Draft DeFazio: Five bucks can change the world

The folks over at Draft DeFazio have hit their first goal - 100 donors and $2000 - in just one weekend. As usual with these kinds of things, the beginnings look modest -- after all, exponential growth always starts with a slow early build. If every single one of the first one hundred asks just one friend to match their donation, they'll double up. And then do it again, and again, and again, and again... As Senator Everett Dirksen used to say, "Pretty soon you'll be talking about real money!"

So, first things first: If you haven't donated $5 to directly to Peter's campaign account - and done it via the Draft DeFazio page on ActBlue- what are you waiting for? How many Oregonians does it take to change the world?

Here, we'll make it easy. Just donate $5:

Peter DeFazio for Congress (via Draft DeFazio) My contribution: $

While you're at it, sign the petition and email everyone you know.

Monday morning, TJ from Draft DeFazio appeared on KPOJ with Thom Hartmann. Here's the audio:

And now, here's a bunch of Draft DeFazio news and opinion from around the tubes:

2006 OR-2 congressional candidate Chuck Butcher takes a look at the road to victory in the dry half of the state:

The $5 contributions mentioned here are the kind of thing that show a grass roots support. ... Fortunately for national candidates most television out here is westside, their ads get play, but on the ground support is essential. Newspapers, radio, and a general noise level are important. A viable candidate will get newspaper attention, but letters to the editor from locals and a general buzz are only possible from grassroots.

Peter DeFazio is a skilled politician and he knows this stuff, that's why a demonstration of support is so important, those $5 contributions. The Senate is very narrowly in Democratic hands, any Democratic losses would be catastrophic and additions would be hugely beneficial. Peter DeFazio is one of the best of the Democrats in the House today, in order to show that the loss of his presence in the House is outweighed by his chances in the Senate he needs to be shown broad support.

D-Day, a leading lefty blog in California, has this take:

In Oregon, incumbent Gordon Smith is polling behind Rep. Peter DeFazio in the 2008 Senate race. The only problem is that DeFazio hasn't committed to running. David Sirota explains why DeFazio would be a progressive champion in the Senate, and there's an online draft movement to get him to run. With Colorado already looking good, DeFazio's entry in Oregon would have Democrats looking good in two seats, already.

And RINO Watch - a leading right-wing conservative blog here in Oregon - points out that Peter DeFazio tells it like it is (while Gordon Smith wiggles and waffles):

While [RINO Watch] disagrees with Rep. DeFazio on a regular basis, the difference with him and Gordo is that DeFazio DOES NOT talk outta the sides of his mouth. DeFazio is UP FRONT, says it like it is (an obvious trait of [RINO Watch]), is not afraid to go on air with Lars, and is a humble Man.

Over at MetroBlogging Portland, blogger "jonashpdx" says that DeFazio's reluctance is a big positive:

I don't know much about the guy currently a congressman for the 4th district, really (I'm learning quickly), beyond the fact that he's a progressive Democrat, but Blue Oregon is a fan, and I'm certainly not voting for current Senator Gordon Smith in 2008. But I am in favor of voting for a guy who doesn't want to enter a race because he doesn't want to shmooze but is more interested in actual policy. Imagine that, a focus on policy. And hey, he's for comprehensive health care reform, which makes me happy.

There's still more from the Senate 2008 Guru (also here), Down With Tyranny, Democratic Underground, The Source, ActBlue's blog, Willamette Week, Ron Beasley, Swing State Project, the Oregonian political blog, and McJoan at Daily Kos.

Discuss.

April 09, 2007 Posted in elsewhere.