February 14, 2008

Dear Friend,

We're not going to sugar coat it. We're disappointed that Champion Gilchrest (MD-1) lost to primary opponent Andy Harris.

We know that our efforts turned out thousands of voters on behalf of Rep. Gilchrest. But ultimately, factors beyond our control led to his defeat. We here at Ocean Champions are confident that we did the right thing and gave Gilchrest a chance to win.

There is a silver lining on this cloud. You - our supporters - showed incredible support on this campaign. You were financially supportive, you trusted our strategy, and you cared about the oceans. You showed us that you realize how important it is to participate in electoral politics to save the oceans - even if it means an occasional defeat.

And keep in mind - this kind of effort, loyalty, and support for our Champions gets noticed by other Members on the Hill, and candidates for Congress.

We cannot thank you enough for joining us on this campaign trail.

In our political system there are inevitably wins and losses. Tomorrow we move on to the next race. And we'll win it. For the oceans.