Stanly News & Press
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
www.thesnaponline.com

Kissell assists students with Relay fundraiser

Tuesday, February 19, 2008 — BISCOE — East Montgomery High School teacher Larry Kissell, a Democratic candidate for Congress in North Carolina's 8th District, led 40 students from the National Honor Society recently in an effort to raise money for Relay for Life, a project of the American Cancer Society.

The students raked the leaves of local homeowners for donations to help fight cancer.

Kissell, an avid cyclist logging more than 30,000 miles himself, helped Carolina to California marathon cyclist Ven Davis of Hoke County train last year after hearing about his fight to save his son suffering from neuroblastoma childhood cancer.

Davis is the father of Kai, who is suffering with neuroblastoma cancer. Davis, recently retired from the military, led a "Hope Ride" bicycle trip across the country last year to inspire folks to help fight childhood cancer.

"We have to realize the changes we need can't wait for an election," said Kissell.

"Our children come first. I'm just trying to do my part. I've hosted a free lead screening for holiday toys, spoken at Saving our Schools and Gang Awareness forums, helped my friend Ven train for his cross country trek, and advocated expanding health care to 10 million of our kids while my opponent sided with his big tobacco stock portfolio. With the help of others in the Eighth District who are tired of politics as usual getting in the way of our children's future, we'll get a lot done on our way to Congress this year."

Kissell's opponent, long-term incumbent Republican Robin Hayes voted multiple times against the widely popular State Children's Health Insurance Program, which easily passed in Congress, but was vetoed by President Bush because of the tax on big tobacco, according to the Kissell campaign. Hayes owns about $5 million in Altria [Philip Morris] stock, according to personal disclosure forms. [Fayetteville Observer, July 1, 2007]

Kissell, who was outspent 3-to-1 in the closest race in the nation last cycle, filed this week to run for North Carolina's 8th District again this year. The latest publicly released polling shows challenger Kissell leading his multi-millionaire opponent by two points for the November contest.