Since Stayton is the home of Girod this is pretty telling stuff. Seems that there was a big dust up a few years ago there when Girod's wife was Mayor and pushing through developments for her husband. Anyone out there with a long enough memory to remember the details?

Now if Dan would just get off his tractor and on to some doorsteps, he may have a shot.

Dan has been going door-to-door since May and probably well before that for the primary race. He has a big jump on his opponent in terms of making personal contact with the voters in House District 17. Dan has been in parade after parade shaking hands, handing out information about his positions and most importantly listening to what people in his district want to talk about. I think the Stayton Mail nailed what is important when they said “It’s a big contrast from Fred Girod who told the Stayton Mail he would easily win the election during an interview last month. It’s that kind of overconfidence that often leaves voters’ wants and needs at home when a politician is in the capital.” Republican Girod doesn’t think he needs to go out to meet and listen to voters. He seems to think that all he has to do is collect money from the lobby and do a big mail piece and the seat will be handed to him. I hope the Republicans lose this seat because Fred Girod is too privileged to get off his. And because Dan Thackaberry wants it and is willing to give it the real value it has by working hard to become the representative that fits with the working values that the voters respect here. If Dan raises enough money to get his endorsments and issues out to the rural voters then without question he will be in Salem come 2007.

Dan has been "off his tractor" for some time.

After this weekend, he and his many dedicated supporters will have put literature on the doors of 95% of the districts' urban voters in Sublimity, Scio, Lyons, Mill City Lebanon, Sweet Home,and Stayton.

Donate at Dan's website, www.farmerdan.org. Help pay for the mailer that will get Dan's message to the rural voters.

Volunteer at the website for walking the neighborhoods one more time.

It would do district citizens well to be served by such a hard-working person as Dan Thackaberry.

I live in Fred Girod's hometown and I can tell other District 17 voters that we're grateful to Dan Thackaberry for coming to Stayton and walking our sidewalks in his campaign for the state legislature. Progressives like myself are working for Dan in Stayton and Sublimity and we've found that the strongest argument for his election is that he's running against Fred Girod who thinks that rolling out the tired old mantra of right wing politics (anti immigration, no new taxes and property rights for a select few) will win the election for him. I don't think Fred has knocked on a single door and I don't think he will. He'll use direct mail because it's worked for him in the past. All that takes is money and it's a lot less work...

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