Fighting Dems

There is nothing the johnkerry.com community should be more proud of than your work to promote the "Fighting Dems" - veterans running for Congress.

I think electing veterans in 2006 is the single most important thing we can do to change Washington. Here's why. To hear the Administration and their Republican allies talk, anyone who has a different view than George Bush on national security and Iraq is lacking in patriotism and doesn't support the troops. Remember freshman GOP Congresswoman Jean Schmidt who invoked our troops in smearing Jack Murtha?

That's why I want these Republicans to have to stand face to face on the floor of the House and Senate and be forced to debate veterans who have been there. It will elevate the dialogue in our country, it will change the voices in the conversation.

This is personal. We know the difference our veterans’ movement made both in changing the course of the Vietnam War, and in vets fighting for vets. Look at what Max Cleland did as V.A. Secretary less than ten years after he lost three limbs for his country. I remember veterans speaking out against the Vietnam war policy, and someone yelled: "you should support the troops." One of those veterans shouted back: "Lady, we are the troops."

That's what veterans can do again today - because they are the troops, they can speak with a special moral authority and can change the way Washington works.

Here’s what you have done so far:

Together, we have raised over $500,000 for veterans running for office this year. You have been fighting for people like:

Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq veteran who lost both of her legs when her helicopter was shot down in Iraq. She is facing State Senator Peter Roskam in Illinois’ 6th district, the seat vacated by retiring Republican U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde.

Jim Webb, Vietnam Veteran and former Secretary of the Navy, whom John Kerry and the johnkerry.com community endorsed in his close primary race for Virginia Senate on June 2, 2006. You took an active role in the Webb campaign – from our 3 million member johnkerry.com community to your GOTV efforts to an election eve rally with supporters in Arlington – and even the case you made for Jim Webb to the blogosphere, posting on Huffington Post to get out the vote and rally support for Webb.

Tim Walz, a 24 year veteran of the National Guard who was deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom after 9/11. He is running against GOP incumbent Gil Gutknecht in Minnesota 1st district.

Jay Fawcett, who joined the Air Force Academy at seventeen and fought in the first Gulf War. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his actions in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He is running in Colorado’s 5th district, which has been Republican-held for 20 years.

Patrick Murphy, an Army veteran, has been deployed twice to serve since 9/11 - first to Bosnia, then to Baghdad. He was a professor at West Point. He is running against Mike Fitzpatrick in Pennsylvania’s 8th district.

Joe Sestak served in Iraq and Afghanistan, leading an Aircraft Carrier Battle Group of 30 ships and 15,000 men and women in combat operations as Vice Admiral. He also worked for President Clinton as Director of Defense Policy. He is running against US Rep. Curt Weldon in Pennsylvania’s 7th district.

OTHER VETS YOU’VE SUPPORTED:

* Bill Winter, United States Marine, and running against Tom Tancredo in CO-06.
* Duane Burghard, US Naval Officer challenging GOP incumbent Kenny Hulshof in M0-09.
* Eric Massa, former Naval officer running in NY-29.
* Joe Sulzer, Army Vietnam Veteran fighting in OH-18.
* Christopher Carney, Lieutenant Commander in the United States Naval Reserve challenging Donald Sherwood in PA-10.
* Rick Bolanos, Vietnam vet running against Henry Bonilla in TX-23.
* Tim Dunn, Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, has served in Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Kosovo and Iraq and earned the Bronze Star. Dunn has now endorsed Larry Kissell in the race for NC-08.
* Paul Hackett. Last summer, the johnkerry.com community fought hard for Paul Hackett, who would have been the first Iraq War veteran elected to US Congress. American hero John Glenn sent an email to the johnkerry.com list days before the election to sign up 330 volunteers to work on Hackett’s campaign.