Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Top 10 Candidates on ActBlue, July 21-27, 2008

Editor's Note: Each week, ActBlue will release key statistics from campaigns across the country, along with brief biographical notes on the week's Top 10 candidates. When we have information that may help to explain why a candidate has had increased activity on ActBlue, we will provide it in italics below the biography. Descriptive content reproduced in the ActBlue Campaign Newswire is collated from publicly available sources. ActBlue does not take sides in any Democratic primary. You can subscribe to the RSS feed of the Campaign Newswire at http://campaignnewswire.blogspot.



1. Kay Hagan | NC-Sen | $29,670.49

2. Jeff Harris | MO-Atty Gen | $16,309.00

3. Gary Peters | MI-09 | $14,949.67

4. Mark Warner | VA-Sen | $14,837.50

5. Rick Noriega | TX-Sen | $12,974.24

6. Tom Perriello | VA-05 | $12,296.67

7. Eric Massa | NY-29 | $8,201.83

8. Nikki Tinker | TN-09 | $8,188.00

9. Clint Zweifel | MO-Treas | $7,499.00

10. Dan Seals | IL-10 | $6,300.99


1. Kay Hagan (NC-Sen)

Hagan is running against Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole and was recently named one of the "top ten most effective state senators" by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research (NCCPPR). After winning the Democratic primary in May with 60 percent of the vote, the five-term North Carolina state senator continues to pick up high-profile endorsements.

A continually strong fundraiser on ActBlue, Kay Hagan recently announced fundraising totals topping $1.6 million in the second quarter of the year, narrowing the fundraising gap with Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole and attracting national media attention. Hagan's totals this week were driven by fundraising through MyDD's 'Road to 60' page (http://www.actblue.com/page/roadto60), Senate Guru's 'Expand the Map' effort (http://www.actblue.com/page/senate2008guru), and through a Business Leaders' Breakfast scheduled for August 18.

Hagan's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18560

Hagan's campaign site: http://kayhagan.com/


2. Jeff Harris (MO-Atty Gen)

Representative Jeff Harris, twice elected Minority Leader, is running for the Democratic nomination for Attorney General in Missouri. A graduate of Vanderbilt and Cornell Law School, Harris served as Assistant Missouri Attorney General and field organizer for Dick Gephardt's 1988 presidential campaign. The primary election is on August 5.

Recent polls show Harris with a ten-point lead over his rivals. Harris continues to build a strong donor base on ActBlue.

Harris's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18116

Harris's campaign site: http://www.electjeffharris.com/


3. Gary Peters (MI-09)


Gary Peters is running against Republican incumbent Joe Knollenberg for Michigan's 9th District congressional seat. Peters has held impressive posts in the public and private sectors, and in the military. While serving in the state Senate, Peters was the Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, and the ranking Democrat on many prominent Senate committees, including the Finance and the Judiciary committees. Peters won accolades for his success as Commissioner for the Michigan State Lottery, a post he was appointed to in 2003. Peters has also managed branches for two major Wall Street firms, and served as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

After debuting in the eighth spot on our Top 10 list several weeks ago, Peters has pushed his way into the Top 5 this week and last. The Peters campaign recently launched its new "Take Action Now" initiative, in which Gary Peters and supporters will take time off from the campaign trail to volunteer with community service programs across Oakland County. The first volunteer event was the Stogdill Pancake Breakfast in Pontiac, Michigan. This isn't the first time Peters has mobilized volunteers to help his community: in 1997, Peters formed "NetDay Michigan," a grassroots organization that "installed donated wiring and computers in twenty-two schools, libraries, and recreation centers."

Peters's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18229

Peters's campaign site: http://petersforcongress.com


4. Mark Warner (VA-Sen)

During his tenure as Virginia Governor from 2002-2006, Warner was hailed by Time Magazine as one of "America's 5 Best Governors" in 2005 and was featured in Newsweek's "Who's Next" issue in 2006. Warner is running for what will be Republican John Warner's vacated Senate seat.

Mark Warner has had a banner week on ActBlue, driven by the campaign itself and aided by a fundraising push by Harry Reid at http://www.actblue.com/page/challengers. Warner has been speaking out-- through an issue site, a fundraising effort, and a television ad (http://www.markwarner2008.com/pages/energy-ad)-- about solutions to the energy crisis.

Warner's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18420

Warner's campaign site: http://markwarner2008.com/welcome


5. Rick Noriega (TX-Sen)

Noriega is certainly no newcomer to ActBlue success, and has once again taken a spot on our Top 10 list. After Noriega's Army tour in Afghanistan, the two-term Texas state representative and Lieutenant Colonel was appointed Incident Commander of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Houston, Texas. He's now running against Republican incumbent John Cornyn for the Texas Senate seat.

The momentum behind Noriega's campign keeps growing, as high-profile Democrats continue to speak on his behalf. Senators Barbara Boxer, Jim Webb, Jon Tester, and General Wesley Clark have collectively raised thousands for the campaign. Noriega also features prominently on a number of slate pages sponsored by major bloggers, including Daily Kos (http://actblue.com/page/orangetoblue), the Blue America group (http://actblue.com/page/blueamerica08), and a network of Texas bloggers calling themselves "Netroots for Noriega" (http://actblue.com/page/netrootsfornoriega).

Noriega's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18187

Noriega's campaign site: http://www.ricknoriega.com/


6. Tom Perriello (VA-05)

Tom Perriello is the Democratic nominee for Congress from Virginia's 5th Congressional District. After graduating from Yale Law, Perriello worked with child soldiers, amputees, and local pro-democracy groups in the post-conflict countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone. He later served as Special Advisor and spokesperson for the International Prosecutor during the movement to remove Liberian dictator Charles Taylor from office, and as a national security consultant for the Century Foundation. Perriello has also worked in Darfur and Afghanistan, and in 2004, helped to found FaithfulAmerica.org, a movement aimed at bringing together faithful communities to address social and political challenges.

Perriello's strong week is driven by contributions through ActBlue pages built by OpenLeft (http://www.actblue.com/page/olbd) and Blue America (http://www.actblue.com/page/blueamerica08).

Perriello's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18431

Perriello's campaign site: http://www.perrielloforcongress.com/


7. Eric Massa (NY-29)

Naval veteran Eric Massa is a candidate for Congress from New York's 29th District. He is challenging Republican incumbent Randy Kuhl for the second time. Massa is a vocal supporter of the "Responsible Plan for Iraq" [http://www.responsibleplan.com/]. This is Massa's second cycle with ActBlue.

Massa raised more than $8,000 this week on ActBlue, with the majority of contributions coming through ActBlue slate pages, among them OpenLeft's candidate page (http://actblue.com/page/olbd), the Daily Kos Orange to Blue list (http://actblue.com/page/orangetoblue), and the Blue America page (http://actblue.com/page/blueamerica08).

Massa's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/17761

Massa's campaign site: http://www.massaforcongress.com/index.asp


8. Nikki Tinker (TN-09)

Nikki Tinker of Memphis is challenging fellow Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen for the Congressional seat in Tennessee's 9th District, the seat previously held by DLC Chairman Harold Ford, Jr. Tinker, the first African American elected president of her law school's student body, began her career as a civil rights attorney and is now General Counsel and Vice-President of Labor Relations for a Memphis-based airline. Tinker's commitment to the community has been recognized by numerous organizations and churches in Tennessee. Among her many honors and awards are the "Woman of Excellence" award from Tri-State Defender, and Christ Missionary Baptist Church's "Living Legend Award."

Endorsed for the second consecutive cycle by EMILY's List, Tinker's fundraising success on ActBlue-- this is her second week on ActBlue's Top 10 list-- is driven primarily by a group of citizens styled "Armenians for Nikki," organizing for the campaign and praising Tinker's strong stance on the issue of the Armenian Genocide after her primary opponent, Steve Cohen, denied its existence. Prominent Armenian Americans like Titans defensive lineman Rien Long have endorsed Tinker this month.

Tinker's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/20168

Tinker's campaign website: http://www.tinkerforcongress.com/about-nikki/


9. Clint Zweifel (MO-Treas)

State Representative Clint Zweifel is running for Missouri State Treasurer. Zweifel has served in the House since 2002, and is a leader on state finances, having served as the ranking member on the Ways and Means Committee and the Special Committee on Tax Reform, among others. In the House, Zweifel has focused on early childhood education, helping seniors cope with property taxes, and privacy regulations. He chaired the Missouri House Democratic Campaign Committee, where his work resulted in the largest Democratic net gain in the House since 1978. Zweifel was the first in his family to graduate from college, and holds a BA and MBA from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Before holding public office, Zweifel served as Research and Education Director for Teamsters Local 688, where he helped members navigate retirement issues. He and his wife, Janice, are foster parents to two girls.

Zweifel has built a strong fundraising base on ActBlue in the last several weeks, preparing for the primary on August 5.

Zweifel's ActBlue hubpage: https://secure.actblue.com/entity/report/19118

Zweifel's campaign site: http://www.clintfortreasurer.com


10. Dan Seals (IL-10)

Dan Seals is currently a business consultant and public policy lecturer at Northwestern University whose professional life has included stints in both the public and private sectors. Seals first ran against Republican incumbent Mark Kirk for Illinois's 10th District seat in 2006 and nearly won with 47 percent of the vote. The former GE Capital marketing director is challenging Kirk once again, and this year has earned a spot on the DCCC Red to Blue Candidates List. In both election cycles, Seals has consistently been among the top ActBlue fundraisers.

Aside from funds contributed through Seals's hub page, the campaign has been the beneficiary of fundraising support from the Daily Kos community at http://actblue.com/page/orangetoblue, from Northside DFA (Seals is one of the group's 'adopted' candidates at http://actblue.com/page/ndfa_picks), and from an innovative community group, online at http://actblue.com/page/twofortuesdays, that has committed to raise $2 each from 100 people every Tuesday.

Seals's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/16318

Seals's campaign site: http://www.dansealsforcongress.com/index.php

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Top 10 Candidates on ActBlue, July 14-20, 2008

Editor's Note: Each week, ActBlue will release key statistics from campaigns across the country, along with brief biographical notes on the week's Top 10 candidates.* When we have information that may help to explain why a candidate has had increased activity on ActBlue, we will provide it in italics below the biography. Descriptive content reproduced in the ActBlue Campaign Newswire is collated from publicly available sources. ActBlue does not take sides in any Democratic primary. You can subscribe to the RSS feed of the Campaign Newswire at http://campaignnewswire.blogspot.

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1. Rick Noriega | TX-Sen | $52,661.37

2. Kay Hagan | NC-Sen | $17,725.67

3. Judy Baker | MO-09 | $16,815.00

4. Gary Peters | MI-09 | $15,000.00

5. Nikki Tinker | TN-09 | $13,306.00

6. Mark Warner | VA-Sen | $12,665.00

7. Jon Powers | NY-26 | $12,040.00

8. Dan Seals | IL-10 | $10,787.82

9. Steve Gaw | MO-09 | $10,245.00

10. Mark Schauer | MI-07 | $8,645.00

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1. Rick Noriega (TX-Sen)

Noriega is certainly no newcomer to ActBlue success, and has once again jumped to the top of our Top 10 list. After Noriega's Army tour in Afghanistan, the two-term Texas state representative and Lieutenant Colonel was appointed Incident Commander of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Houston, Texas. He's now running against Republican incumbent John Cornyn for the Texas Senate seat, and a June 26 Texas Lyceum poll shows the candidates in a statistical "dead heat."

The momentum behind Noriega's campign keeps growing, as more high-profile Democrats continue to speak to Texas on his behalf. At a Dallas fundraiser on July 16, former NATO supreme allied commander and retired four-star general Wesley Clark spoke to nearly 700 Noriega supporters, encouraging them to support Noriega: "A force is moving here in Texas," said General Clark, "a force that will put Texas back on course, and that force is led by Rick Noriega." Virginia Senator Jim Webb and Montana Senator Jon Tester, who were both beneficiaries of General Clark's support during their own elections, have collectively raised over $20,000 for Noriega's campaign since June.

Bloggers are another driving force behind Noriega's high numbers from last week. The Daily Kos ActBlue page, Orange to Blue, and a network of Texas bloggers who have dubbed themselves "Netroots for Noriega," provided boosts to Noriega's fundraising total last week.

Noriega's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18187
Noriega's campaign site: http://www.ricknoriega.com/


2. Kay Hagan (NC-Sen)

Hagan is running against Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole and was recently named one of the "top ten most effective state senators" by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research (NCCPPR). After winning the Democratic primary in May with 60 percent of the vote, the five-term North Carolina state senator continues to pick up high-profile endorsements. This is her second week in a row at the number two spot on our Top 10 list.

A continually strong fundraiser on ActBlue, Kay Hagan recently announced fundraising totals topping $1.6 million in the second quarter of the year, narrowing the fundraising gap with Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole and attracting national media attention. Last weekend, Hagan supporters knocked on the doors of residents in seven North Carolina counties to collect food for local food banks and build support for Hagan. The Hagan campaign called this effort the "Canvass for Canned Food" drive, and helped boost the diminishing supplies of food banks and Hagan's total for the week.

Hagan's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18560
Hagan's campaign site: http://kayhagan.com/


3. Judy Baker (MO-09)

Baker is running for the Democratic nomination in Missouri's 9th District. Through her work as a state representative in Missouri, the National Conference of State Legislatures recognized Baker as an "Emerging Health Care Leader." After receiving a master's degree in divinity, Baker returned to Missouri and worked in the health care industry, becoming a successful businesswoman and starting her own consulting firm. An active member of her community, Baker served as part-time administrative director for ACTS International, a non-profit, humanitarian organization. Baker will face Steve Gaw, Ken Jacob, and Lyndon Bode in Missouri's August primary.

After appearing in our first Campaign Newswire Top 10 at the beginning of June, Baker is back. Many of her contributions from last week bought TV airtime for the campaign to run commercials. In a creative use of an ActBlue event page, the campaign created a page titled, "Crucial TV Time," on which donors could direct their contributions to buy airtime on specific networks and even for particular television shows.

Baker's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18681
Baker's campaign site: http://www.judybakerforcongress.com


4. Gary Peters (MI-09)

Gary Peters is running against Republican incumbent Joe Knollenberg for Michigan's 9th District congressional seat. Peters has held impressive posts in the public and private sectors, and in the military. While serving in the state Senate, Peters was the Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, and the ranking Democrat on many prominent Senate committees, including the Finance and the Judiciary committees. Peters won accolades for his success as Commissioner for the Michigan State Lottery, a post he was appointed to in 2003. Peters has also managed branches for two major Wall Street firms, and served as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

After debuting in the eighth spot on our Top 10 list last week, Peters has pushed his way into the Top 5 this week. This past weekend, the Peters campaign launched its new "Take Action Now" initiative, in which Gary Peters and supporters will take time off from the campaign trail to volunteer with community service programs across Oakland County. The first volunteer event was the Stogdill Pancake Breakfast in Pontiac, Michigan, and the campaign intends to volunteer with community service programs across Oakland county. This isn't the first time Peters has mobilized volunteers to help his community: in 1997, Peters formed "NetDay Michigan," a grassroots organization that "installed donated wiring and computers in twenty-two schools, libraries, and recreation centers."

Peters's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18229
Peters's campaign site: http://petersforcongress.com


5. Nikki Tinker (TN-09)

Nikki Tinker of Memphis is challenging fellow Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen for the Congressional seat in Tennessee's 9th District, the seat previously held by DLC Chairman Harold Ford, Jr. Tinker, the first African American elected president of her law school's student body, is a respected lawyer and community activist. Tinker began her career as a civil rights attorney and is now General Counsel and Vice-President of Labor Relations for a Memphis-based airline. Tinker's commitment to the community has been recognized by numerous organizations and churches in Tennessee. Among her many honors and awards are the "Woman of Excellence" award from Tri-State Defender, and Christ Missionary Baptist Church's "Living Legend Award."

Endorsed for the second consecutive cycle by EMILY's List, Tinker's fundraising success on ActBlue is driven primarily by a group of citizens styled "Armenians for Nikki," organizing for the campaign and praising Tinker's strong stance on the issue of the Armenian Genocide after her primary opponent, Steve Cohen, denied its existence. Prominent Armenian Americans like Titans defensive lineman Rien Long have endorsed Tinker this month.

Tinker's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/20168
Tinker's campaign website: http://www.tinkerforcongress.com/about-nikki/


6. Mark Warner (VA-Sen)

During his tenure as Virginia Governor from 2002-2006, Warner was hailed by Time Magazine as one of "America's 5 Best Governors" in 2005 and was featured in Newsweek's "Who's Next" issue in 2006. Warner is running for what will be Republican John Warner's vacated Senate seat.

Warner received substantial monies from a page seeking to raise funds to respond to attacks made by Warner's opponent, Jim Gilmore. The page is online at http://actblue.com/page/recordstraight, and contains the following text:

Over the past two weeks, Jim Gilmore has repeatedly accused Mark Warner of lying. Gilmore says that Warner concocted a "myth" about the budget disaster - that there was no fiscal crisis, no budget shortfall, that it was all a grand conspiracy to pull one over on the people of Virginia - and some of the state's leading Republicans were in on it. But, according to the Washington Post, "In Mr. Gilmore, Virginia had its very own Herbert Hoover." We need your help to muster enough resources to get the truth out to voters all across Virginia. Please make a contribution.

Warner's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18420
Warner's campaign site: http://markwarner2008.com/welcome



7. Jon Powers (NY-26)

Jon Powers, running for Congress in New York's 26th District, is an Army Captain and decorated Iraqi War veteran, schoolteacher, and nonprofit leader. On returning from Baghdad and Najaf, Powers returned to New York planning to become a social studies teacher in the Clarence, NY public schools. But he felt compelled to return to Iraq, and founded War Kids Relief, a nonprofit youth services group in Baghdad that was recognized by NBC Nightly News. Hailed by his fellow troops as a "very passionate" and "exceptional leader," Powers has been endorsed by General Wesley Clark and Senator John Kerry, among other national leaders and local and national unions. Powers will face New York attorney Alice Kryzan and manufacturer Jack Davis in a September 9th primary.

Powers's fundraising success on ActBlue is driven by recurring contributions to his trademark 'Club 26,' named for his district, wherein members commit to contributing $26 each month through victory in November. Beyond giving, members participate in monthly conference calls to exchange of ideas and hear about the campaign's progress.

Powers's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18111
Powers's campaign site: http://www.powersforcongress.com


8. Dan Seals (IL-10)

Dan Seals is currently a business consultant and public policy lecturer at Northwestern University whose professional life has included stints in both the public and private sectors. Seals first ran against Republican incumbent Mark Kirk for Illinois's 10th District seat in 2006 and nearly won with 47 percent of the vote. The former GE Capital marketing director is challenging Kirk once again, and this year has earned a spot on the DCCC Red to Blue Candidates List. In both election cycles, Seals has consistently been among the top ActBlue fundraisers.

Aside from funds contributed through Seals's hub page, the campaign has been the beneficiary of fundraising support from Northside DFA (Seals is one of the group's 'adopted' candidates at http://actblue.com/page/ndfa_picks), from the Daily Kos community at http://actblue.com/page/orangetoblue, and from an innovative community group, online at http://actblue.com/page/twofortuesdays, that has committed to raise $2 each from 100 people every Tuesday.

Seals's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/16318
Seals's campaign site: http://www.dansealsforcongress.com/index.php



9. Steve Gaw (MO-09)

Steve Gaw is running for Congress from Missouri's 9th Congressional District to replace Republican incumbent Kenny Hulshof. Trained in physics and the law, Gaw has served as Speaker of the MIssouri House, State Representative from the 22nd District, and Chairman of the Public Service Commission. As Speaker, Gaw advocated for education, public safety, agricultural issues, and economic development. Gaw will face Judy Baker, Ken Jacob, and Lyndon Bode in Missouri's August primary.

Steve Gaw has had a successful week on ActBlue, driving contributions through his hub page.

Gaw's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/19009
Gaw's campaign site: http://www.gawforcongress.com


10. Mark Schauer (MI-07)

Michigan State Senator Mark Schauer is challenging freshman Representative Tim Walberg for the Congressional seat for Michigan's 7th Congressional District. Schauer is a long-time public servant who has served as the head of two major community services associations, where he coordinated provision of services like Head Start; city commissioner for Battle Creek; and state legislator. He is currently serving as Senate Democratic Leader.

Schauer, who built a career in community services, has recently attracted donations through an ActBlue page acknowledging Schauer's reliability as an advocate for children. The Schauer example highlights an important feature of ActBlue: by being explicit about the issue that drives a community to support a given candidate, the candidate can better understand what matters to his supporters.

Schauer's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18325
Schauer's campaign site: http://www.markschauer.com/


* All fundraising totals represent the amount raised from 12:00 a.m. on July 14 until 11:59 p.m. on July 20, 2008.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Top 10 Candidates, July 7-July 13, 2008



Editor's Note: Each week, ActBlue will release key statistics from campaigns across the country, along with brief biographical notes on the week's top 10 candidates.* When we have information that may help to explain why a candidate has had increased activity on ActBlue, we will provide it in italics below the biography. Descriptive content reproduced in the ActBlue Campaign Newswire is collated from publicly available sources. ActBlue does not take sides in any Democratic primary. You can subscribe to the RSS feed of the Campaign Newswire at http://campaignnewswire.blogspot.com/.


1. Darcy Burner WA-08 $47,589.77
2. Kay Hagan NC-Sen $27,568.33
3. Rick Noriega TX-Sen $22,627.38
4. Donald Barber NY-SD-51 $11,440.00
5. Barack Obama President $11,179.93
6. Paul Newell NY-HD-64 $10,425.00
7. Michael McMahon NY-13 $9,211.33
8. Gary Peters MI-09 $8,587.75
9. David Nachbar NY-SD-55 $7,751.00
10.Tracey Brooks NY-21 $6,085.00


1. Darcy Burner (WA-08)

Author of the much-noted "Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq," Darcy Burner, a candidate for Congress in 2006, is coming back to challenge Dave Reichert for the Eighth District seat. A Harvard graduate, Burner worked for software companies in Boston and San Francisco before settling in Washington State, where she worked on Microsoft's .NET project.

Support continues to pour in after a fire destroyed Darcy Burner's home on July 1. In the aftermath, a coalition of bloggers rallied to buttress the candidate's fundraising efforts by asking readers to help them raise $150,000, enough to keep pace with the campaign's fundraising needs for the month of July and give Burner "the breathing room she needs to tend to her own affairs without worrying about neglecting her campaign." Burner's supporters have nearly met their goal, collecting donations from hundreds of contributors. Major partners in the effort include Daily Kos, Horsesass.org, Atrios, AmericaBlog, Blue America, and others.

Burner's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/17762

Burner's campaign site: http://www.darcyburner.com/


2. Rick Noriega (TX-Sen)

Noriega is certainly no newcomer to ActBlue success, and was in the number one spot on our three end-of-quarter lists of Top 10 Candidates by Contributions, by Donors, and by Contributions on June 30, the last day of Q2 2008. After Noriega's Army tour in Afghanistan, the two-term Texas state representative and Lieutenant Colonel was appointed Incident Commander of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Houston, Texas. He's now running against Republican incumbent John Cornyn for the Texas Senate seat, and a June 26 Texas Lyceum poll shows the candidates in a statistical "dead heat."

Noriega's high numbers this week reflect a major fundraising push by Senator Barbara Boxer's PAC for a Change at http://actblue.com/page/boxer4noriega. Noriega, whose campaign hit one million dollars online last week, also became Democracy For America's first DFA-list endorsed candidate for Senate. In addition, Noriega continues to attract donations through the "Fill Rick's Boots" effort.

Noriega's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18187

Noriega's campaign site: http://www.ricknoriega.com/


3. Kay Hagan (NC-Sen)

Hagan is running against Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole and was recently named one of the "top ten most effective state senators" by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research (NCCPPR). After winning the Democratic primary in May with 60 percent of the vote, the five-term North Carolina state senator continues to pick up high-profile endorsements.

A continually strong fundraiser on ActBlue, Kay Hagan recently announced fundraising totals topping $1.6 million in the second quarter of the year, specifically citing her ActBlue totals as evidence of her campaign's vitality. Hagan's totals place her campaign in a strong position to overtake Senator Elizabeth Dole.

Hagan's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18560

Hagan's campaign site: http://kayhagan.com/welcome


4. Donald Barber (NY-SD-51)

Don Barber is running against Republican Jim Seward for the State Senate seat from New York's 51st District. Together with his wife, Barber owns and operates a 65-acre farm in Tompkins County. His business, Sunny Brook Builders, is the county's premier construction firm and is both a living wage employer and an Energy Star builder. A well-known community figure and active participant in civic life, Barber is beginning his eleventh year as Town Supervisor for the Town of Caroline.

Barber, the first state candidate to make the Top 10 list since we launched the ActBlue Campaign Newswire, just received the endorsement of Democracy for America (DFA). The endorsement is Barber's third in the last two weeks, and joins prior endorsements from Citizen Action and the Working Families Party. He continues strong fundraising through his ActBlue hub.

Barber's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18664

Barbar's campaign site:http://www.barberforsenate.com/

5. Barack Obama (President)

Illinois Senator Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee for President.

Obama's strong numbers on ActBlue reflect fundraising pushes from, among others, Stonewall Democrats.

Obama's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/16332

Obama's campaign site: http://www.barackobama.com/


6. Paul Newell (NY-HD-64)

Newell is running for State Assembly in New York City's 64th District, which encompasses the Lower Ease Side, Chinatown, Nolita, the Financial District, and Battery Park City. The 33-year-old community organizer was raised in Manhattan and has worked at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, and the Ubuntu Education Fund, which reaches over 40,000 children with life-saving health and educational resources and services. Newell hopes to unseat Democratic Speaker Sheldon Silver, who has held the position since 1994.

Newell's fundraising surge from last week reflects support from people all across the country, and the efforts of individual fundraisers, one of whom stated on his ActBlue page that Newell is "exactly the kind of fresh air that is needed in Albany." Tickets sold through an ActBlue event page for a July 19th fundraiser with the candidate also helped boost Newell's fundraising total for the week. Newell is the second state candidate to make the Newswire Top 10 list since its launch.

Newell's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18787

Newell's campaign site: http://www.newellnyc.org/

7. Michael McMahon (NY-13)

McMahon is running for the Democratic spot in a congressional race to replace embattled Republican congressman Vito Fossella in New York's Staten Island/Brooklyn District. A lawyer by profession, McMahon has served as a City Council Member for New York City's 49th District since 2001. He has been endorsed by the DCCC, the Staten Island Democratic Party, and Brooklyn Democratic Party.McMahon will face Brooklyn lawyer Steve Harrison in the Democratic primary election on September 5, 2008.

Though a newcomer to ActBlue, McMahon's campaign says it has raised about $500,000 in only a few weeks, including offline contributions. Citizens of California, Oregon, and Missouri were among the contributors to McMahon's campaign last week.

McMahon's ActBlue hubpage:http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/20164

McMahon's campaign site: http://www.mikemcmahonforcongress.com/

8. Gary Peters (MI-09)

Gary Peters is running against Republican incumbent Joe Knollenberg for Michigan's 9th District congressional seat. While serving in the state Senate, Peters was the Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, and the ranking Democrat on many prominent Senate committees, including the Finance and the Judiciary committees. Peters won accolades for his success as Commissioner for the Michigan State Lottery, a post he was appointed to in 2003. Peters has also managed branches for two major Wall Street firms, and served as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

This week is Peters's Campaign Newswire debut, and the former Michigan state senator has been the beneficiary of big name fundraisers on ActBlue, including Michigan Senator Carl Levin, the DCCC, and Blue America. His weekly total reflects the efforts of his campaign and the commitment of his donors, many of whom have pledged to make recurring contributions to his campaign until the November election.

Peters's ActBlue hubpage:http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18229

Peters's campaign site: http://petersforcongress.com/


9. David Nachbar (NY-SD-55)

A native of New Jersey, Nachbar attended Cornell University in upstate New York, and is now running for state Senate in New York's 55th District, located in the northwestern part of the Empire State. Nachbar is challenging Republican incumbent Jim Alesi, who is serving his sixth two-year term in the state Senate. Nachbar is the former VP of Human Resources at Bausch & Lomb, and has been a trustee of the Committee for Economic Development, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and Twin Cities Public Television.


This is Nachbar's first appearance on the Campaign Newswire--an impressive feat for a campaign that is little more than one month old. Nachbar announced his candidacy on June 2, 2008, with Monroe County Democratic Committee Chariman and New York State Asemblyman Joe Morelle joining him in support. After creating an ActBlue page in late June, Nachbar has brought in over $15,000 in contributions from across the country in only three weeks. Nachbar is only the third state candidate to make the Newswire Top 10 since its launch.

In a joint press conference on July 7, New York Senator Chuck Schumer endorsed Nachbar and Richard Dollinger, a Democrat running for state Senate in New York's 56th district, saying that Nachbar has "spent his career creating jobs" and that together, Nachbar and Dollinger are "a great team that will do great things for the families they represent."

Nachbar's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/20272

Nachbar's campaign site: no site could be found.


10. Tracey Brooks (NY-21)

Attorney Tracey Brooks is aiming to succeed Democratic Rep. Mike McNulty, who will retire next year after holding the congressional seat for 20 years. Brooks, a former program director at Catholic Charities who served on Senator Clinton's regional staff, is the only woman vying for the nomination, and it is projected that she will face at least seven other candidates in the state's September primary. Brooks was the Democratic nominee for the New York State Assembly, 108th District, in 2002, and came within three points of an upset victory over a ten-year Republican incumbent.

It was an exciting week for the Brooks campaign, after the candidate collected over 5,000 Democratic petition signatures, securing her spot on the September 9th Democratic primary ballot. The same day she filed the signatures with the New York State Board of Elections, fellow candidate Craig Burridge endorsed her candidacy and joined her campaign as a Senior Adviser.

Brooks's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18816

Brooks's campaign site: http://www.traceybrooks.com/


* All fundraising totals represent the amount raised from 12:00 a.m. on July 7 until 11:59 p.m. on July 13.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Top 10 Candidates on ActBlue, June 30-July 6, 2008

Editor's Note: Each week, ActBlue will release key statistics from campaigns across the country, along with brief biographical notes on the week's top 10 candidates.* When we have information that may help to explain why a candidate has had increased activity on ActBlue, we will provide it in italics below the biography. Descriptive content reproduced in the ActBlue Campaign Newswire is collated from publicly available sources. ActBlue does not take sides in any Democratic primary. You can subscribe to the RSS feed of the Campaign Newswire at http://campaignnewswire.blogspot.com/.

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1. Darcy Burner | WA-08 | $112,706.88
2. Rick Noriega | TX-Sen | $93,572.22
3. Kay Hagan | NC-Sen | $86,021.37
4. Joseph Sestak, Jr. | PA-07 | $55,892.32
5. Martin Heinrich | NM-01 | $34,164.38
6. Scott Harper | IL-13 | $27,447.31
7. Dan Seals | IL-10 | $27,351.66
8. Mark Warner | VA-Sen | $26,639.75
9. Ronnie Musgrove | MS-Sen | $24,269.01
10. Andrew Rice | OK-Sen | $22,999.19

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1. Darcy Burner (WA-08)

Author of the much-noted "Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq," Darcy Burner, a candidate for Congress in 2006, is coming back to challenge Dave Reichert for the Eighth District seat. A Harvard graduate, Burner worked for software companies in Boston and San Francisco before settling in Washington State, where she worked on Microsoft's .NET project.

Early on the morning of July 1, Darcy Burner's home was completely destroyed by fire. A coalition of bloggers, led by David at Horsesass.org, rallied to support the candidate, by asking readers to help them raise $150,000. The goal was set at an amount that would keep pace with Burner's fundraising needs for the month of July in order to "help give Darcy the breathing room she needs to tend to her own affairs without worrying about neglecting her campaign." The bloggers have raised $85,000 (and counting) from some 1680 individual donors. Major partners in the effort include Daily Kos (1242 contributors; http://actblue.com/page/orangetoblue), Horsesass (166 contributors; http://actblue.com/page/anewhouse), Atrios (161 contributors; http://actblue.com/page/eschatonc08), AmericaBlog, Blue America, and others.

Burner's ActBlue hubpage:http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/17762
Burner's campaign site: http://www.darcyburner.com/


2. Rick Noriega (TX-Sen)

Noriega is certainly no newcomer to ActBlue success, and was in the number one spot on our three end-of-quarter lists of Top 10 Candidates by Contributions, by Donors, and by Contributions on June 30, the last day of Q2 2008. After Noriega's Army tour in Afghanistan, the two-term Texas state representative and Lieutenant Colonel was appointed Incident Commander of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Houston, Texas. He's now running against Republican incumbent John Cornyn for the Texas Senate seat, and a June 26 Texas Lyceum poll shows the candidates in a statistical "dead heat."

Noriega's high numbers this week reflect his continuing support from the blogosphere and the success of his campaign's fundraising efforts. An end of quarter push by Daily Kos to reach their goal of 1,500 contributors (500 contributors per listed candidate) for their 'Orange to Blue' ActBlue page helped Noriega make this week's list. The Blue America partners also continued to push Noriega's candidacy.

Still a Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard, Noriega had to report for mandatory training the first two weeks of June. In response, his campaign launched an ActBlue fundraiser called "Fill Rick's Boots" to keep his supporters engaged during his absence from the campaign trail. The fundraiser continued to bring in donations last week.

Noriega's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18187
Noriega's campaign site: http://www.ricknoriega.com/


3. Kay Hagan (NC-Sen)

Hagan is running against Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole and was recently named one of the "top ten most effective state senators" by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research (NCCPPR). After winning the Democratic primary in May with 60 percent of the vote, the five-term North Carolina state senator continues to pick up high-profile endorsements.

After coming in at number two in ActBlue's list of Top 10 Candidates by Contributions for Q2 2008, Hagan continues to make a strong showing at the beginning of the third quarter. On the Fourth of July, Hagan, along with her husband and three children, attended a total of 24 events throughout the state, marching in parades, and talking with concerned citizens. Hagan's fundraising success can be counted in number of donors as well as contributions: she was also in the list of Top 10 Candidates by Donors for Q2 2008, and for the second week in a row, more than half of her weekly total came from donations of $50 or less.

Hagan's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18560
Hagan's campaign site: http://kayhagan.com/welcome


4. Joseph Sestak Jr. (PA-07)

Former Navy Vice Admiral Joseph Sestak, Jr., was elected to Congress in 2006, defeating ten-term Republican incumbent Curt Weldon, and is running for re-election this year. Between tours in the Navy, Sestak earned a master's degree in Public Administration and a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard, and later served as Director for Defense Policy on the staff of the National Security Council under President Clinton, and as director of "Deep Blue," the Navy's anti-terrorism unit. Sestak is the senior military veteran in Congress and the highest-ranking former military officer ever elected to Congress. Sestak was among ActBlue's ten most successful candidates in 2006.

Sestak continues to grace the Campaign Newswire list after bringing in over $50,000 on the last day of Q2 2008. Sestak's total this week reflects long-term commitments by supporters who have pledged to make recurring contributions to his campaign. From Georgia to Michigan and Virginia to California, the Pennsylvania congressman has supporters all across the country.

Sestak's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/12839
Sestak's campaign site: http://www.sestakforcongress.com/


5. Martin Heinrich (NM-01)

Albuquerque City Councilor Martin Heinrich is running for Congress in New Mexico's First District. Heinrich, once director of a foundation dedicated to science and environmental education, has served on several boards focused on environmental, open space, and urban issues, and has used his time on the City Council to work toward making New Mexico a leader in alternative energy and energy efficiency. Heinrich is running against Republican Darren White, who was recently aided by a George W. Bush fundraiser in Albuquerque.

The Heinrich campaign's end-of-quarter fundraising push, initially set to raise $35,000 and "Fill the Balloon!" on its website, launched the balloon into the stratosphere of political fundraising by bringing in nearly $100,000. Heinrich's weekly total is nearly double the amount he brought in only two weeks ago, which first catapulted him onto our Top 10 list.

Heinrich's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18006
Heinrich's campaign site: http://www.martinheinrich.com


6. Scott Harper (IL-13)

Small business owner Scott Harper is running for Congress in the Illinois 13th against Republican incumbent Judy Biggert.

Harper's totals reflect an end-of-quarter fundraising push, and bring him back to the Campaign Newsire for the second time since the beginning of June. Harper was also the fifth most successful ActBlue candidate on the last day of Q2 2008.

Harper's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18402
Harper's campaign site: http://www.scottharperforcongress.com/


7. Dan Seals (IL-10)

Dan Seals is currently a business consultant and public policy lecturer at Northwestern University whose professional life has included stints in both the public and private sectors. Seals first ran against Republican incumbent Mark Kirk for Illinois's 10th District seat in 2006 and nearly won with 47 percent of the vote. The former GE Capital marketing director is challenging Kirk once again, and this year has earned a spot on the DCCC Red to Blue Candidates List. In both election cycles, Seals has consistently been among the top ActBlue fundraisers.

This week, Seals has been the beneficiary of an end-of-quarter fundraising push, raising more than $24,000 in a single day. Seals's fundraising success was fueled by contributors at 'Orange to Blue,' the Daily Kos ActBlue page, and through his campaign's hubpage.

Seals's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/16318
Seals's campaign site: http://www.dansealsforcongress.com/index.php


8. Mark Warner (VA-Sen)

During his tenure as Virginia Governor from 2002-2006, Warner was hailed by Time Magazine as one of "America's 5 Best Governors" in 2005 and was featured in Newsweek's "Who's Next" issue in 2006. Warner is running for what will be Republican John Warner's vacated Senate seat.

It was a great week for the Warner campaign, after the former Governor picked up a slew of endorsements from a bipartisan group of veteran public safety leaders and finished the quarter with over $240,000 in ActBlue contributions. These contributions placed Warner in the number three spot on our list of Top 10 Candidates by Contributions for Q2 2008.

Warner's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18420
Warner's campaign site: http://markwarner2008.com/welcome


9. Ronnie Musgrove (MS-Sen)

Two-term state senator and former Mississippi Governor Ronnie Musgrove is running against Republican Senator Roger Wicker in a special election this November. Musgrove has served on several national boards, including the Southern States Energy Board, on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. He was also Vice Chair of Policy for the Executive Committee for the Democratic Governors' Association.

On June 26, 2008, Musgrove was featured as one of MyDD's 'Road to 60' candidates. Four days after the MyDD profile, Musgrove brought in over $20,000, making him our third most successful candidate during the end-of-quarter bonanza on June 30, the last day of Q2 2008.

Musgrove's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18711
Musgrove's campaign site: http://musgroveforsenate.net/


10. Andrew Rice (OK-Sen)

Andrew Rice is running to replace Republican Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma. Rice, who holds degrees from Colby and Harvard Divinity School, was a documentary filmmaker before his brother's tragic death in the 9/11 attacks compelled him to run for the Oklahoma state senate in 2005. He won the election with 70 percent of the vote, and in the state senate has focused on issues affecting children and families, specifically health insurance and tax breaks for struggling families.

On the last day of Q2 2008, the Rice campaign launched a '100 by midnight' challenge, using an ActBlue thermometer to set a goal of 100 contributions for the day. The challenge yielded more than double the target, bringing in $17,000 from 214 donations. Supporters in the blogosphere continue to make up much of Rice's online support, and Daily Kos's 'Orange to Blue' page brought in more than 280 contributions for Rice last week.

Rice's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18228
Rice's campaign site: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18228


* All fundraising totals represent the amount raised from 12:00 a.m. on June 30 until 11:59 p.m. on July 6.



ActBlue is the nation's largest source of funds for Democrats. Launched in 2004, ActBlue created and deployed the next generation of online fundraising tools, enabling individuals and groups to raise money for the Democratic candidates of their choice at www.actblue.com.

Wondering how you can make the most of ActBlue? We're always happy to help. Email us at info@actblue.com.

Paid for by ActBlue (www.actblue.com) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

ActBlue Quarterly Stats Report

Each day this week, we've posted numbers from our quarterly stats report on ActBlue's blog, http://blog.actblue.com.

We will post the next Campaign Newswire here on Tuesday, July 7.

ActBlue Stats Week: Tuesday

Second Quarter Stats: April 1-June 30, 2008



The end of quarter at ActBlue is always exciting, as we continue to watch our numbers exponentially soar. Last quarter, we held a contest (the prize being only glory and bragging rights) for who could most closely estimate our front-page number at the stroke of midnight on the last day of the quarter.  We all drastically underbid. I was told my bid was "very ambitious," (it was my first day at ActBlue, and as the new kid, I wanted to aim high), and I was  actually nine thousand dollars shy of our quarterly total! This quarter's estimates were even more ambitious, but the real figures still surpassed our expectations.



As more campaigns boost their online fundraising efforts and supporters rev up for the race to November, the second quarter of 2008 brought in an unprecedented $13.6 million on ActBlue. This number is an increase of nearly 93% from the first quarter of the year.























TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Q4 2007 (Oct. 1-Dec.31, 2007)$5,581,770.40
Q1 2008 (Jan.1-Mar.31, 2008$7,091,127.39
Q2 2008 (Apr. 1-June 30, 2008)$13,674,897.81
Lifetime$55,994,192.05


This second quarter number is impressive in comparison to the first quarter of 2008, but to truly see the strength of Democratic fundraising in the past few months, let's put these numbers in a broader context.




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The above graph shows the significant fundraising jumps since ActBlue's inception in 2004. The spike at Q4 2006 resulted from the build-up to the 2006 election, during which Democrats gained a majority in Congress. As you can see when looking at 2007 and 2008, these numbers have steadily increased.




If you aren't blown away by this data yet, please look at the below graph.  The segments in this graph represent the percentages that each quarter made up of ActBlue's lifetime fundraising total of over $55 million. Remarkably, Q2 2008 brought in 24% of the total amount of money ever raised on ActBlue.  This second quarter was nearly as large as the first two years of ActBlue existence!



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And now, saving the best for last:  ActBlue donor numbers from the quarter. Democrats across the country should be extremely proud of these statistics, because it shows our party's commitment to (small "d") democracy.























TOTAL DONORS
Q4 2007 (Oct. 1-Dec.31, 2007)41,628
Q1 2008 (Jan.1-Mar.31, 2008)54,918
Q2 2008 (Apr. 1-June 30, 2008)65,089
Lifetime422,427




The donor total from the second quarter of 2008 represents an 18.5% increase from the first quarter of the year, which shows that more Democrats are investing in candidates they believe in and are committed to changing the political landscape in Washington and in their home states.



As the number of donors skyrockets, we want the number of fundraising pages to soar as well.  You can help us reach our goal of adding 10,000 new fundraising pages by Election Day by starting your own fundraising page and reaching out to your personal network to raise money for Democrats.




That's all for today.  Tomorrow, we'll profile our top 10 candidates for the second quarter of 2008 by donors and dollars.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Top 10 Candidates on ActBlue, June 24-30, 2008

Editor's Note: Each week, ActBlue will release key statistics from campaigns across the country, along with brief biographical notes on the week's top 10 candidates.* When we have information that may help to explain why a candidate has had increased activity on ActBlue, we will provide it in italics below the biography. Descriptive content reproduced in the ActBlue Campaign Newswire is collated from publicly available sources. ActBlue does not take sides in any Democratic primary. You can subscribe to the RSS feed of the Campaign Newswire at http://campaignnewswire.blogspot.com/.

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Rick Noriega | TX-Sen | $119,418.37
Kay Hagan | NC-Sen | $88,551.01
Mark Warner | VA-Sen | $47,225.00
Martin Heinrich | NM-01 | $46,252.43
Joseph Sestak, Jr. | PA-07 | $30,809.50
Barack Obama | President | $26,535.80
Jeff Merkley | OR-Sen | $25,392.64
Bob Lord | AZ-03 | $25,255.39
Mark Begich | AK-Sen | $23,704.29
Joshua Segall | AL-03 | $22,661.00

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Rick Noriega (TX-Sen)

In the past three weeks, Noriega has climbed the Campaign Newswire Top 10, and after clinching the third and second spot, is now at number one this week. Noriega is certainly no newcomer to ActBlue success, and has been one of the top fundraisers on ActBlue this election cycle. After Noriega's Army tour in Afghanistan, the two-term Texas state representative and Lieutenant Colonel was appointed Incident Commander of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Houston, Texas. He's now running against Republican incumbent John Cornyn for the Texas Senate seat, and a June 26 Texas Lyceum poll shows the candidates in a statistical "dead heat."

Noriega's high numbers this week reflect his support from the blogosphere and the success of his campaign's fundraising efforts. An end of quarter push by Daily Kos to reach their goal of 1,500 contributors (500 contributors per listed candidate) for their 'Orange to Blue' ActBlue page helped Noriega get this week's top rank. The Blue America PAC, a collaborative effort by prominent bloggers Crooks & Liars, Firedoglake, Digby, Down with Tyranny, and Glen Greenwald at Salon.com continue to fuel Noriega's success on ActBlue.

Still a Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard, Noriega had to report for mandatory training the first two weeks of June. In response, his campaign launched an ActBlue fundraiser called "Fill Rick's Boots" to keep his supporters engaged during his absence from the campaign trail. The fundraiser continued to bring in donations last week.

Noriega's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18187
Noriega's campaign site: http://www.ricknoriega.com/


Kay Hagan (NC-Sen)

Hagan is running against Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole and was recently named one of the "top ten most effective state senators" by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research (NCCPPR). After winning the Democratic primary in May with 60 percent of the vote, the five-term North Carolina state senator continues to pick up high-profile endorsements.

Hagan remains the second highest candidate in our top ten list for the second week in a row, with over half of her weekly total coming from donations of $50 or less. On Friday, June 27, the blog MyDD profiled Hagan as one of the candidates in their 'Road to 60' list to gain a supermajority in the Senate, which expanded her donor pool to include people from all over the country.

Hagan's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18560
Hagan's campaign site: http://kayhagan.com/welcome


Mark Warner (VA-Sen)

During his tenure as Virginia Governor from 2002-2006, Warner was hailed by Time Magazine as one of "America's 5 Best Governors" in 2005 and was featured in Newsweek's "Who's Next" issue in 2006. Warner is running for what will be Republican John Warner's vacated Senate seat.

Warner remains in our top five for the third week in a row. After unveiling energy proposals that include short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals to fix the nation's energy crisis, Warner was discussed in Virginia's Roanoke Times and the Washington Post. In a speech at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond, Warner said he hopes that energy "becomes one of the defining issues of this Senate race."

Warner's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18420
Warner's campaign site: http://markwarner2008.com/welcome


Martin Heinrich (NM-01)

Albuquerque City Councilor Martin Heinrich is running for Congress in New Mexico's First District. Heinrich, once director of a foundation dedicated to science and environmental education, has served on several boards focused on environmental, open space, and urban issues, and has used his time on the City Council to work toward making New Mexico a leader in alternative energy and energy efficiency. Heinrich is running against Republican Darren White, who was recently aided by a George W. Bush fundraiser in Albuquerque.

Heinrich's fundraising numbers have continued to skyrocket, making last week his most successful showing yet on ActBlue. After the campaign's original goal to raise $35,000 by the end of the quarter was "obliterated," the campaign quickly surpassed their increased goal of $50,000. The campaign has since raised their target to $75,000. All of the contributors in this drive were entered into a drawing to 'Hike with Heinrich' on one of his favorite trails in New Mexico's 1st District.

Heinrich's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18006
Heinrich's campaign site: http://www.martinheinrich.com


Joseph Sestak Jr. (PA-07)

Former Navy Vice Admiral Joseph Sestak, Jr., was elected to Congress in 2006, defeating ten-term Republican incumbent Curt Weldon, and is running for re-election this year. Between tours in the Navy, Sestak earned a master's degree in Public Administration and a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard, and later served as Director for Defense Policy on the staff of the National Security Council under President Clinton, and as director of "Deep Blue," the Navy's anti-terrorism unit. Sestak is the senior military veteran in Congress and the highest-ranking former military officer ever elected to Congress. Sestak was among ActBlue's ten most successful candidates in 2006.

Sestak's broad base of small donor support has been referenced in previous Campaign Newswires, and this week provides more evidence: half of Sestak's contributions were under $75.

Sestak's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/12839
Sestak's campaign site: http://www.sestakforcongress.com/


Barack Obama (President)

Illinois Senator Barack Obama is the presumptive Democratic nominee for President.

Obama's strong numbers on ActBlue reflect fundraising pushes from a number of directions, including networks of bloggers (Daily Kos at http://actblue.com/page/orangetoblue, in particular). Obama was the beneficiary of another major push from Wes Clark at http://actblue.com/page/clark4obama.

Obama's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/16332
Obama's campaign site: http://www.barackobama.com


Jeff Merkley (OR-Sen)

Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley is challenging Republican Gordon Smith for the United States Senate. Merkley also led a band of progressives to take control of the Oregon House eighteen months ago, and has used his tenure as Speaker to fight for health care, family-wage jobs, and environmental legislation, and against payday loan scandals. Merkley is the first Oregon Democrat to serve as Speaker in 16 years. Before entering politics, he ran Habitat for Humanity in Oregon and served as a national security analyst at the Pentagon and in Congress.

Merkley's strong showing on ActBlue this week is fueled by a stream of small donations across a large number of ActBlue pages, from individual donors' pages to major pushes from prominent Democrats. One effort, 'Who Fuels Jeff Merkley's Campaign?' (http://www.actblue.com/page/fuelmerkley) uses an embedded video to contrast Merkley's grassroots effort with the campaign of his opponent, Gordon Smith, into whose campaign, says the page, "the oil and gas industry has pumped more than $270,000."

Merkley's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18219
Merkley's campaign site: http://www.jeffmerkley.com/


Bob Lord (AZ-03)

Scottsdale attorney Bob Lord is a candidate for Congress in Arizona's Third District. Lord, the father of seven, lives in Phoenix, has been involved in a number of community initiatives, and has taught law at Arizona State. Lord is running against Republican Representative John Shadegg.

Lord's successful fundraising week can be attributed once again to a major push by Daily Kos at http://www.actblue.com/page/orangetoblue, in addition to continually strong fundraising on the Lord campaign's ActBlue pages.

Lord's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/16512
Lord's campaign site: http://www.lord2008.com/


Mark Begich (AK-Sen)

Mark Begich, currently serving his fifth year as mayor of Anchorage, is challenging Ted 'Bridge to Nowhere' Stevens for a seat in the United States Senate. As mayor, Begich has developed a reputation for fiscal responsibility, restoring the city's bond rating and creating some 9200 new jobs. Begich has also prioritized civic stewardship, using his tenure to invest in public spaces and community resources.

Begich has been the beneficiary of a major fundraising push by Daily Kos at http://actblue.com/page/orangetoblue, an anti-corruption campaign called 'Corruption, Pork, and Alaska' spearheaded by Democracy for America (http://www.actblue.com/page/supportmark), and strong support from Democratic elected officials.

Begich's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/19109
Begich's campaign site: http://begich.com/


Josh Segall (AL-03)

Josh Segall, a fourth-generation Alabaman, is running for Congress in the Alabama Third, challenging Republican Mike Rogers for the seat. Segall has been turning heads in Democratic fundraising circles, and was recently named to the DCCC's "Twenty Emerging Races" list, which will give him an opportunity to qualify for the prestigious "Red to Blue" roster. Segall, formerly a community organizer in Virginia, Texas, DC, and Alabama, is a graduate of the University of Alabama law school, and practices law at a civil defense firm in Montgomery.

Segall has seen an influx of contributions since being named to the DCCC Emerging Races list (http://actblue.com/page/emerging), and continues to benefit from the support of local community fundraisers (http://actblue.com/page/johnforjosh, e.g.) and bloggers.

Segall's ActBlue hubpage: http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18698
Segall's campaign site: http://www.segall2008.com/splash.php



* All fundraising totals represent the amount raised from June 24 until 9 a.m. on June 30.




ActBlue is the nation's largest source of funds for Democrats. Launched in 2004, ActBlue created and deployed the next generation of online fundraising tools, enabling individuals and groups to raise money for the Democratic candidates of their choice at www.actblue.com.
Wondering how you can make the most of ActBlue? We're always happy to help. Email us at info@actblue.com.
Paid for by ActBlue (www.actblue.com) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
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