Open Seat Update

Next to - actually, equal to - the Presidential contest in my political heart are the races for the two open Congressional seats in Washington. I see them as both winnable and as fundamental pieces of a Democratic House majority. The good news is that there's good news in both districts.

In WA-5, the Don Barbieri campaign has announced (PDF warning on the latter link) a fundraising landmark, raising over $150,000 during the July 1-August 25 filing period to put them over the $1 million mark for total fundraising. With no primary contest, he's been able to shepherd his money carefully and had over half a million dollars on hand at the time of filing.

Of course, the campaign to recapture Speaker Tom Foley's old seat could always use more help, and if you're too far away to walk a precinct, you can contribute here.

On the east side of King County, Upper Left's support for Alex Alben in the three-way Democratic Primary for WA-8 (just a week away) has been confirmed by a clean endorsement sweep by the relevant dailies, including the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the Seattle Times and the King County Journal.- PI Times King Co. Journal. They join Governor Gary Locke, both of our US Senators, five of six WA Democratic Congressmen, NARAL, the WA Labor Council and Upper Left's favorite weekly, The Stranger, on the Alben endorsement list.

You can offer your financial support for Alex here.

Of course, you can help them both, along with everyone else with a stake in electing Speaker Pelosi, by contributing to the Campaign For A New Majority through the Upper Left Majority Makers page. (And since I've had a bum url in my sidebar link to the page, it could really use some help...)

Do anything. Do everything. But do something to elect Speaker Pelosi today!