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My name is David Mauro and I'm a staff writer for Burnt Orange Report, a leading progressive blog based out of Texas. I am also a full-time college student.

Before we get back to our work of ridding Texas of Speaker Tom Craddick, winning Chris Bell's state senate runoff election, and taking back some statewide offices for Democrats in 2010, I have a favor to ask you.

Please take a second and vote for me.

I am a finalist for a $10,000 Blogging Scholarship. The finalist who receives the most online votes wins. The contest ends tonight (at Midnight Pacific Time) and I am in a very close battle for first. Vote now.

I am the only progressive political blogger in the finals and I would really appreciate your support.

I first started reading Burnt Orange Report (and other blogs lie MyDD and Daily Kos) in 2003 when I was in high school. I had always been interested in politics and these online communities gave me a place to learn and interact with people whose passion for improving our nation still amazes me. It has been a great honor to join Burnt Orange Report, a site that I consider (with no bias, of course) to be one of the best state political blogs in the nation. Since I officially came aboard BOR last January, here are some of my favorite posts I've written.
Cornyn Politicizes Hurricane Dolly

According campaign press release yesterday, John Cornyn has asked Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to support a "bill would allow county governments in the Rio Grande Valley to repair an outdated levee system and be reimbursed by the federal government." Problem is, Big John, the storm already hit...

Building a Lasting Majority

An analysis of the two presidential campaigns' spending habits makes it clear that Barack Obama and John McCain are running two different campaigns, an article from Bloomberg shows. The Obama campaign has spent significantly more on staff salaries that the McCain campaign has. Obama's campaign had a June payroll of $2.3 million...

TDP Primary/Caucus Committee Holds First Hearing

The movement to end the Texas Two-Step, as many have been saying for a long time, is about a lot more than Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. For those who were still trying to paint this as Clinton “sour grapes”, the first speaker at the “End the Texas Two-Step” press conference was quick to put that to rest. “I’m not sure that it matters,” Peter Nolan began, “but I am and was an Obama supporter..."

When Money Talks, Gov. Rick Perry Listens

Rick Perry aide Allison Castle claims that donors to the governor get nothing in return except for "good government." Well, a new story from the Houston Chronicle's R.G. Ratcliffe makes it clear that if you contribute enough, you can get a lot more...

To read some more of my work, please click here.

Again, this is the last day so please take a few seconds and vote now.