If you’ve ever paid into Social Security, you expect and deserve to get something back when you retire.

That’s why last week I went on the record to commit to protecting and strengthening Social Security if elected to the Senate.

Why make this commitment? Because the threat to Social Security didn’t end with the failure of George W. Bush’s privatization scheme in 2005. Wall Street, the GOP, and even some members of our own party are still at it, proposing dangerous changes to Social Security that would dramatically affect the benefits retiring Americans depend on.

Stand up to privatizing, raiding, or scaling back the retirement benefits our working families and seniors have earned. Sign my petition to protect and strengthen Social Security today!

If Franklin D. Roosevelt could fulfill the promise of retirement security some 75 years ago during the Great Depression, then we can honor it during these tough economic times for today’s workers and retirees.

When presenting my plan last week, I vowed to:

• Oppose efforts to privatize Social Security, including plans to cut guaranteed benefits or divert money from the Social Security Trust Fund to pay for private accounts;

• Work to strengthen Social Security by restoring sanity to the current budget and fighting the raid on the Social Security Trust Fund to pay for other obligations;

• Protect our most vulnerable seniors by opposing cuts to guaranteed benefits or efforts to raise the retirement age.

Voice your support for these commonsense principles to honor our nation’s promise to working families and seniors. Please sign my petition today.

North Carolina families have planned their financial futures with the expectation that the hard-earned money they’ve paid into Social Security will be there throughout their retirement. I’ll fight in the Senate to make sure that remains the case.

Thank you for helping us honor the promise of Social Security for our seniors and future retirees.

Yesterday, North Carolina voters came one step closer to replacing Richard Burr and electing a Senator who will be a real voice for our state.

I’m humbled and grateful that amidst a crowded field of strong Democratic candidates, North Carolina voters have advanced our campaign to the next stage of the race. I’d like to congratulate all the candidates who competed, and thank you — along with all our grassroots supporters — for giving me this opportunity. We couldn’t have cleared this major hurdle without you.

These next 48 days are about picking the best Democrat to take on Richard Burr. But we spent a lot of money to make it this far, and it’s crucial we quickly replenish our campaign war chest for the 7-week sprint to the June 22 runoff election.

Help us make our case to Democrats across the state. Contribute to help us raise $25,000 in the next 7 days and replenish our campaign war chest to win on June 22!

We started this race 37 points behind and virtually unknown, running against a 4-time statewide office-holder who holds the record as the second highest vote-getter in North Carolina history. In a few short weeks, we’ve seen North Carolina Democrats respond loud and clear to our plans to create jobs in North Carolina and to challenge Richard Burr head-on for his record of leaving North Carolina families behind.

That’s why we did so well at the polls yesterday — and that’s why I’m more confident than ever that we’ll earn the right to take on and defeat Richard Burr. There are now 36% of yesterday’s votes “up for grabs” from candidates no longer in contention. If our growth over the past six months is any indication, we are well-positioned to broaden our base and earn these votes.

But it’s going to take more hard work. Your financial support proved crucial to closing the huge gap we faced initially, and it’s just as important as we communicate with North Carolina voters going forward.

Help us show Democrats across the state, especially those who didn’t vote or who voted for someone else, that we’re the campaign that can beat Richard Burr. Contribute to our Runoff Fund today!

Thanks again for all you have done to support this campaign and bring us one step closer to replacing Richard Burr.

We have visited nearly every county in North Carolina over the past two weeks, wrapping up a whirlwind County Convention Blitz spanning the entire state.

Check out our new interactive map with photos from Cal’s County Convention Blitz!

We met energetic supporters and recruited new activists in every one of those counties — 92 so far — demonstrating the depth and breadth of our grassroots campaign for North Carolina’s future. Cal’s not interested in carving up the Democratic electorate to capture just the votes we need to win; he’s campaigning hard for every vote in every corner of the state with a future-oriented message focused on jobs.

We continue building momentum, and it’s thanks to your tremendous support for our campaign. I’m so grateful you’re standing with us in these final days before the primary!

We have just 30 days to win this primary. That’s it. But we’re well on our way to victory.

Thanks to you, in the final week of March we quashed our $43,000 grassroots fundraising goal to beat the banks backing Burr. I am so grateful to all of our grassroots supporters who helped us reach this goal.

We’ve also earned the support of organizations representing nearly 80,000 North Carolinians — including the NC Association of Educators, not to mention the endorsement of Gen. Wesley Clark.

But while our grassroots campaign is surging, this is no time to let up. We must redouble our efforts to earn the support of every North Carolina primary voter.

So today we’re kicking off “30-3-30,” a 30-day sprint to recruit 3,000 new grassroots activists and raise $30,000 to win the primary.

Here’s how you can participate in “30-3-30,” right now:

1. Forward this e-mail to your friends and family members, and invite them to join our campaign at: http://www.CalforNC.com/30-3-30.
2. Become a Cal supporter on Facebook and follow Cal’s tweets.
3. Contribute $30 or more to help us take our message to North Carolina primary voters — on the air, over the phone, and in local communities.

Your continued support is vital to our success, so I cannot thank you enough for helping us recruit 3,000 new grassroots activists and raise $30,000 by May 4.

Together we can take Richard Burr to task and win this campaign for North Carolina’s future.

Almost four years ago to the day, I threw my unwavering support behind a passionate, thoughtful veteran in the middle of a close, competitive primary.

His name was Jim Webb — now Senator Jim Webb of Virginia.

Today, I’m compelled to enter the fray once more, and throw my full support behind Cal Cunningham for North Carolina’s Senate seat.

This is another key pick-up opportunity in a southern “swing state,” and Cal is beyond a doubt the best candidate to take on Richard Burr this November.

Contribute to Cal Cunningham’s campaign — before the May primary and before his crucial end-of-quarter fundraising deadline this Wednesday.

Cal would be the first veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to serve in the U.S. Senate. He would bring a veteran’s unique perspective to policymaking in Washington.

Cal has seen war and understands it’s time to “Conclude the Mission in Iraq. With Honor. Period.”

Cal knows sexual orientation plays no role on the battlefield, and that it’s time to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Cal knows first-hand why we must break our “destructive dependence on foreign oil from unfriendly regimes,” and he recognizes that climate change poses a critical threat to our national security.

Cal will fight for veterans and honor their sacrifices.

On all these issues, and so many more, Richard Burr is at odds with Cal — and at odds with his constituents.

Contribute to Cal Cunningham’s campaign — before the May primary and before his crucial end-of-quarter fundraising deadline this Wednesday.

Cal Cunningham has seen war with his own eyes. He’s earned a Bronze Star cracking down on contractor crimes in Iraq, taking on some of the most powerful corporations on earth.

He’s ready for this fight, too, and I’m confident he can beat Richard Burr this November — with your support right now.

A U.S. Senator, a Representative, a Governor cannot prevent tragedy.  But when tragedy occurs – through storm, through malice or through life’s random occurrences – our government officials can help.  Our first responders, obviously – but our elected officials must be ready to use the resources of their offices – cutting through red tape, through turf disputes, supporting applications of emergency assistance and grants to rebuild.

Chatham County – and our state – lost a treasure this week.  A courthouse has stood in downtown Pittsboro since before the founding of the republic.  And this courthouse since 1881.

It is a monument to justice, and an economic driver for the downtown – attracting and nurturing shoppers and traffic for the small businesses that line the surrounding streets.  In the aftermath of the courthouse fire, Pittsboro mayor Randy Voller was contacted with offers of assistance from members of his congressional delegation and the governor.  But not Senator Richard Burr, nor any representative from his office.

We know that this week Richard Burr had been playing politics with Senate hearings – postponing hearings that discussed North Korea’s nuclear program, China’s military capability and the threat of cyber-warfare.   He wasn’t using his free time reaching out to Chatham County.

We are rebuilding a country right now, pulling it out of the depths of a deep recession, the shattering of some of our longest standing financial institutions, a military that bears the strains of two long wars, schools that are fighting to keep teachers and an economy that is still not adding jobs.

It is unclear what Senator Burr has been doing on that front either.

If Chatham County and Pittsboro want to rebuild their courthouse – and I believe they do – their U.S. Senator should support their efforts; with any application for development grants or historic properties funding.  There may be many federal resources available to support their local efforts.

As the sun rose on Pittsboro this morning, I took my campaign out of its way to stop for a short meeting with Mayor Voller.  I went because I care.  And I went because the loss of the courthouse symbolized to me the losses experienced in a lot of small towns in this economy.  The loss of a key business.  The loss of an economic engine.

Rebuilding requires a Senator who cares.

The sun rising over Pittsboro was also a symbol.  Like the sunrise I saw over Baghdad the morning of President Obama’s election.  And the sunrise I’m hopeful we’ll soon see over America.  A symbol of a better day coming, after several tough years of night.

Let’s put this Senate seat to work rebuilding.

Today, we celebrate an historic achievement: the enactment of the most sweeping reform our nation’s health care system has ever seen. Tomorrow, the fight continues to improve it.

The bill President Obama signed today is an important step forward for North Carolina’s families.

But even as Richard Burr vows to repeal this major reform, we must do even more to contain costs, expand access, and force insurance companies to compete. If the bill doesn’t do enough to contain costs, we must again consider the creation of a public health insurance option, early buy-in to Medicare, or the repeal of the insurance industry’s antitrust exemption.

Please contribute so we can continue taking this fight to Richard Burr and his big insurance backers. Your contribution before March 31 will be matched by a member of our finance committee.

With the stroke of President Obama’s pen today, insurance companies can no longer discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. 32 million more Americans will gain access to quality health coverage. And more will have been done to reduce our ballooning federal deficit than in any other bill to pass Congress in the last 15 years.

So when Richard Burr claims he’ll run his campaign on repealing this reform, it’s a slap in the face to laid off workers like Ken S. of High Point, who says “…this [bill] means me and my wife will be able to go to a doctor.” 

It’s a slap in the face to Ann K. of Lexington — a mother with rheumatoid arthritis whose pre-existing condition barred her from purchasing affordable coverage.

And it’s a slap in the face to American taxpayers and consumers, who know the health care status quo was simply unsustainable.

Please contribute before our March 31 end-of-quarter fundraising deadline — so we can speak out against Richard Burr’s attempt to roll back this historic achievement.

The past year of debate has been contentious, and today’s victory for American families has been hard-fought. But now is the time for Democrats and Republicans in Washington to come together behind additional, popular reforms — including the so-called “fixes” to the original Senate bill.

This is certainly no time to return to the status quo, as Richard Burr proposes. Does he really want to force seniors to pay more for prescription drugs, let insurance companies systematically deny coverage, and eliminate tax credits for small businesses that provide their employees health insurance?

If he can’t put North Carolina families before the big insurance companies, he should be relieved of his duties as a United States Senator. Period.

Please help us keep the pressure on Richard Burr and the big insurance companies backing his campaign by making a contribution before we file our end-of-quarter fundraising report next week.

Thank you so much.

Today, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, we have the opportunity to elect a North Carolina leader to advocate for women’s rights: Cal Cunningham.

I’m supporting Cal Cunningham in this race because, among other reasons, he consistently speaks up for the pressing need to expand opportunities for women — as a state legislator, on the campaign trail, and as our next U.S. Senator.

Please join me in supporting Cal’s priorities and work advocating for North Carolina’s women and families.

Despite much progress, women continue to earn less than men for equal work, the cycle of domestic violence continues, and opportunities for women must be expanded.

Cal understands that while we’ve made great strides towards equality, much work remains to be done. And he understands that issues like equal pay, health care, and safety from violence are not just women’s issues. They affect all of our families, our communities, our economy, and our nation.

Voice your support for these priorities — and join me as a member of the new “Women for Cal” group, which includes hundreds of fellow supporters who recognize Cal as the best advocate for North Carolina’s women and families.

I enthusiastically support Cal Cunningham for Senate because he is committed to:

• Equal Pay. Cal believes Congress must go further to ensure equal pay for equal work. He supports the Paycheck Fairness Act that passed the U.S. House but awaits action by the U.S. Senate.
• Ending Domestic Violence. Providing pro bono legal services, Cal stood up for victims of domestic violence. As a State Senator, he sought to pass legislation that increased criminal penalties on offenders who commit acts of domestic violence.
• Protecting Women’s Health. Cal believes health decisions should be made between the woman and her doctor — not the federal government. He opposes efforts, like the Stupak amendment, that inject reproductive rights into the debate about health care reform.
• Exacting Justice against Sexual Assault. While serving in the military, Cunningham prosecuted sexual assault cases in the military ranks and among the contractor population.
• Providing Essential Care to Children. Cal supports comprehensive health care reform, access to day care options, and early childhood education and well-care programs.  As a State Senator, Cal worked to ensure children had access to the state’s children health insurance program (SCHIP).

Join me in support of these important priorities for North Carolina’s women and families today!

As our next U.S. Senator, Cal Cunningham will be a strong advocate for women’s rights, and he will not let up until we finally realize the ideal of equal rights and equal opportunities for all.

Thank you for joining me in supporting his campaign.

As campaign manager, I can tell you no issue is more important to Cal than jobs. That’s why he was the first candidate in this race — Democrat or Republican — to put out in-depth policy proposals to get North Carolinians back to work.

North Carolina’s economy has been undermined by bad tax and trade policies that favor outsourcing jobs over investment here at home. Richard Burr has been on all sides of these policies — performing the “Potomac Two-Step” by claiming to oppose policies that hurt North Carolina families while campaigning, but supporting them up in Washington. Meanwhile, Vicki Ellison was laid off when her employer shipped her manufacturing job overseas. Her story is featured in the latest installment of our “Voices of North Carolina” video series.

Please take a moment to watch Vicki tell this story in her own words — and learn about Cal’s plans to end the policies that have wreaked so much havoc on North Carolina’s economy.

Trade agreements like CAFTA and NAFTA, along with lopsided tax policies, shortchange North Carolinians like Vicki by making it more profitable for American companies to outsource American jobs to countries that do not enforce standards to protect workers, the environment, or consumers of their products.

These policies don’t just put American livelihoods in danger — they put American lives in danger too. How many more incidents of toxic toys and tainted toothpaste from China will it take for Richard Burr to get the picture? Cal knows that we must have stronger consumer protections on imports.

Cal gets it. Our workers can and must be able to compete in the global economy, but it will require some fundamental changes to reform our policies and stand up to China’s unfair trade practices. It will take the kind of bold policy proposals Cal has put forth in his comprehensive plan to Create Jobs and Restore Our Economy. North Carolinians need someone who will be a real advocate for North Carolina’s families.

Thank you for taking a moment to watch our latest “Voices of North Carolina” video, and learn about Cal’s plan to change the policies that encourage manufacturing jobs to be sent overseas.

Today, we launch our new website, which I hope North Carolinians will use as a way to help spread the word, share their stories, catch up on news, watch campaign videos, and more – there really is just too much to list.

What I am perhaps most excited about is the integration of this blog into the new site. “FoCal Points” (short for “Friends of Cal”) started as a newsletter from my state Senate office. Then, during my year-long tour in Iraq, I wrote updates from time to time for friends and family, so they had some idea what life was like there and so I could share a little about the work we were doing. Finally, when I began exploring this Senate race, I posted reflections on some of what I was hearing from across North Carolina.

Over the course of this campaign, I intend to set aside time to continue updating the blog. In the short time since I launched my bid for Senate, I have traveled around the state listening to North Carolinians tell me about their priorities for the future of this state. I hope to use this as a forum to share some of their stories and to hear your own thoughts. I will also blog about the latest news from the campaign trail and the issues of the day.

Please take a moment to read over some of my most recent blog posts, then browse the rest of our new website. And I hope you’ll check back often to participate in the conversation.