Winning Montana

By Jon Tester, Unfiltered 9-30-05

We threw one of the largest political rallies and fundraisers in the history of Montana when Pearl Jam played a concert for the campaign in Missoula. That show introduced this campaign to thousands of voters we're still in touch with.

We highlighted real differences between Conrad Burns and the values of Montana voters:

1. We stood up and demanded a real energy policy that addresses America's energy needs while recognizing the need for conservation, renewable energy development, and the strengthening of our rural economies.  (If you haven't yet signed the petition demanding that George Bush and Congress get serious about energy, please do so here).
   
   
2. We stood up and said that it's time for this foolish talk about privatizing Social Security to come to an end so we can deal with real issues facing America.
   
   
3. We declared, "You can't rebuild America by tearing American workers down" and called on the White House to reverse their decision on Davis-Bacon.
   
   
4. We said that we've had enough of Washington's pay-to-play, win-at-all-costs attitude.
   
   
5. And we stood up and said that Washington, D.C. needs real leadership to deal with the deficit today - so that our children aren't left paying our debts.

And in the process of standing up for what's right, more than 2,000 people like you have made financial contributions to our campaign.

Those are small-dollar contributions, from working Montanans and supporters around the country. People who work for a living and know that they deserve better than what they're getting from the government that they pay for.

All of this is making an impact. When I entered this race in May, a poll came out saying that 26 percent of Montanans would vote for me in a head-to-head match-up with Conrad Burns. A poll out this month shows that 38 percent of Montanans would now support me.

The old campaign hands in Helena would tell you that no one jumps 12 percent in the polls a year out without paying for TV ads. But we did it.

But now, I need your help.

In 2000, Conrad Burns sat on his laurels for most of the campaign and nearly lost his job as a result. This time around, his big money backers don't want to see that happen.

They know that we've got the momentum here in Montana, but they're riding Conrad hard to raise $10 million to hoodwink Montana voters with slick TV ads and four-color mailings.

And don't doubt it -- they'll be attacking us and trying to define this race early.

We need your help again, not just to win the primary, but so that we can define this race before Conrad does.

Don't doubt it. In his early fundraising letters, Conrad's campaign was already trying to tar and feather me and the other Democrats in this race.

Karl Rove has already come to Montana. You don't need me to tell you that any campaign that's taking Karl Rove's advice is sure to turn nasty.

I do need your help to make sure that we can beat back the Burns/Rove machine.

Please consider making a contribution to my campaign today, the final day of the quarter. Whether you can give $35.01, $100.01, or $500.01, your contribution will go a long way in sending a Montana Democrat to Washington in January 2007.

Thank you for all that you do.


[Cross-posted at Daily Kos and MyDD.]

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