Bill Russell, Going great.

I have posted before on the Bill Russell campaign for the 12th district PA, and have just followed up. Bill is standing against probably one of the most corrupt and unprincipled people in the congress, John Murtha who is so reprehensible he would give his party a bad name if it were not the Democrats.

Bill has been on active service and as such has not been allowed under the rules to campaign or even be in contact with his campaign. From the campaign Website: -

“Although Bill’s commitment as an officer in the Army Reserve prohibits campaign activities while on active duty, the grassroots “Russell Brigade” has rallied to the cause. From making tens of thousands of phone calls to secure his position on the November ballot, to raising hundreds of thousands dollars in small contributions, the campaign has moved far beyond any single candidate, to become a national movement for change in the 12th Congressional District.”

We’re still counting, but by Friday afternoon, the Russell Brigade had received over 1,100 online contributions in the wake of Michelle Malkin’s Wednesday column! There’s simply no way to express how grateful and encouraged our little team in southwest PA is feeling during this patriotic tidal wave.

Next week we’ll be posting some major endorsements, “Honor the Heroes” stories and information about Bill’s return to the campaign trail.

It seems that the effort is going well as they have significantly outdone the Murtha campaign in money raising in the last quarter.

From Politicker PA: -

His absence this summer might seem a mortal wound for a campaign already facing a Herculean task. Murtha, after all, is one the country's most high-profile Democrats and won a 17th term to Congress by 20 percentage points in 2006.

Last week's fundraising totals, however, suggests Russell's campaign is more than token. He raised $669,534 in the second fiscal quarter, compared to Murtha's $113,155. Seventy-percent of Russell's donations derived from contributions less than $50, according to Luksik, suggesting large grassroots support. Murtha still holds a significant advantage in cash on hand, however, with $644,243 to Russell's $269,953.

(Russell’s campaign relies on honest donors while Murtha relies heavily on donations from corporations benefiting from his earmarks.)

A survivor of the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon, Russell appears to be channeling anger at Murtha for what he says were the congressman's attacks against U.S. Marines charged with killing innocent civilians in Haditha, Iraq. Murtha's comments, which are highlighted on Russell's Web site, stand in stark contrast to the truth, his campaign says, citing the acquittal of nearly all the marines accused of wrongdoing.

Russell's vociferous support for those marines is part of his overall candidacy, which stresses heavily his years of service in the military. His Web site has a military theme and is decorated in sandy-brown camouflage colors.

Campaign officials suggest Russell's absence this summer because of his military service only galvanizes that theme.