The Post
Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Kissell Named Candidate for Change

BISCOE – Larry Kissell, Democratic candidate for Congress in North Carolina's 8th District, was designated for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's (DCCC) exclusive "Red to Blue" program today. Kissell joins a slate of just a dozen other Democratic challengers named "Candidates for Change" by the DCCC who will face Republican incumbents in competitive seats this November. Kissell, who has no primary opponent, will face Republican Robin Hayes, who outspent Kissell nearly 3-to-1 in 2006, narrowly claiming a 329 vote margin of victory over the school teacher and former mill worker turned first-time candidate.

The "Red to Blue" program highlights top Democratic campaigns across the country, and offers them financial, communications, and strategic support. The program will introduce Democratic supporters to competitive candidates in order to help expand the fundraising base for these campaigns.

"I'm humbled by this important acknowledgement of all the hard work folks in this District have done for our campaign to take our Country back," said Kissell of the DCCC designation.

DCCC Chairman Van Hollen joined Red to Blue co-chairs Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Artur Davis (D-AL), and Bruce Braley (D-IA) to announce the first 13 challenger candidates for change who qualified for the Red to Blue program:

Kay Barnes (MO-06)
Anne Barth (WV-02)
Darcy Burner (WA-08)
Robert Daskas (NV-03)
Steve Driehaus (OH-01)
Jim Himes (CT-04)
Christine Jennings (FL-13)
Larry Kissell (NC-08)
Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24)
Eric Massa (NY-29)
Gary Peters (MI-09)
Mark Schauer (MI-07)
Dan Seals (IL-10)

Red to Blue was a proven success in the 2004 and 2006 cycles. In 2004, the Red to Blue program raised nearly $7.5 million for twenty seven campaigns across the country with an average of more than $250,000 per campaign. In 2006, the Red to Blue program raised nearly $22.6 million for 56 campaigns with an average of $404,000 per campaign.