blueamsized11.jpgLast Saturday, Howie began a Senate contest between our five great Blue America Senate candidates. Howie updated on our Senate contest yesterday:

This week we started a week-long contest to pick a Senate candidate to give the same $5,000 check too. A donation of $1-- or $1,000-- counts as a vote and you can vote here. Since we started on Saturday afternoon, there have been over 300 votes and more than $9,000. Right now Jeff Merkley (D-OR) is ahead although both Andrew Rice (D-OK) and Rick Noriega (D-TX) are starting to catch up.

Howie sent me a statement earlier that Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse gave in support of Tom Allen, and I wanted to share it with all of you, because it applies to every better representative we can get into office to do a better job for all of us:

This is what Sen. Whitehouse sent Blue America (obviously Whitehouse won his seat by defeating another Republican moderate-- albeit a REAL one-- because RI voters understood the importance of a Democratic majority in the Senate):

"We absolutely need my friend Tom Allen in the U.S. Senate. In the House, Tom was a wise and early critic of the war in Iraq, and since then has been working for a responsible deadline for withdrawal. He was also one of the first members of Congress to address the high costs of prescription drugs for seniors. Now, Tom has put forward detailed plans to solve the health care crisis, strengthen our economy, expand opportunities for working families, and end our crippling addiction to foreign oil.

"Next year, more than ever, we will need a strong Democratic majority in the Senate to put our country back on track. Susan Collins will stand with Republican leaders to obstruct our country's progress. Tom Allen will stand with President Barack Obama to fight for the change America needs."

So, take some time today to cast your vote in the Blue America Senate contest. If we want better leadership, we have to work for it, and this is as good a place to start as any. As Howie says, a donation of $1-- or $1,000-- counts as a vote and you can vote here.