Has anyone here ever used, or worked on a campaign that used, "Complete Campaigns" software?  Based on a quick web search it looks like exactly what we need -- an out-of-the-box software package that will handle fundraising, voter contact, and web stuff in one integrated back-end database. I called them and got a price quote and it seems affordable, especially considering what seems like a lot of functionality. But I would like to talk to someone who has actually used it and see what they think.

Any thoughts?  Or recommendations of competing products? FYI you can check it out at:

http://www.completecampaigns.com/home.as p

Thanks!

I have spent the last three days doing visibility and lit dropping for the Cegelis campaign in IL-06.  I know I am probably guilty of being too close to it to be objective, but I am making my prediction now that we are going to win against Henry Hyde.  I am posting this diary here so that Thursday when the headlines say "Surprise Victory in Illinois" I will have officially gone on record prior to election day as having called it as a win -- in spite of the fact that Mr. Hyde is listed as "Favored" on the MyDD the House Outlook page! ;-)

For anyone who doesn't know, Christine Cegelis is running against Henry Hyde for IL-06.  You can read more about her at:

http://www.cegelisforcongress.com.

Because I am a true believer in this campaign, I am currently organizing a Chicago Boat Cruise Fundraiser to benefit Cegelis for Congress.  So, if you have an extra $100, and you live in the area, and would like to donate in a way that is a little more fulfilling than clicking "contribute" on a web site, come to my event!!!

Christine will be there, so it will be a great opportunity to meet the candidate and bend her ear on all your issues.  We will be cruising Lake Michigan on a 66' charter boat called the Gold Coast Lady.  The fun all happens on Tuesday, September 28th, one week from today!  Boarding begins at 6:00 p.m., we leave the dock at 6:30 p.m., and get back at 8:00 p.m.  For all the details, read on ...

So a friend of mine sent me the following article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20335-2004Aug20.html

About the Bush/Kerry race on Michigan's Beaver Island.  An exerpt, emphasis mine:

Please explain to me how 173 to 186 means "there are no Democrats there?" Who did they think those 173 people were? Then we wonder how come we don't do better????

As many people know I am a very active volunteer with the campaign of Christine Cegelis, who is running against Henry Hyde for Illinois 6th Congressional District. (Note my google bombing attempt ... hint, hint.)

Well, somehow, without me really realizing it, I have become the "editor" of the Cegelis campaign blog.  Perhaps it was their realization of my commitment to the cause.  Perhaps it was my startlingly off-topic anecdotes or my incomprehensible need to start out sentences with the word "and." (You see, it all goes back to this thing that happened during pre-school ...) Perhaps it was their desire to stop getting e-mails that started out, "So, I really love you guys but it's been a week now and no one has posted anything to the blog..."  

And so here we are.  

Dear MyDD Community:

This is my first Diary entry on this site.  I have been posting on Daily Kos, but the rate at which diary entries are posted on that site is getting a bit frustrating, so I thought I might migrate my efforts to MyDD.  So, hello!!!

I am an active volunteer with the Christine Cegelis campaign against Henry Hyde for Illinois 6th Congressional District.  I thought I might say a word or two about how things are going, and of course, if anyone wants to throw a little cash Christine's way, so much the better!

The story of how Christine got into the race is a good one.  She was talking to a friend who said, "Well, the legislators can't do anything about the health care system because the lobbyists are too strong."  This made Christine mad.  The legislators need to be stronger than the lobbyists! She had been recently redistricted to be in Hyde's district, and decided to work as hard as possible for whoever was challenging him.  She soon realized that although well-intentioned, this person was not really planning to run a serious campaign.  So she decided to run herself.  She quit her job, campaigned like crazy, and won the primary.  And she is kind of shocking everybody by the fact that she is campaigning as though she is planning to win against Hyde, which she is!!!!!