Dear friends and supporters,

With the New Year upon us, I'm mindful of how far we've come in so little time and humbled by all the support we've received from so many old and new friends already reaching out to our campaign to make a difference. I wish each of you the blessings you deserve in 2006, and promise you tireless efforts on my part to be the change you seek.

Thus as we enter the new year of this pivotal congressional campaign for North Carolina's 8th District seat, it is important to stay focused on the key issues facing our district and nation. While I have posted a general summation of the 'whys' for entering the race, look for expansion of these core points to be added to the website in the days ahead, as well as discussed with all I meet in the district during our on-going listening tour.

It is important to note that in the past, well intentioned candidates have often been out-maneuvered in defining their own campaigns and framing the issues. This side tracking has often left good candidates chasing their opponents and reacting to a myriad of concerns outside the intended scope or actual concerns of the people. This deflection on key issues will be especially pertinent this year as there are so many actions and inactions that our incumbent Congressman will most certainly not want to defend.

Therefore we must remember to 'keep it simple...' as the acronym suggested by the first few letters of 'Kissell' would remind us. I promise you now that I will define our concerns, frame our issues and stay on the points that matter to us. I will not go chasing every tangent that comes along and effectively end up with a sense of confusion as to our very simple purpose.

While I will not be everything to everybody, I sincerely believe that the concerns we address are the real issues of importance to the constituents of the 8th District. I feel confident that a large majority of voters will be excited about the hope we bring with genuine authority, as representing their concerns, frustrations and fears about the future of our area. I also think we have had more than enough from Congressmen and candidates that owe and show their loyalties to interests outside of the district.

Therefore I have already framed the campaign along the lines of the four areas revealed to have been of most concern to voters in the last election. These concerns have not changed and our point of emphasis will be to give both voice and hope to voters disappointed in the results since 2004. These concerns are national security, less government, less taxes and real family values. When examined closely, it is scary to see how failed, incompetent and deceiving the results have actually been...

From establishing Administration accountability for a trail of enormous mistakes that have created the mess in Iraq, to the lack of preparation for a future without oil, to a surging national deficit financed by foreign interests, to the growth of government and bureaucratic inefficiency, to rising medical insurance costs, to government corruption, deceit and cronyism, to more Americans in poverty, to a Congress that cuts benefits for average workers only to give tax breaks targeting the wealthiest like our own congressional incumbent...

An incumbent that broke his pledge to not vote for CAFTA, an act of betrayal to thousands of our workers that have lost jobs or live in constant fear of losing their job, an incumbent that embarrasses us by claiming on national television to have 'evidence' linking Saddam Hussein to the tragedy of September 11th, an incumbent that seemingly embraces torture as seen in his votes unrepresentative of our values, an out-of-touch incumbent that doesn't understand us, can't relate to us, and told constituents expressing concerns in an apparent pique of anger that "you need me more than I need you!"

It's about Integrity. It's about Honesty. It's about Accountability. It's about Representation. It's about sending a new philosophy to Washington - a philosophy that will represent the interests of the 8th District and redirect our national policies to the concerns of everyday people.

The 8th District has a unique opportunity this year. We have a candidate that is right on the issues most pressing to average working Americans because he is an average working American. We have a candidate that speaks with authority on working in our mills, teaching in our schools and struggling to live on a budget while Congress does everything in their power to make that more and more difficult. We have the opportunity to show the rest of North Carolina and the nation that this is one district determined to return their seat in the 'People's House' to the people. And finally, we have a candidate that can win in November. I am that candidate, and appreciate your support in 2006.

I know I can make a difference.

Larry Kissell
Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives
North Carolina, 8th District

Someone Working ... For a Change