheson holds a hefty fundraising advantage, with well over $1 million raised compared to Wright’s roughly $25,000. But Wright argues her lower fundraising numbers belie her campaign’s appeal, given her performance at the state party convention. She said her campaign is refusing to take corporate political action committee (PAC) money, and is instead relying on the media and volunteers going door to door to get out the word. “Old-style politics, shoe leather and person-to-person, trying to get them to come our way: That’s what we’ve been doing since day one,” Wright said. “We’ve got volunteers across the state who have been doing all of that … It’s the only way to do this.” … Matheson’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

The average Blue America contribution is $45.00 and it’s how we raised all the money we’ve been able to put into campaigns to help elect progressives like Alan Grayson, Donna Edwards, Carol Shea-Porter, Jeff Merkley, John Hall, Hilda Solis, Steve Cohen, Gary Peters, and many others– as well as to help progressive champions who haven’t gone all the way (yet), like Marcy Winograd, Ned Lamont, Doug Tudor, Darcy Burner and Coleen Rowley. But I tried something new this time– basically because we had no time. I went to every wealthy gay person I know and begged for the money. It was an exercise in humility. But I’m bad at it and I came up blank. Either they’re already donating directly to her campaign or they didn’t want to take a chance on a longshot candidate. It doesn’t matter how good she is, how gay she is, how bad he is… just that she’s not a likely winner. Of course her primary challenge has already gotten Matheson– who voted with the GOP to table the Hate Crimes Bill– to vote to repeal DADT (and to even show up at a Gay Pride event– first time ever– in Salt Lake City last week). So… I’m putting in the full legal amount I can donate personally and, anyone got $45 they wanna chip in? Actually, Jacquie’s put together a whole menu of spots you can buy with the prices on a special ActBlue page. So that ad up top is what you get to put on the cable TV programs you pick for that price shown next to it. It’s kind of fun. Take a look– and do what you can. Oh, and here’s a link to the live chat we did with Claudia last month at Crooks and Liars.