Annette Taddeo (Or, ActBlue Goes to Florida)

With 36 days left until the Election, we're continuing to profile candidates in the closest races across the country. This week, we're on to Florida, where Annette Taddeo won the Democratic primary on August 26. 

Annette Taddeo will challenge incumbent Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) for the Congressional seat from the Florida 18th. For over 15 years, Taddeo has run LanguageSpeak, a comprehensive language services company that she started to offer translations, conference interpretations and private tutoring in more than 100 different languages. In 2007, DiversityBusiness.com named her company one of the Top 500 Diversity Owned Businesses in the country. The continued success of her company and her leadership in the community has earned Taddeo many accolades and honors, including the "Latina Excellence Award" from Hispanic
Magazine and a spot in their list of the "Top 50 Latina Entrepreneurs in the US." Taddeo currently serves as Chair of the Women's Enterprise Nation Council's Leadership Forum and was a former Chairwoman of the Coalition of Dade-County Chambers of Commerce and the Women's Chamber of Commerce of Miami-Dade County.

Endorsed by the DCCC's Red to Blue program, EMILY's List, Blue America, and Daily Kos' Orange to Blue program, Taddeo has been a barnstormer on ActBlue, raising $28,510 from more than 1500 supporters and winning Blue America's House contest several weeks ago. She has had an active presence in the blogosphere, and liveblogged with Howie Klein on August 2.

ActBlue Democrats, here's Annette Taddeo:

Thanks for watching. Thirty-seven days left, and not a minute to lose. Go to www.actblue.com today and do your part for the candidates you believe in.

Until next time.

Debbie Cook: "ActBlue has made it really easy."

On to the West Coast.

For this week's ActBlue candidate video, we're profiling Democrat Debbie Cook, a candidate for Congress in California's Forty-Sixth congressional district.

Born to a military family, Debbie Cook ran a small family business for fourteen years before the career shift that would propel her to public life. In 1989, when her city's politicians were proposing, over protests from community, to turn the central park into a golf course, Cook organized the effort to save Huntington Beach's natural resources, gathering 18,000 signatures in six months and gaining passage of the protection measure by a three-to-one margin.

After the campaign, Cook went to law school, joined the California bar, and served as an attorney for the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, securing protection of the largest unprotected wetlands south of San Francisco.

Twice elected mayor of Huntington Beach, Cook continues to support protection of beaches, parks, safe drinking water, open spaces, and natural habitats in the area.

Cook is running for Congress against incumbent Republican Dana Rohrabacher, and is supported by more than thirty community fundraisers on ActBlue.

ActBlue Democrats, here's Debbie Cook:

To make the difference for the candidates you believe in, go to www.actblue.com today and set up your own fundraising page.

Stay tuned for more next week.

Martin Heinrich: "ActBlue Has Been an Enormous Help to Us"

We're back again with a profile of one of our more successful Congressional candidates. New Mexico's Martin Heinrich, running for the Congressional seat for New Mexico's First District, has raised more than $395,000 on ActBlue from more than 2,000 contributors like you, making it possible for Heinrich's insurgent campaign to top his opponent's by five points in the most recent Roll Call poll. That's your work, and something to be proud of.

For those of you who don't know much about Martin Heinrich, here's a primer. Once director of a foundation dedicated to science and environmental education, Heinrich has served on several boards focused on environmental, open space, and urban issues, and has used his time on the City Council to work toward making New Mexico a leader in alternative energy and energy efficiency. Heinrich, who was appointed by Governor Bill Richardson to be Natural Resources Trustee for the State, has also led efforts to reduce crime, raise the minimum wage, and create good jobs in the city. Heinrich is running against Republican Darren White.

ActBlue Democrats, here's Martin Heinrich.

Go to www.actblue.com today and start working for the Democrats you believe in.

Stay tuned for more next week.

Ben Ray Luján: "Make Sure To Take Advantage of ActBlue"

We're back from the Democratic Convention in Denver. Something about that Western air made us choose Ben Ray Luján for this week's candidate profile.

Ben Ray Luján is the Democratic nominee for Congress is New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District. A Public Regulation Commissioner and three time former chairman of the Commission, Luján has built a reputation as a dedicated fighter for renewable energy, firefighting services, and improved health care. Before his election to the Public Relations Commission, Luján served in the New Mexico Cultural Affairs Department. Luján is running to fill the seat currently held by Tom Udall (D-NM), who is running for the Senate seat soon to be vacated by Pete Domenici (R-NM). Luján has raised more than $86,000 on ActBlue this cycle.

ActBlue Democrats, here's Ben Ray Luján:

You have the power to change Congress. Go to www.actblue.com today and do your part.