Friday, April 13, 2012

Good News From Rob Zerban

I got this email from Team Zerban:
Today we announced our strongest fundraising quarter of the 2012 cycle and I wanted to make sure your heard about it.

In the 1st quarter of 2012 the campaign raised $326,000, for a total raised this cycle of $840,000!! This far exceeded our internal goal and is more than 3 times what Paul Ryan’s previous challengers raised, combined.

92% of our fundraising was from individuals like you; the people who believe in our campaign and know just what is at stake this November.

We are overwhelmed by the continued support of people who are fed up with Paul Ryan’s 14 years of poor decisions. This shows us that you all know we need leaders who listen to the people, not just the corporations, and who put your needs above Wall Street.

As our campaign momentum continues to grow we will ensure we have the resources to let every voter in the 1st Congressional District know there is a clear choice this November – a choice between having a leader with real world experience and Wisconsin values and having a Washington insider continue to put the 1st Congressional District last.

Thank you all so much for your continued support and encouragement. On to November.
That is quite the hopeful sign for his campaign, and one which is well deserved.

I've seen Zerban had a number of events, but the fates always conspired to keep us from having anything more than a handshake and a "How do you do?"

Fortunately, I had the chance to speak to Rob a few weeks ago. Despite a long, grueling day of appearances and making endless phone calls, he still took the time at the end of his day to spar me a half hour or so.

Rob is a very nice and personable soul who genuinely cares for the people of Wisconsin, especially the thousands who have lost their jobs and are losing hope. He said that when elected, he would go to Washington DC to represent them and work to bring jobs back to Wisconsin. This is in sharp contrast to his opponent, the incumbent Paul Ryan, who is more worried about his rich banker and business friends, and the proper $350 bottle of wine to serve them, and has turn a deaf ear, a blind eye and a calloused heart to those who had put their trust into him.

He told me about the wide amount of support that he has gotten, being understandably very proud of having a personally signed guitar from Joan Jett, who donated it to Zerban's campaign in order to help get Ryan out of office and into the unemployment line where he's put so many of his constituents and other Wisconsinites.

There was one thing that came out of my conversation with Rob that will stick with me for life.  He asked how things were going for me and my family.  At the time, I was feeling pretty salty, because my wife had just lost her job and things were looking exceptionally bleak for us.  I pointed out that between Scott Walker's attack on workers and my wife's situation, we were losing over $1,000 a month, which we depended on to keep ourselves afloat until we could get Walker out and restore some resemblance of sanity to our state.

That's when he blew my mind.

Rob told me NOT to send him any money.  He said that even though he is going up against the big bank accounts of Ryan's supporters, he would not feel right taking money from me while I was just trying to keep a roof over our heads.

I have never heard any politician of any political party say anything like that.  Hell, I'm used to Scott Walker literally stealing my money in order to promote his political purposes.

And I no that there is no way in hell that Paul Ryan would have said that to anyone.

I was already on Zerban's side before we spoke.  But this conversation, where I go to see Zerban's genuineness and his compassion, has put me squarely in his camp.

So, while my wife and I are scratching our way back to a spot where we can do more for Zerban than just have me writing a blog post telling you that he is the real deal and is immeasurably better than Ryan in any way you want to challenge him, please do what you can to help him.

You can find out how to help Rob take our country and our state back by visiting his website.

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