I don't like to make a big deal out of my military service.  I mention it from time to time, of course.  I'm not ashamed of it.  I spent six years in the US Navy as an electriction - four years on board the USS Saipan.  I made two extended deployments - the first ended with OPERATION: Sharp Edge and the second was a part of the wrap-up of OPERATION: Desert Storm.  Among the awards I received for my service are the Kuwait Liberation Medal and the Southwest Asia Service Medal.

I mention it now because I have become part of the news-cycle in the race for New Jersey's Third Congressional District.  It began last Tuesday when GOP candidate Chris Meyers blasted Democratic State Senator John Adler for describing bloggers as "citizen-soldiers".  

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Tomorrow morning, John McCain will be in New Jersey's 3rd District, campaigning with Mayor Chris Myers, who believes like McCain does, that despite the 325,000 person job loss just halfway through 2008, our economy is strong. We need real common sense solutions and change in Washington with a Democrat like John Adler.

Check out this video put out by the Adler for Congress campaign today in preparation for the John McShame visit tomorrow...

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Great news from NJ-03 (GOP Rep. Saxton's open seat): John Adler, the Democratic candidate for Congress announced that he raised almost $1.2 million dollars this cycle, including a whopping $530,000 this quarter alone. (75% of the donations came from local NJ donors.) In fact, Adler did so well, one of his GOP opponents campaigns called it "impressive." Besides the great fundraising success - Adler has picked up major endorsements from other prominent groups and has been knocking on hundreds of doors.

In the meantime, Adler has been knocking on doors in neighborhoods as far southeast as Little Egg Harbor Township and the age-restricted communities that pepper the area three to five days each week. And he recently introduced legislation that would protect senior insurance citizens from predatory brokers. The move was prompted by constituent concerns, not scoring points with the electorate.

More after the jump...

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Yesterday's fundraiser for Congressional candidate Rich Sexton went really well.   (Rich has blogged on DailyKosbefore as one of the Fightin' Dems.)   Anyway, the weather was picture perfect, the food was fantastic and the company was pretty darn good too.   Oh, and by the way,  we also raised some cash for the campaign.   At last count, we were just shy of $1,5oo.

This year in my district, we're up against a well-financed incumbent who shamelessly accepts big-ticket donations from the likes of Tom Delay and Jack Abramoff.   So the Sexton campaign relies on events like yesterday's BBQ as its life blood.

Yesterday had some real intangible effects, as well.    By helping Dems stretch the field in districts with entrenched GOP incumbents, we're helping with DNC chairman Howard Dean's mission to &take the fight to the GOP in every district of every state in the country.some pics of the party are on my blog:
http://einkleinesblog.blogspot.com/

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