Dayton is running for reelection!

[Supormom]

The rumors regarding his retirement are greatly exaggerated.

From the Desk of Mark Dayton


Dear (Name Removed),

Countdown to 2005
Thank you for your generous support of my re-election effort. With your help, I am able to prepare for the onslaught that I know awaits me. This is a small price to pay, however, for the opportunity to represent Minnesotans in the United States Senate and to fight for our beliefs and principles.

The Republicans have already stated their intentions to govern from the far-right and then to complete their takeover of Congress by defeating me and my Democratic colleagues in 2006. They are just a few Senate victories away from complete, one-party control of our federal government. If they succeed, this will be "our" government no longer.

I am more determined than I have ever been in my life to stand up against their extremist agenda. As the Revolutionary War hero, John Paul Jones, said, "I have not yet begun to fight!" I will continue to oppose the Bush Administration's misconduct of the war in Iraq, its brazen attempt to privatize Social Security, its reckless fiscal policy continuing record deficits, its denial of basic Constitutional and human rights, its handing of environmental protections over to the polluters, and its abandonment of fully-funded public education and quality health care for all Americans. Those are disasters well worth fighting against!

To do so, I must ask for your help again. I am making a year-end fundraising appeal to show a respectable year-end fund balance. I think it's absurd that political strength is measured by fundraising prowess, but that is the reality I face.

December 31 is a critical date in this effort. Like all campaigns we will release our current financial reports and this an important chance to demonstrate the great excitement and energy in Minnesota and start the drive towards the election and broader Democratic victories in 2006. This is a critical time, and I am asking you to please help me by making a new online contribution to my campaign of $25, $50, $100, or whatever you can give.

If you can help again, I would be deeply grateful. If not, I thank you for your previous support. Either way, I wish you a joyous holiday season!

Best regards,

Mark Dayton

[Worst Username Ever]

1. Is there a link to contribute?

[Supormom]

2. Here's the link

http://www.markdayton.org/donate/

Sorry for not including in the first post.

[oly]

3. Anyone know who will run against him -- repug?

[Dickie Flatt]

4. Mark Kennedy, most likely

[CatholicEdHead]

6. Will the DFL run Wetterling again

if Kennedy decides to run for Senate in the 6th(?) district?

[Dickie Flatt]

8. hopefully

[DFLforever]

10. Speculation I've heard is should Screech run for Senate

M. Kieffmeyer or Michelle Bachman :puke: will compete for his open seat.
I think Patty's chances would be excellent against either of them.

[loveable liberal]

17. Bachmann is a religious scumbag.

She hates gays and she hates the separation of church and state. She also is anti-choice. If she runs Minnesota will be much better off, and more tolerant if she loses.

[katinmn]

5. Thanks for the heads up

Sent in my contribution. Just two more days to help make the year-end goal.

He's going to face a nasty fight so I'm glad to show some support.

:kick:

[CatholicEdHead]

7. When are the bumper stickers coming out

for 2006 for Dayton yet? Does he have one "Dayton for Minnesota" like on his web site? Or will it be later in 2005?

[DFLforever]

9. I haven't seen nor heard of any yet and I'm on his e-mailing list.

[katinmn]

11. why didn't Dayton tap into the DFL database or

have the DFL send out the year-end appeal?

The DFL mailing list must have quadrupled during the last campaign, and many of the new volunteers who worked their butts off for Kerry would most likely support Dayton.

I didn't know about the appeal until I read it here on DU and immediately sent some cash.

Bet there are a lot of others.

[DFLforever]

12. I can't answer that but this isn't the first mailing I've gotten from him

this year. I've also been invited to a couple of fundraisers. I think he's still in first gear with his campaign - it's not until 2006. Maybe that explains why he hasn't fallen back on DFL lists yet.

[Supormom]

15. I signed up for his mailing list at the state convention in May.

Already the mnrepugs are labelling hime "the most liberal senator in the country." Amazing how that label just jumps from one dem to the next. I have several of his buttons but haven't seen any bumper stickers yet.

[katinmn]

13. Yay! Met and exceded the goal amt by $1,740 !!

I just checked the website.

[Dickie Flatt]

14. Awesome

He'll need every cent he can get to beat back the GOP.

[Spike from MN]

16. He won't get my support.

I found it rather interesting to compare the letter above with his statement from Nov. 9 on his website (http://dayton.senate.gov/news/details.cfm?id=228030&&). Here's an example:

Campaign letter: "I am more determined than I have ever been in my life to stand up against their extremist agenda."

Nov. 9 statement: "I respect President Bush's victory and the will of the American electorate. I intend to agree with the President whenever I can and to disagree when I must."


Rather striking difference there. Then again, the latter statement probably wouldn't have gone over so well as a fund-raising tool and that's what it's all about -- telling the working class what they want to hear so they'll give you their hard-earned money.

Dayton has been on thin ice with me since the Medicare bill. Sure, he voted against the bill itself but he voted in favor of ending the filibuster which, by all accounts, was succeeding. The filibuster was the only chance of defeating the bill and he knew damn well that killing the filibuster would in effect assure passage of the bill. Sure, he's on the books as voting against the bill so everything looks all nicey-nice for him but his vote to end the filibuster is what really counted with me. His support for the pork-laden energy bill didn't help either but at least that bill hasn't passed. Yet. But his recent refusal to contest the election results was the last straw for me. That did him in in my books. No, I've had it with Dayton. And if no other Senator comes forward to contest the election, then I've had it with Dems in general. Yeah, I'm fed up with the whole spineless lot. I realize that's probably not a popular stance to take on this board but that's where I'm at. So sue me. ;)

[hansolsen]

18. I stand with you. N/T

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

19. He let us down today.

And he better not expect a single damn dime from me.

[latteromden]

20. Am I the only one that hasn't heard those rumors? I've already volunteered

to, er, volunteer, for his '06 campaign. Thankfully I did it around 7:30 on Nov. 2, because the rest of the night was absolute hell as you all well know, and the thought of another campaign was really the only thing to cheer me up.

I know he has posters - I've got one hanging up in my room already (although I did have to ask someone if I could take it off the wall of the Hopkins DFL office on election night, so I don't know if they're handing them out yet) - but I don't know about bumper stickers. You know, there are still idiots out there with Coleman stickers.

*is getting horribly off topic*