Dear Supporters,

   There are two ways to get on the ballot for Congress in the 14th District. One is to pay a fee of roughly $10,000. If you do that, you don't need to reach out to a single voter. You just need to write a check.

   The other is to gather 4,959 valid signatures on petitions between January 1 and March 31. That means a candidate needs signatures from at least 1 percent of the registered voters in the district. It's not easy -- in fact, very few candidates even try to accomplish it -- because it requires talking to thousands of voters across the district and garnering a broad base of support.

   I believe the only way to win this race is to reach out to voters across the district and talk to them about how I can best serve them in Washington. So we chose to defy the odds and launch a petition drive.

   With the help of dozens of volunteers, we went to the people. We visited neighborhoods and talked to thousands of citizens. We spoke with voters at parades, flea markets, art festivals, libraries, and club meetings. We called our friends, families, and neighbors. And the people responded! Thousands of voters -- Democrats, Independents and Republicans, young and old, and people of all backgrounds -- signed petitions.

   What's more, I was the only candidate for Congress of any party to submit petitions for this congressional seat.

   I am pleased to announce that I've just learned that 5,428 signatures have been validated -- nearly 500 more than I needed to qualify for the ballot!

   Thank you to all who signed and collected signatures! Together, we have already shown that an effective grassroots campaign can defy the odds. But there is a lot more to do to bring the values we hold and the change we need to Washington.

   Please help our grassroots campaign by making a contribution of $25, $50, $100 or more today so we can continue to bring our message of change to the voters.

Thank you again for your support.

Sincerely,
Larry Byrnes