Mike Hatch: Campaign Update

07/27/2006

Dear Editor:

A Minnesota poll indicates that the governor and I are in a dead heat, with 11 percent of the voters undecided.  Our internal poll has a similar result.  Our poll probed the undecided voters, however, and found that the undecided voters would prefer a new governor but need to know more about me.  The preponderance of the undecided live on the western and southern borders of the state, areas which get their media from the Dakotas and Iowa.

We already are putting up highway signs and door-knocking in greater Minnesota.  We have distributed 400,000 pieces of literature at the doorsteps and have put up 2,000 lawn signs on the highways.  Please take a moment to visit http://mark28.blogspot.com to see how others are commenting on our organizational activity.  The article is entitled:  Mike Hatch is Ahead of the Curve in the Yard Sign Wars.

We are also busy at parades and in making media stops.  Judi and I went around the state and objected to the 80 percent tuition increases imposed during the Ventura and Pawlenty years.  We propose to lower tuition at state colleges and universities down to the 2002 levels.  (Tuition rose 50 percent under Pawlenty).  We also propose to finance this reduction in tuition by closing the loophole on foreign owned investments.

We are also doing quite a bit of fundraising.  We currently have, with public financing, $1.6 million for the advertising account.  We need to raise another $300,000 by Labor Day in order to be competitive.  Accordingly, I ask that you please contribute $100 or $50, or whatever you can afford, so that we can reach this goal.

You have been very generous in the past.  I wouldn’t ask but for the fact that we need the money.  Thank you.

Very truly yours ,

Mike Hatch