Ground Control to Speaker Tom

We're going to win your seat back!

In 1994, then Speaker of the U.S. House Tom Foley put his career on the line in defense of his fellow Washington Democratic Members of Congress, when an initiative resulted in an unconstitutional term limits bill. He won the court case, getting the law overturned, but made himself a target for George Nethercutt, a Spokane attorney turned term limits demagogue, who smeared Speaker Tom for defending the Constitution and pledged to serve no more than three terms in the House, if elected.

Well, elected he was, but three terms came and went, and four, and five, before he decided to give up the seat in order to challenge Senator Patty Murray this year. Patty's going to take George Nethercutt out of politics, and Democratic candidate Don Barbieri is going to take back Speaker Tom's seat by building a campaign from the ground up.

Granted, Don Barbieri is probably never going to chair the Progressive Caucus in DC. He's a moderate, business oriented Democrat. The fact is, though, that Jim McDermott, my Congressman and one of my political heroes since his days in the State Senate, couldn't get elected in the 5th District, nor could Barney Frank, or Dennis Kucinich, or any of our other progressive champions in the Congress.

Don Barbieri can win in the 5th District.

All that is by way of introducing these excerpts from a Barbieri campaign email I recieved last night. If you're looking for a key race to throw a few bucks at as the reporting quarter winds down in the next few days, Barbieri's campaign in the 5th is worth your consideration. But I'll let him say it...

You may be asking yourself – who is Don Barbieri...? Let me tell you – I am the Democratic candidate who is going to win back Washington’s 5th district! That’s right – this year we are going to take back Speaker Foley’s seat for our communities and for our state.

I am a businessman who has lived in Spokane all my life, and I’ve long been involved in making our communities strong. Like you, I’ve spent my life working in my community – from growing a company from 5 to 5,000 employees, to chairing the board of Sacred Heart Medical Center, to serving as a trustee at Gonzaga University (go Zags!). Just a couple of years ago I chaired the Spokane regional Chamber of Commerce, and I’ve served three governors on the state Economic Development Board. I’ve spent years gathering experience – tools in my toolbox – that I will use in Congress to make every community in Washington stronger and safer.

I can win in the 5th district.

This is the first time in 62 years that the 5th district seat is "open" and has no incumbent running, which gives us the best chance we’ve had to win in 10 years.

June 30th is an important FEC filing deadline and we need to raise $10,000 on the web in the next week to keep our momentum going strong! Your contribution is a huge boost and will be saved for a strong, smart campaign in the fall. I need your help, and I need it today.

You can learn more here, or make your contribution here. Tell 'em Upper Left sent you.

We can win this one, and we owe one to Speaker Tom.