DFA endorses Christine Cegelis.

[madfloridian]

Very glad to see this. I think that national had not intended to get involved at first. We have to fight for our right to have primaries without candidates being deprived of support.

Several others, including Francine Busby, are endorsed as well.

http://www.blogforamerica.com/archives/007520.html

Christine Cegelis for Illinois's 6th District. A long-time resident of Rolling Meadows, Christine Cegelis lives and works in Illinois' 6th Congressional District. As a Dean Dozen candidate in 2004, Christine came within just a few points of toppling 30-year Republican incumbent Rep. Henry Hyde. This year Hyde is retiring and Christine's running again in a tough Democratic primary. The DCCC is behind another candidate, but Christine has earned the support of DFA groups across Illinois and the country. Please do whatever you can to help her win her primary on March 21st.

http://www.cegelisforcongress.com/


And she just got a major union endorsement.

Cegelis Lands Major Union Endorsement

CHICAGO -- The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), which represents more than 700,000 members, today endorsed Democrat Christine Cegelis for Congress in the hotly contested 6th Congressional District, which includes O’Hare International Airport, where more than 6,000 IAM members are employed.

“She understands what our members have been going through, and she’s been supportive all the way,” said Rich Delaney, Assistant General Chairman of IAM District 141. “She’s been our friend, and we support our friends.”
http://www.cegelisforcongress.com/

[goodhue]

1. yes, indeed

Here is the e-mail I received from DFA . . .

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Four Women Who Can Win
From: "Jim Dean, Democracy for America"
Date: Wed, February 22, 2006 10:54 am
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yesterday was Justice Samuel Alito's first day on the Supreme Court bench. The high court now has a majority hostile to women's reproductive rights -- and their first order of business is hearing a case that could substantially alter the right to choose. We don't know what the Court will decide. But we do know that the best way to protect our rights is to elect a Democratic majority to Congress this November.

And that's why I am excited to announce the next DFA-List -- Francine Busby, Christine Cegelis, Mary Jo Kilroy and Lois Murphy for Congress. These four women are running in winnable districts. If we are going to elect a Democratic majority in 2006, we need to fight for victories in these races. Read more and make a contribution to their campaigns today:

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/candidates

Francine Busby for California's 50th District. Francine is running in an April special election for the seat vacated by disgraced Randy "Duke" Cunningham. This race will be the first Congressional race of 2006, and recent polling shows Busby leading all Republicans. This is a race we can win -- Senator Feinstein has won this district and John Kerry received 45% of the vote in 2004. Francine is running a great campaign and DFA members in southern California are already hard at work knocking on doors and phone banking for her. With your support, we can elect Francine and return integrity to the CA-50th Congressional District.

Christine Cegelis for Illinois's 6th District. A long-time resident of Rolling Meadows, Christine Cegelis lives and works in Illinois' 6th Congressional District. As a Dean Dozen candidate in 2004, Christine came within just a few points of toppling 30-year Republican incumbent Rep. Henry Hyde. This year Hyde is retiring and Christine's running again in a tough Democratic primary. The DCCC is behind another candidate, but Christine has earned the support of DFA groups across Illinois. Please do whatever you can to help her win her primary on March 21st.

Mary Jo Kilroy for Ohio's 15th District. After winning her 2004 race for Franklin County Commissioner with the support of DFA, Mary Jo is now challenging incumbent Congresswoman Deborah Pryce, the chair of the GOP Conference and the fourth-highest ranking Republican in the House of Representatives. Pryce is a key architect of the Republican policies that have taken our nation so far off course, while Mary Jo embodies the values of DFA: fiscal responsibility, social progress and grassroots activism. This district can be won by a Democrat -- John Kerry did it in 2004 -- and Mary Jo Kilroy can do it this year. Your early contribution to Mary Jo's campaign will help her bring new leadership to the United States Congress.

Lois Murphy for Pennsylvania's 6th District. In 2004, Dean Dozen candidate Lois Murphy came within just 2 points of defeating Republican incumbent Jim Gerlach in the closest challenge in the country. Now, she's back for a rematch in Pennsylvania's sixth district. Gerlach has been called one of the most vulnerable members of Congress and is working overtime to try to conceal his strong ties to Tom DeLay. As a mother, lawyer, and activist, Lois understands the importance of
dedication and hard work. She is committed to fighting for our priorities and values. With your help we can give Murphy the resources she needs to win in this crucial district.

Francine Busby, Christine Cegelis, Mary Jo Kilroy and Lois Murphy are strong candidates fighting for change. Their positive vision will lead us in the right direction and restore the values that are important to all Americans. But they need your help to build early support and develop strong grassroots networks. Please help them today:

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/candidates

Time and time again, DFA has surprised the pundits, winning in districts where Democrats have feared to tread for far too long. Today, I urge you to get involved in these critical races so we can take our country back in 2006!

Sincerely,

Jim Dean
Chair

P.S. Last week you raised over $40,000 for former Congressman Ciro Rodriguez's campaign against DINO (Democrat in Name Only) Henry Cuellar. Thank You!

--
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/candidates

[AtomicKitten]

7. excellent.

[goodhue]

25. !

[FreedomAngel82]

2. Good for her!

I've heard lots of good things about her. Isn't she the one running against Tammy Duckworth and the DCCC wants Tammy instead of her and Tammy isn't doing half the work Christine is? She seems like she's really into everything and into doing the hard work. Some people could learn from her. I wish her luck!

[minvis]

3. That's correct

I live in the neighboring 5th district, but I am volunteering for Christine by canvassing on the weekends. From what I've seen in the neighborhoods I'm working in, everyone knows who Christine is and many don't even know who the other Democratic candidated are.

[Cha]

5. Thank you, minvis!

Good for you, and Welcome to DU! :patriot: :patriot:

[madfloridian]

10. I really hated that Emily's List did not endorse Cegelis.

It was really a slap, as she has been very pro-choice in every way since she started her campaign. Also it was sad when Durbin changed his endorsement from last time...and gave it to Duckworth. And Pelosi holding a fundraiser for Duckworth. And a fundraiser in the DCCC headquarters for Duckworth.

I was glad to see DFA do this on a national level. Not near the money of the DCCC, not the power of Pelosi and Durbin, but the voice of those the party doesn't really care about.

[NoFederales]

4. Good News

NoFederales

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. I feel fine about this

Primaries are part of our Democratic process. If DFA thinks she's earned their support, I'm glad they are giving it to her. I think whoever emerges from this primary will end up being a good candidate for Democrats to rally behind.

[madfloridian]

8. Many DFA local groups were already endorsing...PDA endorsed as well.

2006 Endorsements

Democracy for America (DFA)
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM)
Illinois Committee for Honest Government
Independent Voters of Illinois - Independent Precinct Organization (IVI-IPO)
Progressive Democrats of America
Progressive Democrats of Illinois
National Organization for Women
Women’s Campaign Fund
Italian American Political Coalition
Mexican American Political Coalition
Schaumburg Area Democratic Organization
Americans for Democratic Action
Democracy for America: Edgewater
Democracy for America of Elk Grove Township
Democracy for America: Loop
Democracy for America: Oak Park
My Vote is My Voice (MViMV)

My Vote is My Voice is in large part, but not all, Deaniacs.

http://www.cegelisforcongress.com/endorsements

[minvis]

16. I'm part of DFA: Edgewater

We have many people in our group (which is located in the city of Chicago outside the 6th District) working for Christine's campaign. Many people are phone banking and others like myself are canvassing door to door.

Democracy in action!!!

[madfloridian]

17. I went to the IL DFA Link and you guys are active!

I like to check out various states sometimes. IL looks so organized.

Best of luck to you guys. I sent some money her way today.

[minvis]

18. I just checked

She's received almost $4,000 already from contributors on the DFA site since the endorsement today. Ciro Rodriguez in the Texas 28th district has received over $40,000 from DFA contributors since his endorsement last week.

I really do feel great working on this campaign and for this candidate. She can definitely win the primary and she can definitely win the general election in November.

[DancingBear]

9. This part makes me smile

"The DCCC is behind another candidate"

Thanks, Doc, for helping build it from the ground up, like we know it has to be.

As for your supposed "fellow Dems" in the DCCC, well, you know... :)

One step at a time.

[madfloridian]

11. DCCC, Emily's List still have the power for now, the big money...

But I think that will change someday soon.

[DancingBear]

13. This is just the start

The grassroots movement, as seen in both the naming of Dean to the DNC and in Dean's Presidential run as well, is both real and growing.

While I find no fault with the DCCC endorsing its own candidate (in this case, since they made no effort to say please run/oh, maybe not as did their brethren) I find it saddening that they under no circumstances wish to endorse anyone outside the middle of the road box that they find themselves living in.

Remember, I could not have been any less supportive of Dean and his efforts during the primary, but if I can see the direction that this party needs to go in to become a viable agent for political change then I am sure that many more can as well.

The DLC folks are fast losing their grip, and they must do whatever they feel they must in order to insure their viability.

I must do whatever I can to make them become extinct.

[madfloridian]

12. We need competitive primaries....what Dean said in Washington..

"My job is to get Democrats elected. I don't pick the Democrats; that's your job. That's what elections are for, that's what primaries are for."

From Dina's diary about the Crabfest in WA Monday.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/2/21/22833/1156

Yes, that is right...glad he said it.

[madfloridian]

14. Wow...just to show you what party power gives....a search at google

on "Christine Cegelis" gave the first hit about her, and nearly all the rest about Duckworth...with Cegelis mentioned casually as a has run.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=%22christine+cegelis%22&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d

That may change, but the way the search goes now it is mostly Duckworth when you type in Cegelis.

[madfloridian]

15. Still not anything at Google about the DFA endorsement...

All the searches on Cegelis give stories about Duckworth, not changing at all. There is one on the union endorsement.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=%22christine+cegelis%22&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d

[Kevin Spidel]

19. thanks for this... nice pic eh?

i took it... hehehehe


seriously.. thanks for this post!



Kevin Spidel
Campaign Manager
Cegelis for Congress
http://www.cegelisforcongress.com

[madfloridian]

20. Most welcome...you're doing a good job on her blog.

:hi:

[Kevin Spidel]

21. thanks...

you know how important this is... i hope others do tooo.... this IS a race for how the party operates.

[Douglas Carpenter]

22. great news

http://www.cegelisforcongress.com/contribute

[eridani]

23. Note that Cegelis is NOT letting opposition from entrenched party members-

--stop her campaign. Neither is Chuck Pennacchio in Pennsylvania. My thought is that these candidates have to demonstrate a good enough ground game to overcome money and official annointing. If they can't do that, then they can't beat the Rethug noise machine either.

[madfloridian]

24. A very moving post by Christine at the DFA blog, November 10, 2004.

This was not long after the election. Instead of moping she was already looking ahead.

From November 10, 2004

The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship
http://www.blogforamerica.com/archives/005514.html

As a first-time challenger against an entrenched incumbent, I really did not have a clue as to what I was getting myself into when I declared I would run against Henry Hyde. I decided to run in September of 2003 and because I had my own primary challenge, I did not really get involved in the Democratic Presidential Primary races.

Governor Dean and Democracy For America did not know me and I did not know DFA when I started the race, but it soon became obvious that we were destined to be good friends. Our goals, methods and hopes were closely aligned. It started with the DFA group in my area that had been helping me in the primary and grew include to other groups that were just outside of my District.

When I look back, I realize that mine was largely a DFA-powered campaign. Many of the fundraisers and house parties were planned and hosted by DFA members; my website was maintained by a DFA volunteer and hosted by another, and we had many, many canvassers and helpers from the various DFA groups around the area.

I was not able to take the seat, but I have made great in-roads for the future. After all the votes had been counted, I came in just under 45%. To many people, that came as a surprise, but not to the people close to my campaign. What I heard over and over is that we ran a strong campaign and DFA was the backbone that helped us do that.

I know we are all trying to come to grips with what to do next and figure out what we did wrong this time. I am committed to running again and I do hope that my DFA friends will be with me for the next run. I feel I ran a principled, issue-oriented campaign that focused on the values we consider important like improving the economy, education and healthcare. I am proud of the support that I received from DFA and although I did not win the seat, the response I received tells me that we are on the right track.

When I read this today, it really moved me. She was so honest in that post, so ready to learn from what she experienced.

[kiteinthewind]

26. Donated!! n/t

[madfloridian]

27. Article.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/nearwest/chi-0602240326feb24,1,3937873.story?coll=chi-newslocalnearwest-hed

"Duckworth spokesman Billy Weinberg said the campaign preferred the endorsements it has received.

"The important thing is has the support of Barack Obama and Dick Durbin, who know exactly what the issues are that are important to people of the 6th District," he said. "Obama and Durbin are two people who know something about leadership. They recognize the same skills in Tammy Duckworth."

Obama also is featured in a new broadcast TV ad to debut Monday on behalf of Chicago banker Alexi Giannoulias, who faces Knox County State's Atty. Paul Mangieri in the Democratic primary for state treasurer. The Duckworth and Giannoulias ads are a first for Obama in Illinois elections."

I do not care for Weinberg's comment. It implies that Obama and Durbin are the only ones who know the issues for the people of that district. I thought it could have been phrased differently.

Definitely points out the party structure backing, and of course that is where the power lies...and where the power and money will lie for a long time to come. I was glad to see they quoted Jim Dean, though.

Question, though. Why is Obama doing an ad for the state treasurer who was not endorsed by the state Democrats?