Money Changes Everything
Wednesday, July 5th
Dear Friends:
This is the letter I never wanted to write.
I’m excited to report our campaign has been working very hard, engaging thousands of people through countless in-person events and social media posts. I’m very proud of the work we’ve done so far to share our message of hope and inclusion with every voter in Dutchess County. Sometimes, I can’t even catch my breath! But even with all this honest effort, I am told by many different people that all this energy won’t amount to much come November.
If you only run on energy, they tell me, you will lose. If you want to win, you will need money.
The people who love me know I’ve always been an independent person, even as a kid. I get it from my Dad. I was taught from an early age to figure things out on my own, and only ask for help if I really needed it. My favorite TV show was The Little Rascals, mainly because they were kids who solved their own problems. (We need money? Let’s put on a show!) That’s probably why, later in life, I fit so well into the United States Navy: in the military, you’re taught to be self-reliant and independent from day one. Do your job. Don’t complain. And don’t ask for help unless it’s a last resort.
Friends, I guess you could call this letter my last resort. You see, our first campaign reporting deadline is coming up on July 13. That’s next Thursday. And we are woefully behind our opponent in raising money.
How much do I dislike asking you for money? Well, let’s put it this way: if you asked me to choose between asking you for a campaign donation, or walking across the country again, I’d have to think long and hard about the decision.
I still enjoy watching The Little Rascals, but now that I’m older and wiser, I realize asking for help is actually a sign of strength, not weakness. And there is also comfort in knowing I am not asking for money for myself. No, I am asking you to keep our shared dream alive to finally bring fairness and equity to our county government. I’m asking you to join our fight to protect our seniors, support our veterans, and give our young people a real chance at following their own dreams. That’s what your donation is really for.
Make no mistake, I am going to keep working just as hard for you over the next four months whether we have ten dollars in the bank or ten million. This fight is important to me and I will never back down. But if we want a real chance to win, we will need mailers and palm cards. We will need billboards and lawn signs. We will need TV spots and GOTV rallies. All this costs a lot of money.
I guess Cindy Lauper was right (when it comes to campaigns, anyway.) Money changes everything.
Would you please consider a donation by our deadline of July 13?
If you have already donated in the past, please consider donating again if you are able. A $50 donation would be amazing, and a $100 donation would be doubly amazing. And if you are in a position to give more than that, please be as generous as you can. Every dollar we raise will really make a difference come November!
You can donate today using the secure Act Blue link below, or if you’re an old soul like me, you can write a check made to “Tommy 4 Dutchess” and send it to us at: Tommy 4 Dutchess, PO Box 644, Poughkeepsie NY 12602. Please send your donation before that all-important filing deadline of July 13 to get us back into this fight for justice and equality, right here at home!
Thank you so much for listening. I will see you soon, with plenty of Tommy Z energy!
Respectfully, Tommy