ONE Vote recap: Labor Day Weekend

Sep 9th, 2010 6:33 PM UTC
By Field

This Labor Day weekend, ONE Vote 2010 hit the road to encourage U.S. Senate candidates to support America’s proven and effective efforts to combat extreme poverty. We attended campaign kickoff parades, fairs and barbecues to spread the word about the importance of these life-saving efforts.

Rep. Kirk in Illinois
In Illinois, we caught up with Republican Senate candidate Mark Kirk. ONE members introduced themselves to Rep. Kirk. He has been active on development issues and has introduced legislation with Foreign Affairs Chairman Howard Berman to modernize, streamline and elevate U.S. development policies.

- Chris Shaffer, ONE Vote organizer, Illinois

Sen. candidate Coons in Delaware
Candidates were out on the campaign trail during the Labor Day parade in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, and ONE was there to speak with Democratic Senate candidate Chris Coons. Sen. candidate Coons was delighted to see ONE members at his rally and greeted us with a warm handshake and the reassurance that he still has ONE’s issues on his mind. As a ONE member himself, he remembered our discussion from his first campaign kickoff event in Rehoboth Beach.

- Brian Sweeney, ONE regional field director

Rep. Ellsworth in Indiana
ONE caught up with Democratic Senate candidate Brad Ellsworth in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the annual Labor Day picnic. In the middle of all the excitement, we were able to speak with Rep. Ellsworth about America’s efforts to support those suffering from HIV/AIDS and living in poverty in Africa.

I updated the congressman on ONE Vote 2010’s efforts on the trail. We have signed up more than 23,000 ONE members since kicking off the campaign in July.

- Maddison Klontz, ONE Vote organizer, Indiana

Sen. candidate Lamontagne in New Hampshire
With just over one week to the primary, ONE members Tom Leary and Matt Flanders caught up with Republican Senate candidate Ovide Lamontagne at a Labor Day parade in Milford, New Hampshire. Standing beneath the impressive, 10-foot-tall float (built to resemble the New Hampshire state flag) we took a minute to discuss the importance of America’s commitment to help Africa’s poorest communities.

- Matthew Flanders, ONE Vote organizer, New Hampshire

Rep. Hodes in New Hampshire
ONE members spoke with Democratic Senate candidate Paul Hodes at a Labor Day parade in Milford, New Hampshire. Rep. Hodes is standing strong in his commitment to sporting his ONE band 24/7 on the campaign trail. Hodes has talked to ONE members in the past about America’s life-saving efforts in the world’s poorest communities, including PEPFAR and the Global Fund.

- Matthew Flanders, ONE Vote organizer, New Hampshire

Sen. candidate Coats in Indiana
Indiana Republican Senate candidate Dan Coats visited Ball State University for a question-and-answer session with students. As a soon-to-be graduate of this university, I was excited to be there on behalf of ONE and the world’s poorest people. Upon handing him a ONE band, the former senator said, “You gave me one of these last time we met!”

I replied, “Senator Coats, if you don’t have at least 100 bands by election day, I’m not doing my job!”

- Maddison Klontz, ONE Vote organizer, Indiana

Sen. candidate Binnie in New Hampshire
Republican Senate candidate Bill Binnie spent time touring the livestock tent and sampling the traditional fair fare this past Labor Day.

Whitney spoke with him about the importance of helping the world’s poorest, and she encouraged him to support the Global Fund’s efforts to end mother-to-child HIV/AIDS transmission by 2015.

Whitney also asked him to help ensure that the United States continues to lead the fight to end extreme poverty and preventable disease. He said that if elected, he would set up a meeting with ONE to learn more about our issues to see how he can help.

- Matt Flanders, ONE Vote organizer, New Hampshire

Rep. Meek and Gov. Crist in Florida
I had a busy weekend in Florida. I met up with Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek outside of Plant City, Florida for an event with the Central Florida AFL-CIO. Rep. Meek is a a champion of debt relief to Haiti. Next, I stopped at the Florida Pipe Trades Labor Day Picnic to meet with Florida Governor and Independent Senate candidate Charlie Crist. Governor Crist was excited to see us again, and was eager to continue working with us.

- Will Godfrey, ONE Vote Florida

Rep. Sestak in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s Democratic Senate candidate Joe Sestak spoke to students and faculty at the Carnegie Mellon University campus this past weekend in Pittsburgh. ONE talked to him about our efforts to fight extreme poverty and preventable disease, and urged him to work on these issues if elected to the Senate. Rep. Sestak acknowledged the great work ONE does around the world before posing for a photo.

- Brian Sweeney, ONE regional field director

TAGS: From ONE Members, ONE, ONE Vote 2010, ONE Vote 2010