Blog

The Feingold Campaign took advantage of the sunny skies and mid-70 degree weather and took ourselves out to the ball game yesterday for the Brewers home opener.
 
We met up at a supporter’s home right outside the gate and with a small team of dedicated volunteers, we went out to talk to voters and pass out bumper stickers (and maybe eat a brat or two...)
 
We turned the day into a competition – several teams of four volunteers went out to see who could talk to the most voters. The winning team members won free Backbone t-shirts.
 
The Feingold Campaign also thought it would be fun to launch our new mobile messaging program with a very important question: Who will win the inaugural Sausage Race at the game?
 
People could text their answer – Bratwurst, Polish, Italian, Hot Dog or Chorizo – to 91990 and sign up to receive text messages from our campaign. While Brat won in our poll with 30% of the vote (including mine,) the day belonged to the Polish Sausage who beat the crowd to the finish line.
 
We also collected endorsements from more than 150 Wisconsinites in the crowd. Many of these people signed up to volunteer as well – in fact one man sought us out before we got to his tailgate to say how much he appreciated Russ’s fight against earmarks and wanted to know how he could help.  

Don’t worry if you couldn’t make it out to the game yesterday or didn’t know about our Sausage Race poll. You can still sign up as an endorser and text RUSS to 91990 to sign up for our text message program.

You can also check out more photos from from Opening Day on our Flickr page!
 
Go Brewers!

Just a quick reminder that today is Spring Election Day in Wisconsin.  So please, be sure to go vote and encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to do the same.  If you’re not already registered, you can do so at your polling place.  And if you’re unsure of where your polling place may be, click here for more information.

Make sure that our voices are heard.

The Feingold Senate Committee is hiring numerous Field Organizers for field offices across the state.  The positions will begin Thursday, May 27th, 2010 and run through the November 2010 election.  Applicants should expect to work long hours, have access to reliable, insured transportation, and possess a valid US driver's license.
 
Specific responsibilities of the Field Organizer include:
            Recruiting, training and mobilizing volunteers in their assigned regions
            Attending regional steering committee meetings in their assigned area
            Planning, organizing and executing canvasses, phone banks and visibility events
            Expanding contact with Democratic Party County Chairs and Activists
            Expanding outreach to constituency groups
            Outreach to community leaders and elected officials
            Maintaining and updating information in the campaign database
            Representing the campaign at community events
           
Successful applicants will demonstrate the following qualifications:
            Strong organizational and time management skills while working independently
            Strong verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills
            Strong work ethic and ability to handle multiple projects
            Results-oriented, dependable, and proactive
            Prior experience working for or interning with campaigns a plus
 
Compensation is competitive and commensurate with applicants experience and includes health benefits.  Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to State Field Director, Paula Zellner at zellner@russfeingold.org  Deadline for applying is Wednesday, April 28th.

Feingold Campaign volunteers will be out in full force before today’s Brewer game – talking with voters, gathering endorsements and signing up fellow volunteers for our 2010 campaign.  We’ll update with pictures later, but what we really want to know is:  Who’s going to win today’s big race?  Brat, Polish, Italian, Hot Dog or Chorizo?  Take part in our poll and text your Sausage Race winner to 91990.

Who do you think is going to win the inaugural sausage race of the year? Sign up to receive mobile updates from Russ by taking this quick vote:

Text A to 91990 for Bratwurst
Text B to 91990 for Polish Sausage
Text C to 91990 for Italian Sausage
Text D to 91990 for Hot Dog
Text E to 91990 for Chorizo

So take a moment and text who you think will win today’s big race to 91990.  We’ll tally up the poll results and text them back to you later today.  We’ll also send you the real results once there’s a declared winner.

Thanks for your support - and for signing up to receive mobile updates from the campaign.

Earlier this week, Russ’s grassroots supporters from around the state hosted more than 30 community house parties in cities large and small.

If you aren’t familiar with the term, house parties are small, intimate neighborhood gatherings, located in supporters' homes across Wisconsin. 

This is the first statewide house party gathering of 2010 – the third for the campaign so far.  
 
Russ spoke with supporters at the house parties via conference call.  He not only thanked them for their support, but answered questions from attendees on topics ranging from health insurance reform, his Control Spending Now Act, his fight to end earmarks and his work on a jobs tax credit bill to encourage small businesses in Wisconsin to hire and retain more workers. 

Russ knows house parties are an important tool in our field program arsenal, and that these grassroots events are an exciting way for people from across Wisconsin to get together and talk about the issues that matter most to them and their family.

More than 300 people from across Wisconsin attended a house party in their community.

Needless to say, the call got pretty loud at times! 

Our supporters used their house parties as a follow-up to the “Spring Fling” canvass I wrote about last week. For the “Spring Fling,” our supporters went door-to-door and talked to voters in 57 cities across Wisconsin. So far, we’ve knocked on more than 25,000 doors.
 
Our field program continues to grow – we’re opening four new offices this month so we can talk to even more voters across the state. And we have 27 active regional campaign steering committees with more than 1,300 members who help advise the campaign on outreach in their local communities. These committees have been meeting regularly since 2004 and were a huge help in organizing our “Spring Fling” canvass.
 
More than 2,500 Wisconsin elected officials have endorsed Senator Feingold’s campaign. In addition, thousands of Wisconsin community leaders and citizens continue to sign up as endorsed supporters of his 2010 reelection.
 
Make sure you check back here often – we’re already planning our next statewide canvass. I’ll give you a hint…it will have all the action, but not as much noise as another major event in May.

Lincoln County, located in northern central Wisconsin, was named after Abraham Lincoln. In addition to its historical name, Lincoln has the one of the first public libraries and last remaining stone arch bridge in Wisconsin. The second-oldest post office in Wisconsin can also be found in one of Lincoln County’s largest communities, Merrill. Historic sites are not the only attractions in Lincoln County.  Tomahawk Operations, located in Tomahawk, is the main fiberglass provider for Harley-Davidson motorcycles and Lincoln County is the third-largest producer of Christmas trees in the state.

Recreation and community events play an important role in Lincoln County. Tomahawk hosts Venison Feed every November, offering free Venison burgers. In addition to this 40-year tradition, there is an annual Tomahawk Fall Ride, which attracts more than 40,000 motorcyclists and the Pine River Run Dog Sled Races, an international sled-dog racing event.

Interesting Facts:

• Merrill is known for its volunteerism, with more than 80 clubs and organizations.
• It is said that John Dillinger and Al Capone were both served at Bootlegger’s Lodge, established in 1928 in Tomahawk.
• The T. B. Scott Mansion was said to be cursed, because all owners either had an untimely death or suffered from another misfortune. However, the misfortune suddenly ended when the house was sold to the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
• The third-largest bear to have ever been killed with a bow and arrow is displayed in the Chamber of Commerce building in Tomahawk. Tomahawk was originally home to Native Americans, who gave the community its name, which means “made by nature’s own hands”.

I’m excited to announce our next round of Feingold Campaign House Parties!

House parties are small, grassroots campaign events organized and hosted by dedicated supporters.  They are a fun way to meet fellow Russ supporters in your community, to raise financial support, and, most importantly, to get fired up for Russ’s 2010 reelection campaign.

On Wednesday, March 31, we'll be holding simultaneous parties across the state.

Sign up to Attend a House Party Near You

According to a new report out yesterday evening, Secretary Thompson has spent the last week "calling top donors" in advance of his formal campaign launch.

With the secret, corporate interests he works for on speed dial, Thompson has been calling his clients about his campaign, and raising money before he even officially enters the race. This comes on the heels of other reports that indicate Secretary Thompson already has over $200,000 in pledges for his Senate run.

Russ runs his campaigns a bit differently. We count on you, not the corporate interests.  During the parties, Russ will lead a conference call to give you the inside scoop on the campaign, and take some of your questions.

Sign up to Attend a House Party Near You

House parties are a great way for you to help us demonstrate the strong grassroots organization you have helped build across Wisconsin for Russ and his campaign. Thank you for all that you do. 

While Secretary Thompson publicly dances around tossing his hat into the race for U.S. Senate, behind the scenes, the people closest to him say he is "preparing to run" and that he’s "calling top donors."

John Kraus from our campaign sent out this email yesterday discussing Secretary Thompson's possible entrance into the race, and how you can help us fight back against the money his Washington corporate interest lobbyist friends will surely throw in on his behalf.

 Melissa,

I’m sure you’ve probably heard by now that former Bush administration HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson will likely be entering the Republican primary to run against Russ this November.  And while he isn’t formally in the race yet, he’s already throwing punches from outside the ring.

During an interview last Friday, instead of answering questions about his work as a D.C. insider taking on corporate special interests as clients - and making millions for doing their bidding - he attacked Russ.

Get in the Ring - Contribute $20.00 Today!

Thompson, who continues to refuse to disclose who he is working for at one of Washington’s largest lobbying shops, attacked Russ saying, among other things, he “has been in Washington too long.” 

But that’s not too surprising considering all lobbyists and special interests think that Russ “has been in Washington too long.”  Unlike Secretary Thompson, Russ hasn't been a friend to D.C. corporate interests.  Russ has been an independent voice for the people of Wisconsin - working hard to move our country and state forward.

Let's Send a Message to the Corporate Special Interests - Contribute $20.00 Today!

We are ready for this fight, Russ is already in the ring, and this is a debate we are looking forward to - no matter who's throwing the punches.  We're ready because of you - because of your support. 

With our always important first-quarter filing deadline coming up next Wednesday, we’ve set an ambitious goal of 5,000 online donors for the quarter.  Will you stand with Russ and make a $20.00 contribution today?

Let's Send a Message to the Corporate Special Interests - Contribute $20.00 Today!

Thompson’s lobbyist friends have gone on the record saying that “lots of people in Washington” want him to run and have already pledged $200,000 should he decide to do so.  We’re counting on your support to fund our grassroots campaign and match them every step of the way.  Together, we've been in these fights before, so please make a contribution today so that we can send a message to “lots of people in Washington” that the people’s interests should be put ahead of the special interests. 

Sincerely,

John Kraus
Senior Strategist
 
  

 

Today, our country took an historic step toward fixing our broken health insurance system. The House has now taken an up-or-down vote on the Senate reform bill and it passed with majority support.
 
Without your sustained efforts, the insurance companies would have won.   But they didn’t.   A lot of people in Wisconsin and across the country won because we didn’t walk away from this fight.
 
President Obama will now sign into law health insurance reform that gives people more control over their own health care.   If health insurance companies had won, they would have been able to continue denying coverage to people when they get sick; costs would have continued to increase for small businesses; and higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs would have continued to break the budgets of working families and seniors.
 
Thank you for the support and commitment you have shown for health insurance reform - particularly when you kept the pressure on my colleagues and me to continue this fight.
 
In the months ahead, I look forward to continuing our fight against the special interests and politics as usual in Washington.
 
Working together we will continue to move our state and country forward. 

Well we had a busy weekend here on the Feingold campaign trail!

On Friday, we officially opened our Madison campaign office. More than 200 of our supporters from the Madison area squished into our office to talk to Russ and meet the campaign team.

Russ was fired up during his remarks and in talking with his supporters!

We also launched our new Mobile Messaging program – Russ pulled out his cell and asked everyone at the crowd to join him in texting RUSS to 91990. They will be the first to know about breaking news, events in their local area, rapid response opportunities, and other ways to get involved with Russ’s campaign.

Judging from all the beeping and buzzing I heard, I’d say the launch was a success!

(Don’t worry, we’re not leaving you out. You can text RUSS to 91990 too!)

Today, we held our Spring Fling statewide canvass, with an army of supporters - braving the Spring snowstorm - knocking on doors in 57 communities across Wisconsin.

We’re still compiling the numbers, but all in all, this incredible weekend energized the entire campaign team. We look forward to many more office openings (four more planned for April) and statewide canvasses as we head toward November.

Thanks to everyone who helped make the event a success, especially the College Democrats and Students for Russ.  You can check out more pictures from the opening at our campaign Flickr feed.

Have you signed up yet for our Spring Fling Canvass this Saturday, March 20?

Our state field director Paula just sent out a reminder email to our supporters - more than 200 have signed up so far!

The Spring Fling Canvass is our first canvass of 2010 and we want to make sure we kick-off the year with a bang.

Here's the email from Paula:

Melissa,

Have you signed up for our Spring Fling Statewide Canvass yet?  On Saturday, March 20, Feingold volunteers will canvass door-to-door in 57 cities and towns across Wisconsin. There's still plenty of time to sign up if you'd like to join us. 

Sign Up for Our Spring Fling Statewide Canvass Today!

You don’t need to be an experienced canvasser to participate.  The campaign will provide training, literature, walking lists, and pair you up with a canvass partner.  The only requirement (in addition to being an enthusiastic supporter of Russ!) is a three-hour time commitment.

Thanks again for all that you do.  We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

Sincerely,

Paula Zellner
Feingold Senate Committee

P.S. Do you know anyone else who might want to join us?  Feel free to forward this message to them.
 

I look forward to seeing you on Saturday, March 20! 

We wanted to give you a sneak peek at the NBC Nightly News broadcast tonight, featuring Russ discussing his objections to hard rock mining of resources such as gold on public lands – royalty free.
 
Russ’s Control Spending Now Act, among many other money-saving provisions, would end the near-billion dollar giveaway to the mining companies that mine for free on the lands that belong to you and me The Control Spending Now Act, a collection of spending cuts and other measures to rein in the deficit, is projected to save nearly one-half trillion dollars.
 
You can catch the full story tonight on NBC Nightly News. 

I wanted to make sure you saw this email that our field director Paula just sent out about our upcoming Spring Fling statewide canvass on the 20th! We’ll be in communities big and small talking about the great things Russ has done for Wisconsin families.
 
I hope you can join us on March 20! 

Melissa,
 
I’m excited to announce our first statewide canvass of 2010!  On Saturday, March 20, Feingold volunteers will canvass door-to-door in 57 cities and towns across Wisconsin.  And we’d love to have you join us.
 
Sign Up for Our Spring Fling Statewide Canvass Today!
 
You don’t need to be an experienced canvasser to participate.  The campaign will provide training, literature, walking lists, and pair you up with a canvass partner.  The only requirement (in addition to being an enthusiastic supporter of Russ!) is a three-hour time commitment.
 
Sign Up for Our Spring Fling Statewide Canvass Today!
 
Russ has always run grassroots campaigns, fueled by dedicated volunteers like you.  It’s because of your continued support that we’re able to go door-to-door so early and often.  Thanks in advance for your participation and support.
 
Sincerely,
 
Paula Zellner
Feingold Senate Committee
 
P.S. Do you know anyone else who might want to join us?  Click here to forward this message to them. 

This weekend brought with it some important developments in the campaign that we wanted to make you aware of. 

Republican “Uber-Lobbyist” Bill McCoshen went on Mike Gousha’s “UpFront” TV program this weekend and said Tommy Thompson has “the right people in the room,” and that “he's the only one that frankly could win on the Republican side.” 

This comes after reports this week that one of Thompson’s colleagues at the DC lobbying shop he works for said, “lots of people in Washington” want him to be Wisconsin’s next Senator. Bob Wood, President of Washington’s most elite GOP lobbying firm has registered websites for Thompson and McCoshen said they are all planning to set up an exploratory committee so Tommy can start raising money from “lots of people in Washington.” 

As many of you know Russ had events in Madison and Milwaukee yesterday and we wanted to let you know what Russ had to say: 

“So you might ask, well why are all these people in Washington asking Tommy Thompson to run?  Because he's their friend.  Because he does what they want.  That's why they're asking him to run. 

“I've spent years and years taking on the special interests.  And Tommy Thompson spent years, taking them on as clients.  That's the difference between the two of us.  That's the difference for Wisconsin as we go forward for this election.”   

This is exactly why a lot of people in Wisconsin like you have supported Russ and will continue to support our campaign in this election.  

Russ has shown courage standing up to the lobbyist crowd in D.C. He has been tough on wasteful spending, never walking away from a deficit. And he has been an independent voice for the people of Wisconsin, not the special interests in Washington.  

So while Tommy Thompson sits in a room with his lobbyist friends in Washington making plans to announce his campaign at the Republican convention in the coming months, we’ll be in Wisconsin hard at work organizing our Spring Fling – our door-to-door, grassroots statewide canvass in communities in every corner of our great state on March 20. Sign up to help out today.

Let’s show “lots of people in Washington” what lots of support for Russ in Wisconsin looks like.   

 
Thank you for standing with Russ every step of the way.
 

The Capital Times today ran an editorial on Russ’s dedication to creating good, family-supporting jobs here in Wisconsin through ideas like his landmark E-4 Initiative and aggressive legislation to cut taxes for businesses who hire new workers.
 
From the editorial:
 

U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, the Wisconsin Democrat who has made job growth a central focus of his service in recent years, is on target when he says: “The February jobs report shows we still have a long way to go until we see a full recovery in employment and it cannot come fast enough for Wisconsin families who are struggling with unemployment and financial concerns.”
 
Feingold notes: “The Senate has taken important steps to help get more Americans back to work, including passing a payroll tax break to encourage hiring, along the lines of the one I proposed. I am pleased that yesterday (March 4), the House passed a bill including this tax break for businesses, as well.”
 
“But,” the senator adds, “we must remain focused on job creation and bringing down the deficit because taxpayers can’t afford more wasteful spending. Putting Wisconsinites back to work is a top priority and I will continue to push for more victories on my E4 Initiative aimed at fueling job creation and economic development for Wisconsin.”

Originally known as New County, Langlade County was created in 1879 from previously unorganized territories.  Its current name comes from Charles de Langlade, a French and Indian War hero, who later established a trading post in what is now Green Bay.

Langlade County, located in the heart of Wisconsin’s Northern Woods, is known for its natural beauty and many recreational activities.  It has more than 700 wild lakes, 400 miles of trout streams, and the Wolf River, which is popular for whitewater rafting.  Additionally, there are 500 miles of ATV and snowmobiling trails, which are maintained by the county and several local clubs.  Skiing, hunting, and horseback riding are also popular activities.

Agriculture plays a vital role in Langlade County.  It is Wisconsin’s second-largest producer of potatoes, and among its largest producers of mink.  Langlade County also produces Christmas trees and maple syrup.

Facts of Interest

• Sheldon's, Inc. manufactures Mepps fishing lures in Antigo and its plant is open for tours. Mepps is touted as the number one fishing lure in the world.
• The Fuddfest Country Music Festival is a five-day event that features national country music acts and a karaoke contest for local qualifiers each summer. Fuddfest began in 2003.
• Antigo's motto is "The Gateway to Wisconsin's Northwoods."
• The Antigo Cheese Company has been operating since 1994. It is known for producing Italian-style cheeses.
• The Langlade County Historical Society building was created through a $15,000 grant from the Carnegie Foundation in 1905.  The museum displays a large variety of lumbering and Native American artifacts.
• Northern Advertising, based in Antigo, has an interesting display of vintage advertising signs on the outside of their building.
  

Today, Russ's daughters Jessica and Ellen sent out an email to our friends with a virtual birthday card for Russ.

As you may know, Russ turns 57 tomorrow, March 2, and the girls want to help him celebrate a bit early.

Please take a moment to sign Russ's virtual birthday card and share a message with him!

Tomorrow is our dad's 57th birthday. Traditionally, his supporters in Wisconsin come together to celebrate, and this year we wanted to give you an opportunity to join in the fun!

We have a virtual card here for you to sign. You can leave Dad a message and his campaign will make sure he gets everyone's well wishes tomorrow.

Sign Our Dad’s Birthday Card!

Thank you for helping to make Dad’s birthday extra special!

Sincerely,

Jessica and Ellen Feingold

Last week the Wisconsin State Council of Vietnam Veterans of America presented Russ with the 2009 Wisconsin Government Leader of the Year award.

The Council recognized him in part due to his leadership in the “successful bipartisan effort to ensure the opening of new USDVA Vet Centers in Brown and La Crosse counties.”

Russ successfully led the charge for the VA to establish new clinics in Sawyer, Barron, La Crosse and Brown counties. Additionally, he helped authorize a new spinal cord unit for the Milwaukee VA Zablocki Medical Center and fought to preserve medical services at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.

Mike Demske, a decorated Vietnam War Navy Veteran, Swift Boat crew member, and President of the Wisconsin State Council of Vietnam Veterans of America, had this to say about the honor:

 “Russ Feingold has demonstrated once again his deep commitment to Wisconsin’s and America’s veterans, as well as his understanding of the special readjustment needs of veterans returning home after serving tours of duty in harm’s way during our nation’s wars. We are indebted to Sen. Feingold for his unwavering commitment and effective leadership within the veterans affairs arena.”

Just following the presentation ceremony, Russ sent out this Tweet:  @russfeingold Deeply honored to be chosen 2009 leader of the year by the State Council Vietnam Vets.

Russ will keep up his hard work ensuring our veterans receive the very best care our nation has to offer.

Their brave service demands nothing less.

Please read more about Russ’s fight for our veterans, and follow Russ on Twitter and Facebook to keep up-to-date on the campaign.

Named for Revolutionary War hero, Marquis de Lafayette, Lafayette County is located in southwestern Wisconsin.  It is part of Wisconsin’s driftless region, untouched by glaciers. 

Lafayette County was first settled by miners in the 1820s who mined ore from its many hills.  Many of these historic camps have been restored and are open to the public.  The Badger Mine and Museum, located in Shullsburg, moves beyond the industrial aspect of mining and also features displays about everyday life during the mining boom. There is still a small lead mine that allows visitors to spend time in a real mine.  The Swindler’s Ridge Museum in Benton also features exhibits on historic and modern lead and zinc mining.

Facts of Interest

• Lafayette County was home to Wisconsin's first State Capitol. The building was used only once during the1836 legislative session, after which the Wisconsin Capitol moved to Madison.
• Shullsburg Creamery has been in operation since 1934. During World War II, Shullsburg Creamery sold cheese to the United States government.
• Located in Darlington is the 1886 Lafayette County Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, which features a life-sized solider on top of a 56-foot-tall pedestal.
  Father Samuel Mazzuchelli was an early religious leader in the Wisconsin Territory. He built Wisconsin's first "teaching sisterhood" and numerous churches throughout the region. St. Augustine, located in New Diggings, is the last remaining church built by Mazzuchelli.
• Outside of Shullsburg, there is a stretch of County Road U that is referred to as "Gravity Hill." If you put your car in neutral on the bottom of the hill, it will allegedly begin to roll up the hill in reverse/backward.
• Part of the film Public Enemies was filmed in Darlington, as the town has an historic business district.

Today, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan jobs bill 70-28.

Russ had this to say about the measure:

“I am pleased the jobs bill passed the Senate with support from both parties.  I am especially pleased it includes a payroll tax break, similar to the jobs tax credit I proposed. While not as aggressive as my jobs tax credit legislation, this assistance for businesses should provide some help for Wisconsin businesses and workers. Passage of this bill is important but more must be done, and Congress must remain focused on job creation and bringing down unemployment.”

Russ has been a constant fighter for smart, sensible plans to bring much-needed jobs here to Wisconsin. He is the author of the landmark E4 Initiative and has proposed legislation to introduce deficit-neutral tax credits over the next two years for businesses that hire new employees, expand work hours for their current workforce, or simply raise worker pay.