My first campaign stickers arrived yesterday. I ordered them from MakeStickers.com, which is prompt and has a great web interface for seeing what you’ll get before you order it, but I wish it wasn’t so expensive. I gave away ten of each design tonight at the Wake LP meeting, but the rest I’ll probably give out with donations as I try to raise money for some yard signs.
I haven’t yet seen any campaign materials from my Republican opponent, John M. Alexander, Jr., but no one can drive around Raleigh without being inundated with signs from my Democratic opponent Josh Stein. Stein apparently has a fund-raising machine working for him, and the way he is running seems to indicate the style of prospective a career politician. I have saved all the mailings I got from Stein so far (mostly out of amusement) and hope I have the opportunity in debate to ask how much more he intends to spend on beautifying our county with his campaign. 
(I jest, of course)
Stein is smart in at least one thing, though: the earlier one gets name recognition in a campaign, the better. The average NC voter cannot tell you their NC House or NC Senate districts, let alone tell you who represents them in the General Assembly. Therefore, when a voter has a ballot in hand and finds a familiar name in such lesser-publicized offices, that voter will likely have formed an opinion about the candidate and know whether she wants to vote for the candidate. Stein is getting his name out and is likely to win based on name familiarity and proliferated propaganda alone, especially against his lesser-financed, lesser-publicized opponents.
Over the next few weeks, I will establish a fund-raising machine of my own and see where it goes. I dread the paperwork I’ll have to file with the State about the money, but I have a receipts folder and should be able to track the PayPal donations as they come in. The money will be spent for signs and brochures, and possibly a mailing (though I doubt I will raise enough for that), and anything remaining after the November election will be donated to the LPNC for support of our state party.
What I would like more than anything, though, is an opportunity to debate Alexander and Stein at least once so that the District 16 voters can get information from all of us, not just the biggest fund-raising machine. Here’s hoping! If you’d like to see us debate, I invite you to organize an event and invite the three of us… I’ll be there!
