Yes, I know, this district voted 67% for the shrub in 04, yes, I know that the last guy to represent this district in Congress, that wasn't a Republican, was a Whig.  Yes, I know and more than a few of you remind me on occasion, that every professional predictor of elections in the county, including the DCCC, doesn't give us a chance in hell.

Despite all that, maybe even because of it, we're going all out, and leaving no stone unturned and fighting for every single vote.  We are building momentum, picking up endorsements and last minute money.  We are looking to come up with enough cash for a last minute stab at a flight of TV spots.  The production values won't be anything special.  We can't exactly afford "Lord of the Rings".  I think that just appearing on TV will seal the deal with many voters.

For those of us hard core volunteers, now is the time to summon our courage.  Now is when we need it the most.  All that we have shed blood sweat and tears for is about to be decided and looking down the barrel of it can be intimidating, if you consider what we are up against.

It's a brick wall.  We are moving as fast as we possibly can toward a brick wall.  If we have somehow managed to gather enough momentum, we can break through that wall.  If not then we will hit it very hard and it will be painful to a lot of good people.  

If the Fifty State strategy is to work, more than a few of us, all across the country, are going to hit that wall on Tuesday night.  I'm not talking about the so-called "competitive races", I'm talking about the "under-the-radar" races, like mine.

If the Fifty State strategy is to truly mean anything, it's got to be applied to districts like the PA-09th.  Even here, small groups of committed democrats are working very hard to re-build the party.  Tony Barr's candidacy is helping to do that.  In Huntingdon County, and Juniata County, and Bedford, and Somerset, and Blair Counties, we few, we brave few are trying to break 210 years of Republican domination.

If the Fifty State strategy is to truly mean anything then it's districts like the PA-09th that need support and encouragement and well...money dammit!  

But money isn't the answer to everything, in the May primary, outgoing Pennsylvania Senate President Pro-Tempore Bob Jubelirer spent $1.5 Million on a losing primary effort.  That happened in Pennsylvania, in this district.  It's a fact we try to remember as we look at the FEC reports.

We know we can't expect the DCCC to swoop down on a white donkey and rescue us.  We know we have to put in the work here on the ground, and we've been working, harder than we ever thought we could.

Early in this election cycle, Tony said something important.  He said `This race is about more than just me, it's about rebuilding the Democratic party".  To us, this race is as much about setting up '08 and beyond, as it is about getting Tony elected.  Of course, we are working as hard as we can and we are learning a lot in the process.  For most if not all of us, this is our first campaign for anything since High School.

I believe that those us who are at the core of this campaign are becoming that small, thoughtful, group of citizens that Margaret Mead talked about.

Tony has committed to running again in '08, come what will.  We hope he'll be running as an incumbent.

This will quite probably be my last diary until after Tuesday.  I'll be spending my time, making calls, knocking on doors and fighting for every single vote, one voter at a time.

Here in the PA-09th, we're putting the pedal to the metal and steering straight for that brick wall.  Wish us well.

http://www.tonybarr2006.com