John,

This is a long email, but it’s important. I hope you’ll read the whole thing, and then chip in a few bucks to help me bring new leadership to Upstate New York »

In case you missed it, Claudia Tenney recently attacked me on Twitter, calling me “phony on steroids” and implying that I don’t care about Upstate New York.

It couldn’t be further from the truth.

In fact, it’s my Upstate New York roots and the values and work ethic I learned here that are driving my campaign to replace her in Congress.

Here’s my story:

In the late 1800s, my great-grandfather came to Upstate New York in search of opportunity. And he found it. The whole family got jobs in the Endicott-Johnson shoe factory.

My great-grandpa — everyone called him Pop — and my great-grandma lived down the street from me when I was growing up on Birdsall Street. So I’d go down to their house in the winter and shovel the snow or I’d go down there in the summer and cut the lawn. When I was done, we’d sit on the front porch, and Pop would crack open a Genney and grandma would give me an Adirondack root beer. They would tell me about growing up in Endicott and working at the factory.

The parks were full of young families with kids riding the carousels. The shops on the Avenue were bustling. Pop probably spent more time than he should have at the bowling alley.

And Pop and grandma instilled in me then something that has stayed with me since. It’s the idea that workers should be able to share in the rewards of their labor – a simple promise that if you work hard and play by the rules and you’re decent to others, then you should be able to earn a place in the Middle Class. You should have access to healthcare services when you need it. You should be able to afford to do something nice for your family at Christmas time. You should be able to retire with dignity. You should have a roof over your head.

In Endicott, we call that a Square Deal. The problem is: that deal has not been available to everyone and for so many others it has been broken. I’m running for Congress to restore it. I’m focused on bringing people together to address issues that matter: revitalizing the economy and creating new jobs and opportunities that lift everyone up and bring everyone along.

Claudia Tenney doesn’t seem to share these values.

She voted in FAVOR of trillions of dollars in tax cuts for corporations that ship jobs overseas, but she voted AGAINST legislation to create good union jobs and new cutting-edge industries here in Upstate New York. She voted in FAVOR of massive tax cuts for the super-wealthy, but she voted AGAINST tax cuts for working class families.

Upstate New York deserves better, and I’m ready to deliver, but I need your help.

John, that’s why I’m asking today if you’ll pitch in $5 or more to my campaign for Congress. Let’s make Congress work for working families »