Destination Albany…Powered by People!

In September 2007, I kicked off this campaign by walking for eight days to cover more than 160 miles from one end of our District (Webster, in Monroe County) to the other (Lansing, in Tompkins County). We knew this was going to be a difficult race. We face a 28-year incumbent who has been unopposed since 1992. We face a voter enrollment that slightly favors Republicans, but that includes a near 25% of registered Voters not enrolled in either the Democratic or Republican Parties. And our campaign goes on during a period of financial difficulties for so many of the working women and men of our region.

Amidst all of this, there is you, The People of our Democracy. What have you done in response to our campaign? You have gotten involved. You have volunteered countless hours, including for our Petition drive to get on the ballot. You - more than 800 of you - have contributed more than $25,000 in change to our fundraising drive, "Change-for-Change." And you have committed to getting out the vote on November 4th through our field program "Neighbor-to-Neighbor." You have vaulted our race into the #9 race ranking on www.TheAlbanyProject.com.

Our greatest challenge is not this campaign; it is what lies further ahead. Albany. That one word. That one place. That one symbol of the ultimate in government dysfunction. It will be an even bigger fight beginning January 2009 to tackle the problems we now face from property taxes to health insurance to renewable energy alternatives.

Please join in the grassroots movement that is now our campaign and that will, on Election Day, become our activism. It is because of you that we have gotten this far. It is because of you that we will have victory on November 4th. And it will only be with you that we will lead the way in the Senate to the legislative proposals that will correct the direction of our State.