Many people will look at the 11th Congressional district and see a 6% Republican registration edge and assume the safety of this seat for the GOP and House Resources Chairman Richard Pombo of Tracy. What lies underneath this election year however is a strange dynamic that has made this one of the most heated races in the nation.
Due to the massive infusion of 527 group contributions (on one day the Defenders of Wildlife reported spending over $100,000 just for identification calls) that have been going on the airwaves, in the mailboxes and on the ground, this race is now ground zero in the battle for the House of Representatives.
All polling released so far has put this race as essentially even and has now drawn the full force of both the DCCC and NRCC. This race will now come down to turnout and ground game. While the Pombo team is well known for its attention to ground and ability to turn out the vote, McNerney is counting on bussing in an army from Berkeley, Oakland, Palo Alto and even from as far away as Los Angeles to steal votes on Election Day. Every single vote will matter coming down the stretch.
The 527’s along with the McNerney campaign have attacked Pombo non-stop since the primary and according to recent news reports a minimum of 20 outside organizations have set up in the district with paid ground teams to counter the traditional Republican organizational advantage.
Just this week, Bill Clinton was in the district telling the farmers of the Central Valley that they could do better by electing McNerney. Despite being nothing more than the CEO of an answering machine, Clinton asked us to trust McNerney with the district’s $10 billion agricultural industry and to encourage our specialty product farmers to change their product lines because of McNerney’s vision.
It is a scary thought that someone who couldn’t see Osama bin Laden as a threat is now telling our farmers that someone he supports has superior “vision.”
I’ve known Richard Pombo since before he was in Congress, and let me tell know — this is a man of honor, courage, principle and integrity. Why is be being targeted? Because he is making a difference.
If you are thinking of walking to help the GOP in the last 3 days, here is the place where you can make a difference. To do something to help Pombo, don’t wait, click here now.