Cox - "Democracy does work"

CHRIS COX FILES "OPPORTUNITY TO BALLOT" PETITIONS
Grass Roots Effort Will Force an Open Conservative Primary

SMITHTOWN, NY — Within the short summer window provided by New York State Election Law, a dedicated team of courageous Conservatives, Tea Party patriots, and supportive Republicans has achieved what no Suffolk political observer can recall having been done before: forced an open Conservative Congressional Primary over the no-holds-barred opposition of the Party’s leaders and its millionaire designee.

Under the Law’s “Opportunity to Ballot” (OTB) provisions, the Chris Cox for Congress campaign has sent its petitions today to the Suffolk County Board of Elections in Yaphank. Although only 554 signatures were required, the filing contains 850 signatures.

The grassroots initiative overcame a steady stream of mailers, ‘robo-calls’ and invective from the Conservative Party establishment to gain signatures from registered Conservatives in numbers well over the five percent of enrollment as required by law.

Chris Cox is the real conservative Republican in the First Congressional District contest to unseat a liberal Democratic incumbent. Cox is now poised to win not only the Republican Primary, the party of which he has always been a member, but the Conservative Primary as well.

“Democracy does work!” declared Cox. “Our successful ‘Opportunity to Ballot’ petition drive has put the choice back in the hands of the people, where it always belonged. Now the voices of principled Conservatives can be heard. I was honored to be able to work with so many people dedicated to ensuring a fair and open primary. I congratulate the hundreds of petition signers who were willing to stand up for their right to vote.”

“The success of the OTB effort owes specific debts of gratitude to Long Island’s Tea Party movement, including the Suffolk County 9-12 Project and the Conservative Society for Action,” Cox said.

“The Conservative voters of the First Congressional District deserve a chance to vote for a true conservative to be their Party’s standard-bearer in November. I will be an Ambassador for job creation on Long Island and Suffolk County’s toughest defender in our Nation’s capital,” Cox declared.

Bob Meyer, co-founder and president of the Suffolk County 9-12 Project, agreed.

“This is a monumental achievement for the Tea Party Movement,” Meyer said. “Members from all walks of life, young and old, came out to knock on doors and collect signatures. We feel this sends a loud and clear message to party bosses that the residents of Suffolk will no longer sit back and be told who the nominee will be for their party. Our government is one run by the people, not the party bosses.

“The 9-12 Project has endorsed Chris Cox and we are proud to stand behind him, a rock-solid conservative who will serve the residents of Suffolk County well," Meyer declared.

Stephen Flanagan, director of the Conservative Society for Action, concluded: "This is a historic day for the people of Suffolk County. For too long the party bosses have controlled ballot access. We changed that this week! We The People have taken things into our own hands! We intend to put an end to the long string of losses the party leaders have brought us in the past decade."