[Ohio-talk] FW: [NFBAffiliatePresidents] Campaign Update

Tue Apr 3 13:07:10 UTC 2012

Dr. J. Webster Smith
President, National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
PO Box 458 Athens, OH 45701
740-592-6326

"Changing what it means to be blind"
For more information go to nfbohio.org

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbaffiliatepresidents-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfbaffiliatepresidents-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Parnell
Diggs
Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 10:34 PM
To: 'NFB Affiliate Presidents List'
Subject: [NFBAffiliatePresidents] Campaign Update

Dear Colleagues,

Please feel free to disseminate this further if you like.  Many of you are
probably wondering how the Congressional campaign is progressing, as we near
the sixty-day mark, and I wanted to bring you up-to-date.  In November, I
filed with the Federal Election Commission, essentially putting the public
on notice that I am raising money to be used in a campaign for Congress in
South Carolina's seventh Congressional District.

Filing with the Federal Election Commission, however, does not place one's
name on the ballot.  But at noon on March 16, 2012, as candidate filing
opened in South Carolina, I appeared at Democratic Party headquarters in
Columbia to turn in documents and pay a filing fee of $3,480 to participate
in the upcoming Primary on June 12.  I was the first candidate to do so.

I have traveled to all eight counties in the District multiple times,
attended seven of eight county conventions in the district missing only one,
and that was due to a mistake on the SCDP website.  In fact, all of the
candidates missed that one.  At the Conventions, I had an opportunity to
address the delegates, and I believe I was able to draw some distinctions
between myself and the other candidates.

I have established ground workers in seven of the eight counties so far and
only have Georgetown County to go.  That one will be taken care of very
soon.  We have ordered one hundred signs, which will be ready by mid April.
Some of them will be placed in yards, and the rest will be placed by some of
the more well traveled roads and highways across the District.

It will require some twenty signs, for example, to cover the path from my
home near Myrtle Beach to Florence, which is at the other end of the
District.  This would equate to about one sign every four miles.  Of course,
there are other highways as well, which the other signs will cover.  I am
also receiving requests from supporters for signs to place in their yards.

I traveled some four thousand miles within the District during the first
quarter of 2012 meeting with voters and talking about our priorities for the
future.  We are also developing a radio ad, which will air in targeted
markets in the weeks before the Primary Election.  I am excited about this
campaign, and I believe we are running strong in all counties.

There will be at least one televised debate: on June 7, just five days
before the Primary.  I have already participated in two debates and feel
good about my performance in both of them.  One supporter called me tonight
to say that he had received a call from a polling company about the 7th
District race.  Things are heating-up, and I need your thoughts and prayers.

I also want to thank those who have made donations.  You did not have to do
it, but you did, and I am grateful.  Some supporters here in South Carolina
are planning a big fundraiser for me in early May, as money at the wire is
crucial, and I need all the help I can get.  My campaign website can be
found at www.parnelldiggsforcongress.com if you would like to check out my
campaign or make a donation through PayPal.

I'm sorry that this is a bit longwinded, but I want you to feel my
excitement vicariously and know that I am pulling out all the stops to win
in June and then carry the fight onto the General Election in November.  We
have sewn the seeds, and now the time has come to reep the harvest, as the
actual campaign begins.  Here we go, fellow Federationists!  I look forward
to telling you more about it between now and Dallas.

----------------------
Parnell Diggs
8845-B Chandler Dr.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29575
Ph:  843-215-9056
Office:  843-492-7411
Fax:  843-215-4928
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