A message from Chairman Larry Gates:

We woke up this morning to a different country. We now live in a country where we have said no to failed policies of the last eight years.

Today we can hold our heads high. The hard work and dedication that you have shown over the past eighteen months has brought real change not just to Kansas but to the entire United States.

So thank you. Thank you for your tireless effort. Thank you for making phone calls, knocking on doors, helping out in our offices, talking to your friends and family and encouraging them to vote. Thank you.

Regardless of who won or lost, Kansas Democrats are better organized and more inspired then ever before. You are responsible for this achievement.

Thank you,

Larry Gates Chairman Kansas Democratic Party

Check out this new video from Obama for America. Don't forget to VOTE tomorrow!

You can join us in making history by volunteering to help out on election day. Also, checkout this new web ad from Barack Obama.

SEVEN DAYS until George W. Bush comes to Kansas. SEVEN WAYS Lynn Jenkins offers same leadership as Bush. #7: Recklessly Spending Our Tax Dollars

Lynn Jenkins is recklessly spending taxpayers dollars to host her private party with George W. Bush, just like Bush recklessly spent taxpayers dollars for eight years and left us with the largest deficit in our nation's history.

If Bush's latest trips are any indication, Jenkins' little soirée with the President could end up costing Kansas families BIG time.

Bush Visit Cost Arizona Taxpayers nearly $100K: "President Bush's visit to Tucson last month cost local taxpayers nearly $100,000, and, despite criticism, the congressional campaign he came to raise money for — Republican Tim Bee's — has no plans to pick up those costs." [Arizona Daily Star, 8/19/08]

Cops, Sheriff Spend $99K on Bush Visit: "The cost to the city to staff the president's visit was about $57,000 and the county's expenses totaled $42,000, officials from the agencies said. [Tucson Citizen, 8/18/08]

GOP Candidate Would Not Disclose How Much Taxpayers Paid: Bush was in town last month to help raise money for Republican Congressional candidate Tim Bee. Bee's campaign says it helped defray the cost of the visit but Bee spokesman Tom Dunn would not disclose how much the campaign has paid. [Associated Press, 8/18/08]

Clear your calendar for tomorrow's Wichita Chamber of Commerce candidate forum, featuring your favorite Congressional candidate in the 4th District - Donald Betts.

What: Augusta Chamber of Congress Candidate ForumWhere: Augusta City Hall, Council Room - 3rd FloorWhen: Tuesday, July 30th, 7:00 p.m.Open to the public!

Audience members will be asked to submit questions for the second half of the forum. Here are some questions for Todd Tiahrt we wish he would answer for us:

Why didn't he stand up for Boeing before John McCain handed the Air Force tanker contract to the French?

Now that John McCain has admitted he hired Airbus lobbyists to his campaign, worked to make sure Airbus won the tanker contract over Boeing and continues to support the Air Force's faulty decision to award the contract to Airbus - will he still put his Party before the people of Wichita and support John McCain for president?

Why did he put millionaires before veterans by voting against the G.I. Bill that would have increased educational benefits for returning veterans by adding 0.5% tax on people making over a million dollars a year?

Why does he insist on towing the Party line and putting George W. Bush before the people of the 4th District when it comes to health care, schools, and the economy?

A new Pew Hispanic Center survey is capturing headlines today:

A new poll released Thursday shows overwhelming support from Latinos for Sen. Barack Obama over Sen. John McCain.

Obama's approval rating with registered Latino voters, the nationwide Pew Hispanic Center poll found, is at 66 percent versus 23 percent favoring McCain.

Obama's favorability among Latinos is slightly up from a Gallup Poll summary of surveys taken in May, which showed Obama with 62 percent of Latino voters nationwide, compared with 29 percent for McCain.

"He now appears to be even more popular than Hillary Clinton among Latinos," Lopez said.

Pew Hispanic Center's deputy director, Susan Minushkin, added that Obama is "enjoying broad-based support among Hispanics who don't see great differences by age, by gender, by education, by income."

And the icing on the cake?

In terms of the state of the country, 70 percent of Latino registered voters said the country is headed in the wrong direction. Fifty-five percent said the Democratic Party is "better attuned to the concerns of their community" compared to 5 percent for Republicans.