Campaign Email: More Contributors Than Watts!

First, let me thank you for your support. With your help to Rick Noriega's campaign, we raised more money from individual contributors than our primary opponent in the third fundraising quarter. With your continued commitment and support, Rick Noriega will be well on his way to be the next U.S. Senator from Texas.

During the July-September fundraising period, we raised over a half million dollars -- $530,722 -- from individual donors and PACs, including VoteVets.org PAC. The total bested our largely self-funded millionaire opponent and demonstrates that Texans are ready for change ["Noriega bests Watts in individual donations," Associated Press, October 16, 2007].¹

Our fundraising success is a reflection of a true grassroots effort in this campaign that's bringing Texans together from all walks of life. It is a movement that is catching fire and it's exactly the kind of effort needed to beat John Cornyn and help get our country back on track.

Slowly but surely the traditional media is catching on to what we've known all along. The traditional standards for measuring campaigns no longer apply ["Wealth may not be enough for Watts in Senate race," Houston Chronicle, October 16, 2007].²

As a five-term legislator, standing up for public education, health care, and women's rights; as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Texas National Guard who served a tour of duty in Afghanistan; as the Incident Commander assisting Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Houston; and today as a citizen candidate for the United States Senate -- Rick Noriega continues to answer the call.

But this campaign is about more than Rick. It's about a call to serve, and more and more people are joining us every day in answering that call. You have been a key force in our growth and momentum. And for showing that leadership, I want to thank you.

We know we're not done yet, though. We must continue to work to bring an end to the war in Iraq, to stand up for the health of all children, and change the culture of politics that divides rather than unites.

If you're able to make yet another donation today to help us continue in our cause, it will help send a message that we are not taking our success for granted, and that we won't stop until we unseat George Bush's rubberstamp Senator, and bring true Texas values to the floor of the United States Senate. Please click here to donate today to continue to support the campaign. Thanks again!

Sincerely,

Sue Schechter
Campaign Manager
Rick Noriega for Texas
Democrat for U.S. Senate

Letter from Melissa

Dear Eric,

Hi, I'm Melissa Noriega, career educator, member of the Houston City Council, and wife of Texas' next U.S. Senator, Rick Noriega.

As Rick wrote to you on Monday, he's off for the next two weeks participating in a leadership command course for the Army at Fort Benning, GA. I'm proud of Rick's service to our country in uniform, and there's no doubt he's exactly where he needs to be right now. But that doesn't change the fact that we are in a heated Senate race to defeat John Cornyn, one of the most reactionary Senators in America.

For the next two weeks, Rick can't campaign. He can't meet the voters. And no, he can't fundraise for the campaign. That's where you come in.

Rick and I need you to fill in. With your support, we can beat John Cornyn. Join us and contribute to Rick Noriega's campaign for U.S. Senate today!

http://www.actblue.com/page/netrootsfornoriega

Rick has dedicated his life to public service. In addition to his military service, since 1999, he has represented our East End Houston community in the Texas House of Representatives (I had the honor of serving in his stead while he was deployed to Afghanistan), where he has consistently voted for fairness and equal opportunity for all Texans. Rick also managed relief efforts for over 30,000 of our neighbors from Louisiana at Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Rick is the right person to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate because every day he walks the walk. He has a record of service working to help everyday Texans that our opponents simply cannot match. We need to get that message out to all of Texas, and we need your help to ensure we have the resources to do that.

While Rick is serving our country at Fort Benning, we need you to make the difference.

Please rush an online contribution to Rick today. With your support, we're going to bring change to Texas.

http://www.actblue.com/page/netrootsfornoriega

As a 27-year veteran of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), I know the challenges of educating people. Instead of a classroom of 22 students, in this campaign, we have the challenge of educating millions of Texans about Rick! We can't do that without the financial resources to get Rick's story and message out.

Let's show Rick what kind of support he has in Texas and across America when he returns from his Army training.

http://www.actblue.com/page/netrootsfornoriega

This is going to be a tough campaign, and we're going to need you to help us build our team across Texas. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Melissa Noriega
Rick Noriega for Texas
Democrat for U.S. Senate

Email from Rick

Just got my first email from the campaign... Here it goes.. it's about the video posted below

Dear Eric,

Click here to watch our new video, "Answer the Call"

As Americans, it is our duty to stand up and speak out when politicians have steered our country off the rails. It is in our very fabric, our soul. It is why I am running against Senator John Cornyn. It's time for Texans to stand up and say, "Enough."

We will not stand by as John Cornyn perpetuates the mismanagement of the war on terror, while protecting polluters over the environment and insurance companies over families who need health care -- all while doing nothing about education, and nothing about immigration.

Texans deserve better.

They deserve a real leader in the U.S. Senate. But we will not win this race by running against John Cornyn. We need to spread our message for change across Texas. Today, we're releasing our second web video, "Answer the Call."

Please take a moment to watch the video, and help spread our message by forwarding this email to 5 of your friends today. Invite them to join our campaign!

Our conversation with the voters of Texas is just beginning. We will engage in an open, honest discussion. I challenge John Cornyn to do the same.

Instead of participating in PR stunts saying "Thank You" to the troops by handing out pizza to soldiers at Dell Diamond, the Austin-area baseball field, John Cornyn should tell the troops he voted against a bipartisan effort to extend dwell time for soldiers with their families in between deployments.

He should tell the soldiers he was 1 of only 9 Senators to vote against the ban on the use of torture on detainees held by U.S. forces and to require the military to follow the Army field manual for interrogations -- a ban that is critical in maintaining America's global moral leadership, while helping to protect our own men and women in uniform when they are captured by the enemy.

He should tell the children of Texas and their mothers and fathers that he recently voted against CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program), a program that ensures millions of children have access to quality health care.

It is time for us to stand up for the common good. It is what our campaign is about, and I need your help in building our team.

Watch our latest web video, and then forward this email to everyone on your email list.

For the next two weeks, I won't be able to write to you. Today, I am headed to Fort Benning, Georgia to participate in the Army's Infantry Pre-Command Course. This is a great honor, and this leadership course will better prepare me for the challenges of command.

I'm proud to serve. I have dedicated my life to service: serving my country, serving my state, and serving my community.

With your help, I plan to continue serving -- as the next Democratic U.S. Senator from the state of Texas. Thank you for support.

Sincerely,

Rick Noriega