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ePMedia: You went through a primary in 2004. What lessons do you take from that experience?
CC: Everyone would agree that we'd prefer not to go through a primary, especially since the Republican doesn't have one. He's going to be able to build financial strength. But the 2004 primary was the very best thing that could have happened to my campaign, because it made me get organized earlier. It gave me press that I would not have normally gotten -- I received a lot of endorsements. In an uncontested primary, a lot of people don't even bother to endorse. So my philosophy is that I will make the best of whatever happens.
We'll have a ground organization, built for the primary, that we can build on for the general. This is going to be a tough race. It's not a seat the Republicans are going to give up easily. Karl Rove has already gotten involved in this race. Grover Norquist has already gotten involved, by doing a fund-raiser for the Republican candidate. Karl Rove has been advising him and introducing him. The candidate was formerly an aide to Tom Delay. This is not a race where the Republicans are just going to roll over and give up.
ePMedia: If you've been following Paul Hackett's campaign in Ohio's 2nd District, do you find any parallels to your district?
CC: Absolutely. The talk in Ohio when this seat came open -- that it's such a Republican area, with no chance for the Democrat -- is exactly the thinking that has helped us lose the House. It's the same thinking that was pervasive when I initially ran against Henry Hyde. One consultant told me that if I got anything over 40 percent, that would be a victory because nobody could do well against Henry Hyde.
Nobody understands that all we really have to do is get out there and give people our message. When we get our message out and are clear about who we are and what we believe in, we find that many people agree with us. They're not hearing our message because we Democrats walk away from so many districts.
ePMedia: The recent redistricting strengthens the perception that many seats are certainly not competitive.
CC: So many people told me that they would have voted for a Democrat against Henry Hyde, but there'd never been a serious Democrat running. There was a name on the ballot, but nobody who ever worked the district, nobody who ever campaigned, nobody who ever really said, "Here I am. This is what I believe in." In fact, the person who ran before me didn't spend even $5000.
ePMedia: Your potential Republican candidate has an organization, the Capitol Club, where he stresses large donations. How do you raise your campaign money, and how is money important to your efforts?
CC: Campaign money is important in a number of ways. Especially at this point in the race, one way is to get the attention of the inside-the-Beltway people. I recently sent a goal of raising $100,000 by the end of June; we reached that goal, largely through the help of Daily Kos members.
That was an amazing day. I've met the person -- Hyperbolic Pants Explosion -- who wrote the diary, but she's not affiliated with the campaign, and I had no idea she was going to do that. We were scrambling because we wanted to prove that we could set an ambitious goal and make it.
While my Republican opponent has raised about $400,000 from about 400 people, I raised a little over $100,000 from more than 1000 people -- so you can see I'm going to have to work a lot harder. A lot of people from my district gave small amounts -- $20, $25 -- but these are people who will be voting for me and supporting me. Raising money is important. It's critical to our success, and it's critical to raising our credibility.
ePMedia: In 2004, you were one of the Dean Dozen.
CC: Obviously that was a big push for my campaign --not so much with the money but with the volunteers. This time around, a lot of the money has come in through Democracy for America. That gets the word out and encourages people to donate.
But we are also going to need the support of labor, the support of the party -- as I say, this is not an easy seat to win. I'm going to have to develop a coalition between the inside- and outside-the-Beltway interests, and I believe I can do that.
ePMedia: Is there anything else you would like to convey to the people of your district as well as to our readers?
CC: Every race in 2006 is important. Each race should be about health care, jobs and the economy. We are headed down a dangerous path; if we don't make corrections, we are not going to be able to compete in the global economy. I hope all candidates, Republicans and Democrats, will look at those issues and that we don't get sidetracked by issues that are of little importance to our daily lives.
For instance, my Republican opponent opposes federal funding for stem cell research. He is making this a moral issue while most people in our district feel we should fund this research. This is not a moral issue. It is a reality issue, and I hope we don't get sidetracked by things like this. I hope Republicans and Democrats can stay away from wedge issues.
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Christine Cegelis' campaign Web site is Cegelis for Congress.
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Photo Credits: Cegelis for Congress and Democracy for America