Jerry McNerney's website

Featured Volunteer: Judy Geiselman

Judy Geiselman

Our first Featured Volunteer is Judy Geiselman. Judy has been a crucial part of the team since all the way back in 2004.  She has worked tirelessly for Congressman McNerney, coming in every single week to provide help to staff in the office.  Her skills as a former manager means she can provide invaluable insight into how to keep an office humming smoothly. 

Judy can always be counted on to do whatever’s necessary. Her support has been unfailing, and her friendship essential to all who are fortunate enough to interact with her.

Judy, the entire McNerney team thanks you for your hard work and all you do!

Contra Costa Times: Law would help veterans homeowners

Lisa Vorderbrueggen wrote about Congressman McNerney’s efforts to help veterans who face exploding monthly payments on adjustable rate mortgages or the prospect of foreclosure keep their homes.

From the Contra Costa Times:

Military veteran homeowners struggling under the weight of rising subprime mortgage payments could see a rise in the federally backed refinance loan cap in legislation that passed out of a congressional committee this week.

Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, wrote an amendment to the Helping Our Veterans Keep Their Homes Act of 2008 that would increase the existing $144,000 loan cap to $729,750.

The lower figure is useless in Northern California, especially in the Bay Area where housing prices are among the highest in the nation.

"We have heard complaints about the low, $144,00 figure in the past, but now, it's a crisis," McNerney said. "We had bipartisan support for the legislation in the subcommittee, and I can't imagine why anyone would oppose it."

Click here to read the full story from the Contra Costa Times.

Update from the trail

This past weekend, we had over 60 McNerney supporters knocking on doors throughout the 11th Congressional District!  There were canvasses in Morgan Hill, Tracy, Stockton, and Dublin – all with volunteers walking up front steps to let local voters know what Congressman McNerney stands for and his upcoming reelection run this fall.

I had the pleasure of being teamed with Saifi Ranawala and his two sons, Hamza and Adil in Tracy. We walked all over his neighborhood off Schulte Road and had a lot of great conversations with Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike.  The boys seemed to particularly love running ahead and ringing all the doorbells!

One conversation we had stands out in my mind in particular.  Saifi and I knocked on the door of a woman named Dolores.  She invited us inside to talk about Congressman McNerney and his campaign.  A registered Republican, she said she saw herself more as an Independent but was open minded to all candidates.  We talked about the Congressman’s plans to reduce traffic problems, expand renewable energy options, and fight for the rights of our veterans.  Dolores admitted she hadn’t known what to expect when she opened the door that morning but now counted herself a McNerney supporter and soon-to-be campaign volunteer!

All in all, what a great day.

Dana Cohn, McNerney for Congress field staffer