Colleagues, Friends, Family and fellow Believers:
My close friend of twenty years, Mark Takano, is running for the new, open DEMOCRATIC seat in the 41st CD of California. D+7, Obama by 20%, Brown by 12%. No primary opposition.
As some of you may remember, Mark came within 550 votes of winning a Republican district (Calvert). Now, after 5 successful elections (90% of CD electorate) to the Riverside Community College Board, and continued activism in state and national politics, Mark is running again.
He is a 6'2", brilliant, Japanese American who is openly gay and a committed Rialto Unified School District teacher. An NEA Member, he teachs low-income, predominantly Latino and African American students.
All of us who were with Mark in 92 are helping again.
It is the one we lost and now, without question, can reclaim. For all of you who understand what it is like to have been that close -- the one that broke your heart, the one who should of happened because he was running for all the right reasons -- Mark Takano is still that person, and will be in Congress, and he needs your help.
Former Secretary Norman Mineta is playing a major role in the campaign.
He is hosting a fundraiser (before the all-important September 30th Deadline!) next Monday, September 19th at 434 New Jersey Avenue, SE, from 7-9pm (Jocelyn Hong's Rowhouse).
Please join us if you can, or contribute online now. You now any dollar amount means a great deal to a campaign of this signficance and a candidate of Mark's commitment and caliber.
It is history in the making.
He is going to win.