We did it! We won at least 29 House seats and took the majority. We won 6 Senate seats and took back the Senate too, not to mention 28 Governors and several more statehouses. We had incredible turnout of Democratic voters across the country. Thanks to you, we had a vigorous election protection program in place to fight those who would restrict our right to vote. We ran a positive campaign on the issues that really matter to American voters.

The past two years we have worked very hard to bring a new majority to Congress and to restore accountability in Washington. We have fought together on issues such as the unanswered irregularities in the Ohio presidential election, the scandal of the Downing Street Minutes, the shame of outing a CIA agent, and much more. Together we proved that a number of dedicated online activists, working in conjunction with a single congressman, could become a force to be reckoned with.

Although we won back control of Congress, none of us should delude ourselves into thinking that running the legislative branch in a nation wracked by years of one party rule will be easy. We need to put aside any thought of anger or payback. Instead we need to focus on identifying and correcting abuses and pass legislation which serves the interests of the American people.

We also need to recapture the White House in 2008 and maintain and expand our majorities in the Congress. In order to achieve these goals we need to be totally united as a Party. It is fine to debate and argue behind closed doors and among ourselves, but at the end of the day, we owe it to the American people to unite and lead.

Thus, in my opinion it serve,s no one,s interests but the Republicans for anyone, including my friend James Carville, to suggest dumping DNC Chairman Dean less than three days after the most sweeping Democratic Congressional victory in more than thirty years. As many of you also know, I have agreed with Speaker-to-be Pelosi that impeachment is off the table. Instead, we agree that oversight, accountability and checks and balances - which have been sorely lacking for the last six years - must occur. I have nothing but respect for those who might disagree, but that is where I come out.

Having devoted a considerable amount of time and attention to detailing the many abuses of the Bush Administration, I firmly believe that we have brought these matters to the attention of the American people and the mainstream media, and that their verdict was reflected in the elections on November 7. I consider the now famous "basement hearings" and the issuance of my "Constitution in Crisis" Report to be among the watershed achievements of my more than forty years in Congress.

I also remain committed to the seminal issue of election reform. As one who held several hearings in the immediate aftermath of the Ohio debacle and went on to author "What Went Wrong in Ohio," I believe more than ever that we need a paper trail on voting machines. We also need to strengthen our laws to put an end to intimidation schemes, like the stealth robo-calls voters received before the election. I intend to introduce legislation next Congress concerning these matters.

Additionally, none of us should underestimate the continued anger and vitriol of our political opponents, even after the election they are engaged in a permanent campaign to discredit Democrats and thwart our agenda of change. You need to go no further than the November 9 editorial in the supposedly mainstream Investors Business Daily, which smeared not only me but my constituents, writing, "[Michigan congressman John] Conyers led the defense of Bill Clinton in last decade's impeachment hearings and is clearly out for blood. So are many of the constituents he serves." Pejorative and prejudiced statements like this should have no place in our political discourse.

I am hopeful that I will be selected as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee is one of the most important committees in the House, and has jurisdiction over the Justice Department, the civil rights laws, criminal laws, the civil justice system, the courts, immigration laws, antitrust laws, patent and copyright laws, bankruptcy laws, administrative law, and Constitutional amendments. If I am selected as Chair, I believe it will place us in a position to make real and meaningful changes for the good of the American people.

We remain in this together, and I continue to look forward to receiving your ideas, your support, and your advice in the coming months and years.

Your Friend,

John Conyers, Jr.

I thought I'd share this video from kingubu at DailyKos. A little inspiration that kept us going.

Make Sure You and All Your Friends Vote Today

If you experience or see any irregularities, immediately call 1-888-DEM-VOTE (1-888-336-8683). You can also call this number to obtain information on poll locations.

Watch the Poll Results as they Come In.

The DCCC will be posting the election tallies as they come in to Democratic Headquarters. Get the returns from the source.

TPM Cafe (Talking Points Memo) has a results page too.

DailyKos has a quick reference guide at the top of their site.

[cross-posted at DailyKos]

I have been through a lot of elections. I have seen Democrats and Republicans win big and lose big. But I have little doubt that with one day to go, Democrats are poised to retake the House and very possibly the Senate as well. Simply put, the American people - Democrats, Republicans, and Independents; Progressives, Moderates, and Conservatives - are sick of abusive one party rule and want to restore checks and balances.

The fact that Karl Rove - the same Karl Rove who predicted winning 400 or more electoral votes in 2000, and led his boss to the smallest second term victory of a war time president in history in 2004 - is predicting victory means little. The fact that the national Republican party - the one known for vote purging, voter suppression and phone jamming - is unleashing unethical and possibly illegal robo-calls is also not unexpected.

The latest set of national polls do not give me any pause whatsoever. The fact that some conservative Republicans have finally decided to hold their nose and vote is not a surprise. The fact that some GOP leaning "independents" have told pollsters they don't like John Kerry is no shock. Many polls, including the latest CNN poll has Bush down to 35% and Democrats with a 20% lead in the generic poll, continue to show a distinct Democratic advantage. (See also the Newsweek, Fox, and Time [pdf] polls).

Much of the difference in the polls revolves around whether pollsters predict Democrats to turn out to vote in large numbers. That's something we control. Rather than giving me concern, these events merely cause me to redouble my efforts until the polls close tomorrow. I will be doing radio call-ins, GOTV, rallies, and even going door to door. In my own state of Michigan I look forward to a smashing victory up and down the ballot, led by our great Governor Jennifer Granholm and our fantastic Senator Debbie Stabenow.

You have been with me since the beginning. You were with me when we asked "What Went Wrong in Ohio." You were with me when we held historic hearings in the basement on the Downing Street Minutes and when more than 500,000 of you joined me in asking the president about this documentary evidence. You were with me when we held more hearings asking how our own government could have outed a CIA Agent. You were with me when recruited 500 election protection volunteers and raised $50,000 for John Cranley, Larry Kissel and Jerry McNerney, who will be joining me in Congress next year.

Now I want to ask you one last favor, let's stop any unproductive and unnecessary second guessing and close the deal together. I know Democrats are famous for going out of their way to find things to worry about, but there comes a time when we simply need to declare that we are proud to be Democrats and roll up our sleeves together. Now is that time.

Here is what I asked my supporters to do this morning, and I am asking you to do now:

First, Vote.

Second, make sure everyone in your family and your friends vote. Call them now.

Third, if you can, help us on our final drive to Get Out the Vote. To volunteer to help out today or on election day, you can go to the DCCC volunteer site. You can also contact your local Democratic Campaign to see how you can help on election day.

Fourth, if you experience or see any irregularities, immediately call 1-888-DEM-VOTE (1-888-336-8683). You can also call this number to obtain information on poll locations. We're not going to sit by and let anyone steal our votes this time.

Finally, lets check out the returns together. My web site will post information on how you can get breaking news on the election returns.

The issues are on our side. The candidates are on our side. The energy is on our side. Even demographics are on our side. On Tuesday, the American people will be on our side.

Cross-posted at TakeBackCincinnati.com

I made the trip to Cincinnati today to help my friend John Cranley, who is running for Congress in Ohio's 1st Congressional District. You remember we helped raise over $15,000 for John last week.

Well, I felt I had to make the trip to Cincinnati because Cranley's opponent, Rep. Steve Chabot, had been telling everyone that he had my support because of his civil rights record.

You can imagine my surprise at learning this knowing that Chabot has long supported the modern day version of the poll tax, the photo ID voting requirement. This measure would impose unnecessary barriers to vote for the most vulnerable American citizens - African Americans, the elderly, the poor and the disabled.

I was also surprised that Steve Chabot would claim my support knowing that he had also worked to cripple the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights for years using his subcommittee to tie up the commission,s resources with false allegations of misconduct that had no merit.

And of course, Steve Chabot was one of those people who supported Ken Blackwell's work in 2004 to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters

So, I took a flight from Detroit to Cincinnati and spent the day with Chabot's opponent, a rising star in Democratic politics, John Cranley.

I joined John meeting with local ministers at the Southern Baptist Church. We discussed the issues that Cincinnati residents are facing and had a nice lunch. Reverend Pankie led us in prayer and it was good to see old friends again in the southern Ohio area.

Mr. Cranley and I also dropped by the radio show, the Buzz, where local DJ Jay Love interviewed John and I talking about the issues that face the African-American community in Cincinnati.

The Republican Chabot is the type of guy who would blame his opponent for the riots that occurred in 2001. No really. He's been doing that. So Jay Love, Cranley and I had a good laugh over that and spoke to the Cincinnati audience about how important the upcoming election was and why they need to get to the polls.

I had a great time with John Cranley and hope to work with him in the 110th Congress. Right now it's all down to turnout. Make sure you vote.

Our fundraising push to help three Democratic candidates was a huge success. We raised over $48,000 while also attracting over 450 election protection volunteers. We managed to do so well because of the tremendous excitement and commitment to a Democratic victory on November 7th.

I am directing my focus now to three Michigan candidates who would make excellent Members of Congress. They are committed progressives who would represent all of us well in Washington. These candidates are in a great position to win, but need to fight against a very well funded Republican attack machine.

Help out if you can by giving generously or volunteering to help get out the vote. These are both very important to winning and you can help make a difference in the fight to win the House.

Tony Trupiano
I,m actively supporting my friend Tony Trupiano for Congress because Tony is a born-and-bred Michigander who stands up for everyone the current Republican Congress ignores. Tony has used his voice on talk radio to stand up for progressive ideals that matter to the 11th District.
Help Out Today

Jim Marcinkowski
Jim is a friend of mine who would make a great Congressman for Michigan,s Eighth Congressional District. He served in the CIA with distinction and publicly drew attention to the agency,s role in deceiving the American public with inaccurate "intelligence" supporting George Bush,s rush to war against Iraq. Jim Marcinkowski has the national security experience we need in Washington to keep our country safe.
Help Out Today

Nancy Skinner
I,m proud to support Nancy Skinner for Congress because, to change the tone in Washington, Democrats are going to need progressive leaders like Nancy to stand up and speak out for Michigan values. The progressive message and values she has focused on as a nationally syndicated talk radio host will make her a welcome new voice in Washington.
Help Out Today

What a tremendous impact we were all able to make working together to help those three candidates vital to Democratic Party success this November. Online we were able to raise $35,000 that may make the difference for Jerry McNerney, John Cranley and Larry Kissell on November 7th.

Over the past week our call for volunteers attracted 450 people to step up. That's 450 people who will watch over tens or even hundreds of thousand people voting and make sure that their voting rights are protected.

If you know anyone that wants to help, you can direct them here to volunteer or here to donate.

[cross-posted at DailyKos.com]

I want to applaud Mydd.com and Moveon.org for the Use It or Lose it campaign. We are on the brink of a historic election. We can,t take anything for granted. We all need to do everything we can to maximize the chance of victory.

By last August, I had fulfilled my required obligation (of $200,000 in dues) to the DCCC and then some. But I agree with Chris Bowers and others that, if ever there was an election that obligates every one of us to do more than what is routine, it is this one. Therefore, this week, I have donated an additional $100,000 directly to the DCCC and have given more than $14,000 to individual candidates.

By any measure, I have fulfilled the requests of the Use it or Lose It campaign. I say this not to congratulate myself or to ask for your congratulations, but to set an example that I hope others might follow. I also want to ask you to dig a little deeper to help us create a new direction for America.

There are three candidates who need your help. I am writing today to ask you to support these three candidates for Congress because they are fighters who value the Constitution and government service more than the politics of personal gain. I am asking you to join me in supporting them and to help deliver a Democratic majority in Congress.

These three are exceptional candidates who have run terrific campaigns. What they lack is the millions of dollars that their opponents have raised from big money interests and right wing organizations.

John Cranley, Ohio's First District
John Cranley is running on a message for change that is resonating deeply with Ohio voters. As corruption and historically low polls have weakened the Ohio GOP, John Cranley sits at ground zero in the fight to take back the House. He is running in Ken Blackwell's hometown, against a extremist Republican who has over $2 million to spend on ads distorting Cranley's distinguished service in the statehouse.
Donate Today

Larry Kissell, North Carolina's Eight District
After 27 years working in a textile plant, Larry witnessed the disturbing trend of plants closing to ship jobs overseas. He realized that the next generation simply wouldn't have the same opportunities waiting for them upon graduation that his generation enjoyed and changed careers to become an educator. After teaching young students about our founding principles and the Constitution, Kissell realized how far off course our country had strayed from the Founders' intentions and is running for Congress to restore the integrity of these principles.
Donate Today

Jerry McNerney, California's 11th District
Environmental groups such as the League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, and Defenders of Wildlife are heavily involved in this race, and Jerry McNerney continues to hit Congressman Pombo for his record on the environment as the chair of the House Resources Committee. McNerney has been endorsed by nearly every local union and local Democratic group, and has attracted such widespread grassroots support that he will reach more than 50,000 voters on Election Day.
Donate Today

I also need your help with our Democratic get-out-the-vote efforts. The GOP is spending tens of millions of dollars and has a widespread network of committed volunteers working every day to turn out their vote. If we are going to win in November, Democrats will need to match and exceed the GOP's turnout machine.

Sign up to help with Get-Out-the-Vote efforts

For the latest updates on the polls, and to learn what you can do to help us win in November, please check out my new and improved web site and blog. I have updated the site to make it more user friendly and to help you participate in our campaign.

Visit JohnConyers.com

Finally, I want to thank the netroots for your continued support and encouragement. It is because of your energy and dedication that we are at this point today.

John

We have had a great response to the call for volunteers. Thanks unspun, TIA and Max 1 for getting involved. I am calling on all of you who are able to volunteer in one way or another. Election Protection is going to be very important this election.

So far we have over 400 people signed up. Let's get to 500 tomorrow. Click here to send the volunteer appeal to family and friends or others you think would be interested in helping.

I will be leaving my last post at the top of the website to focus the attention of visitors to this call for action. I hope you will join in these efforts.

It sounds like you all are finding it fairly easy to blog here.   I like that the site allows you to respond to comments posting directly beneath them.   I do want to change the comments so that they go chronologically from top to bottom.    

If you have any suggestions or peeves, let me know.

In 2000 and 2004, many of us believed Democrats would win the elections. Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of voters were prevented from registering and illegally purged from voting rolls. Many faced widespread intimidation and suppression, were forced to wait in line for hours, were denied provisional ballots, and did not have their ballots counted. Voting machines broke down and irregularities abounded.

There are three things you can do to help prevent these abuses from costing us another election.

Join me in helping the Democratic Voter Protection Program.
You can assist in early voting, poll watching, and tracking voter irregularities and complaints. We will make sure you are placed with the program in your area.

Help with our Democratic Get-Out-the-Vote efforts.
The GOP is spending tens of millions of dollars and has a widespread network of committed volunteers working every day to turn out their vote. If we are going to win in November, Democrats will need to match and exceed the GOP,s turnout machine.

Encourage Friends and Family to Join in the Effort.
At a time when studies have confirmed that voting machines can be easily manipulated and hacked and the former Republican head of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission admitted that our election system is "ripe for stealing elections," we need everyone who can help to join the fight.

Thank you for your support at this critical time.