GEORGIA'S WIN LIST E-Newsletter

June 2008

Candidate News

Georgia’s WIN List Announces 2008 Endorsed Candidates

...WIN List Board Approves primary contributions of $36,800 to endorsed candidates

After investing many hours in the process of interviewing and carefully considering each of the Democratic women who qualified to run for seats in the Georgia General Assembly, the board of Georgia's WIN List has completed the candidate endorsement process. Based on your generosity, the board has approved $36,800 in contributions to our endorsed candidates – this amount represents the maximum contribution that WIN List can contribute to our opposed endorsed candidates for their primary races. Georgia’s WIN List will issue a second round of checks to endorsed candidates facing general election opposition later in the summer. Stay tuned to learn how you can help us keep up the support for our endorsed candidates.  We encourage you to read their biographies and learn about their campaigns. Click here to read about them on our Web site.

Stacey Evans, Chair of Georgia’s WIN List, reported, "We are thrilled to announce this year’s list of endorsed candidates. They span the state and are all poised and ready to claim victories in July and November!"

Amy Morton, Vice Chair of the PAC and Chair of the Candidate Committee, added, "After many hours of carefully researching districts and interviewing candidates, WIN List is proud to present a list of 28 outstanding women for endorsement. We have already begun 2008 on a winning note with Rep. Dee Dawkins Haigler's recent victory in a special election. We can say with confidence that with your full support, victory is within reach for every single endorsed candidate. Imagine how they will change the face of politics in Georgia!"

In 2006, Georgia’s WIN List helped welcome 7 new faces to the Georgia General Assembly. We helped to elect these candidates through direct campaign contributions of over $60,000 from the PAC and encouragement to PAC donors to support the endorsed candidates by writing personal checks to them and, of course, voting for them. In addition to financial contributions to the candidates, WIN List provides technical support and political advice for their campaigns.

As the first step in the selection process, we surveyed all Democratic women candidates about their views on choice and other issues that affect economic, educational, and legal equality for all women. In May, candidates were invited to an interview based on their responses to the survey, and they faced a group of 6 to 8 board members. Each candidate answered questions about her personal history, fundraising progress, campaign strategy, and the issues that fed her passion for politics and why she believes she is the best candidate for the office she is seeking.

This year's endorsed candidates come from all over Georgia—from Cobb County all the way to Waycross near the Okefenokee Swamp--and reflect the diversity of Georgia voters. The following are Georgia’s WIN List recommended candidates for 2008 Senate and House seats:

STATE SENATE

SD 12 Freddie Powell Sims (I)†

SD 34 Valencia Seay (I)†

SD 36 Nan Orrock (I)†

SD 38 Horacena Tate (I)†

SD 44 Gail Davenport (I)‡

SD 55 Gloria Butler (I)†

STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

HD   38 Pat Dooley‡

HD   39 Alisha Thomas Morgan (I)‡

HD   56 Kathy Ashe (I)*

HD   57 Pat Gardner (I)*

HD   58 Robbin Shipp (I)*

HD   59 Margaret Kaiser (I)†

HD   60 Georganna Sinkfield (I)*

HD   61 Edith Ladipo†

HD   65 LeWanna Heard†

HD   74 Roberta Abdul-Salaam (I)*

HD   83 Mary Margaret Oliver (I)*

HD   84 Stacey Abrams (I)*

HD   85 Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (I)‡

HD   86 Karla Drenner (I)*

HD   87 Michele Henson (I)*

HD   91 Rita Robinzine†

HD   92 Pam Stephenson (I)†

HD   93 Dee Dawkins-Haigler (I)†

HD 130 Debbie Buckner (I)*

HD 133 Carolyn Hugley (I)*

HD 138 Nikki Randall (I)*

HD 177 Jaki Johnson‡

Incumbent; *Denotes no opposition; †Primary opposition: ‡General opposition

Primary Election Day—Tuesday, July 15th!

There are fewer than 40 days until Election Day. Be sure you—and your like-minded friends—qualify to vote! The voter registration deadline for the Primary is June 16, 2006. You can register by going to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Web site by clicking here or by visiting your local library and picking up a voter registration form.

If you are going to be out of town or just want the ease of voting ahead of time, absentee ballots are available now and advance voting is scheduled for the week of July 7-11. Click here for information on absentee or advance voting. You do not have to provide a reason when you request an absentee ballot by mail or when voting in person during the week of advance voting. 

WHAT’S ON THE WIN LIST CALENDAR?

July 15 Georgia’s General Primary. Watch for Georgia’s WIN List candidates’ successes in these Primary elections.

August 5 Primary Run-off Election

November 4 General Election

Quote of the month

“...when I was asked what it means to be a woman running for President, I always gave the same answer: that I was proud to be running as a woman but I was running because I thought I’d be the best President. But I am a woman, and like millions of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious.

I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of every last one of us.

Think of the suffragists who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848 and those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes. Think of the abolitionists who struggled and died to see the end of slavery. Think of the civil rights heroes and foot soldiers who marched, protested and risked their lives to bring about the end to segregation and Jim Crow.

Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote. Because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that children of all colors could go to school together. Because of them, Barack Obama and I could wage a hard fought campaign for the Democratic nomination. Because of them, and because of you, children today will grow up taking for granted that an African American or a woman can yes, become President of the United States.

When that day arrives and a woman takes the oath of office as our President, we will all stand taller, proud of the values of our nation, proud that every little girl can dream and that her dreams can come true in America. And all of you will know that because of your passion and hard work you helped pave the way for that day.

—Excerpt from Hillary Rodham Clinton’s speech, June 7, 2008