A reader forwarded this plea for money, sent out by incumbent Rep. Jim McCune, R-Graham.

I'm sure many of you will appreciate McCune's description of the forces that are arrayed against him. Sounds a lot like the Evil Empire.

"I have been targeted by the ultra-liberal Democrat Speaker of the House Frank Chopp's (he hails from Capitol Hill) campaign machine for elimination. Frank Chopp runs typical slashing, slanderous attack campaigns, with vast sums of money pouring in from his interest groups. This political bulldozer is fueled by interest groups such as trial lawyers, environmentalists, tribal casino barons, and union bosses."

Wow! And McCune is just, well, I'll let him tell you who he is.

Dear Pierce County Republican Friends,

For those of you who may not know me, I am State Representative Jim McCune. I represent the 2nd Legislative District, and I live in Graham.
With the departure of Rep. Joyce McDonald to run for the County Council, I am one of only two Republican State Representatives left in Pierce County.

[More:]

I have been targeted by the ultra-liberal Democrat Speaker of the House Frank Chopp's (he hails from Capitol Hill) campaign machine for elimination. Frank Chopp runs typical slashing, slanderous attack campaigns, with vast sums of money pouring in from his interest groups. This political bulldozer is fueled by interest groups such as trial lawyers, environmentalists, tribal casino barons, and union bosses.

Combined, they account for hundreds of thousands of dollars put into the Speakers Roundtable, which are then used against good conservative candidates and incumbents. They've already been very effective, turning a Republican majority into a Democrat supermajority.
We are working very hard to hold our ground here, and we definitely don't want to be another name on the already long list of Republican legislators put out of a job by Franks bulldozer tactics.

When Frank Chopp says he s targeting someone, you can be sure he means business.

As part of our efforts, I am asking you for your help so I can continue to effectively represent your values and interests. It may be hard to believe that someone like me with a good legislative voting record could be effectively opposed by anyone, but the Democrats are skilled in taking the slightest detail of a bill, and then twisting the facts to make it seem as if a person is against everything decent and good.

Since my first term, which began in 2005, I have voted against every budget put out by the Democrat leadership, as they have all been bloated. The result has been an overall 33% increase in spending since 2004.

This has been projected to end in a $2.5 billion deficit. I have also opposed attempts to raise taxes and increase regulations on businesses. Y2Y, the biggest government land grab in our nation's history, which proposes to take a huge chunk of land out of the northwest and north central United States, and parts of Canada, and set it aside as a 'wildlife preserve,' was another measure that I fought hard against.

Regarding taxes, one of my main priorities has been fighting for property tax relief, especially for seniors and disabled veterans, as well as completely eliminating the 30% state portion of property taxes for all taxpayers.

Last November, we forced the Democrats to reinstate the I-747 1% property tax cap, which was a step in the right direction.

You know that I will not quit fighting for what's right, no matter how hard the opposition gets, but I cannot succeed without your help and support.

If you can help with a donation of $250, $500, $700, or even the maximum donation amount of $800 per person, I would greatly appreciate it. It will go far in fending off the attacks of the opposition.

If you want to keep someone who is supporting your views, fighting higher taxes and onerous regulations against businesses and taxpayers, as well as assaults on our values, your help will be very much needed in this election.

You can donate online, or you can call the campaign line at (253) 846-5911 to request a donation envelope, or simply reply to this email with your request for an envelope, and we will send one to you in the mail.

Thank you for your help and support.
Sincerely,
Representative Jim McCune
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
-Edmund Burke