Dear Friends,

Firstly, I want to thank you for supporting my Senatorial campaign. While we did not get the votes to take us over the top we did make a strong impact by reinforcing what’s possible when a small band of voices comes together in a grass roots movement. I am proud of the campaign we ran, energized by only five paid staff members and an outpouring of volunteers and netroots supporters—all on a budget of but $400,000. Local blogger and journalist Ed Cone paid us a high compliment in remarking that “the Jim Neal campaign seems to be redefining the art of grassroots politics in North Carolina.” We did.

Without detracting from Kay Hagan’s decisive victory, we were in a dead-heat in the SurveyUSA poll just one month prior to the election. In the final 30 days, we simply lacked the financial resources to air a single television commercial or send a direct mail piece to voters. In spite of being outspent about 3:1, we received almost 20% (about 250,000) of the votes cast. No regrets here—and neither should there be for the thousands of you who made this campaign so vibrant. We touched many people across our state and nation.

As I have previously stated (see below), Kay has my full support in her bid to unseat Senator Elizabeth Dole. I hope you will entrust her with yours.

Now that the primary is behind us, I am working to do everything possible to retire the approximate $130,000 in debt which our campaign has outstanding. About $120,000 of that debt is for personal loans I extended out of my pocket— and I’m not a wealthy person. I will not receive a nickel until other creditors are paid first. And if I lose every penny I lent our campaign so be it. I have no regrets at all.

At the same time I’d greatly appreciate your contributing toward retiring our debt through your continued generosity- at whatever level you can afford to contribute. You can contribute online to our Debt Retirement Fund at http://www.actblue.com/page/jimnealdebtretirement or by mailing a check to PO Box 697, Chapel Hill, NC. Please make checks payable to Jim Neal for Senate and notate “debt retirement”.

The total cumulative contributions to Jim Neal for Senate by any individual can not exceed $2,300. I have not and do not accept contributions from Political Action Committees (”PACs”).

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Keep in touch and I’ll do likewise.

Yours,

Jim Neal