Letter #1:

Dear Friends,

Like many Democrats across the country, I woke up after the last election with mixed feelings. Nationally, it was a disappointing day for Democrats. In many places though, including here in Kansas, we had some great successes on the state and local level. The message of this election was clear: Democrats can t be afraid to be Democrats. We must define who we are and what we stand for.

YDA has a long tradition of being front and center in political debate. Our members are active, engaged and ready to define our Party. As an organization we must take the opportunities before us now to provide that necessary leadership. We must be a voice for young people both inside and outside of the Democratic Party. We must reward activism and display conviction on the critical issues of today, while embracing the vibrant diversity that makes our Party great. We have an exciting opportunity to make that happen, and I want to help lead that charge.

I'm writing today to announce my plans to run for YDA President. The next election seems far away, but we need to start framing the debate now. We need to discuss what we want our organization to accomplish over the next few years. And more importantly, we must ensure that debate is one in which everyone participates.

We must set and meet goals not only with dollar amounts and warm bodies, but also with ideals and broad vision. We must provide money and resources to our state and local chapters, but we must also be a forum for training leaders, building diversity, and crafting the tools of democracy, not only for the next election, but for all future elections.

As I mentioned, we had some great success in Kansas. In a state where Republicans outnumber Democrats 2 to 1, where Democrats are rarely elected to open seats, we won the Governor s office. Against a national tidal wave, we were able to re-elect our Democratic Congressman to his third term. We also elected two more YDs to the Kansas House. As the Kansas Coordinated Campaign director in both 2000 and 2002, I know Young Democrats played a critical role in our success.

The experiences I have had as a Young Democrat -- serving as a college chapter president, a three-year state president, a regional director, and now a national officer  have given me a unique perspective on our organization at many levels. In addition to my service in YDA, my previous experiences as a 19-year old nominee for the Kansas House, a four-year county party chair, and a five year state party staffer, have given me a unique perspective on how we can better serve young candidates and become a more valuable part of our state campaign efforts.

I know how important a strong grassroots effort is to turning out young voters and I ve implemented these programs. I have the experience, perspective and vision to build the momentum we need. I also have the experience to build the grassroots of this organization like it has never been built before. I am committed to putting in the long hours and the hard work to help each and every state and local chapter get the resources they need to succeed.

I hope that over the next few months we will have an opportunity to talk about many of my ideas, and that you will share your ideas for YDA as well. As we continue this dialogue through the spring and summer, I hope to earn your support and your vote. I look forward to talking with you soon.

Sincerely,

Chris Gallaway