"All trail-access decisions are political decisions"

The Trail Political Action Committee (TPAC) was founded as the first national non-partisan political action committee dedicated solely to championing responsible off-highway vehicle recreation on designated roads, trails, and areas on public lands through the electoral and legislative processes.
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The TPAC tactical goal is to target key races using state-of-the art real-time analysis where there is a tough election and the pro-access candidate needs some extra support to help to defeat their opponent.
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TPAC is needed to counter the anti-access special interests in Washington DC who have long ago figured that contributing to closure-oriented politicians is how they will accomplish their goal of restricting OHV access on federal lands.
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TPAC is ready to stand in that political breach to stop the flow of anti-access politicians into the Capital. TPAC will work hard to reverse that trend so that pro-access legislators will exist as the majority in Congress and the White House.
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Friday, September 28, 2012

Thompson and Koster Named Today as Key Races


 
With just 39 days until Election Day, TPAC is proud to announce  Tommy Thompson for Senate (WI)  as our 7th targeted key Senate race.  Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson is in a very tight race against Tammy Baldwin.
Thompson understands OHV and OSV issues and supports responsible motorized recreation on public and private lands. On the other hand, Baldwin is anti-OHV and supports the excessive regulatory agenda of far-left environmental groups.  She is not main stream on our issues.
John Koster for Congress (WA CD-1) is our 4th key targeted House race.  Koster is in a dead heat with Suzan DelBene. Koster has been endorsed by the Northwest Motorcycle Association.   On the other side of the campaign trail, DelBene proudly lists endorsements from the League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club.
Here is our list of TPAC’s targeted key races as of September 28, 2012
U.S. Senate
Tommy Thompson (WI-Senate)
Dean Heller (NV – Senate)
Denny Rehberg (MT-Senate)
George Allen (VA- Senate)
Jeff Flake (AZ – Senate)
Heather Wilson (NM-Senate)
Rick Berg (ND-Senate)
 
U.S. House of Representatives
John Koster (WA CD-1)
Dan Lungren (CA CD-7)
Chip Cravaack (MN CD-8)
Ricky Gill (CA CD-9)
 
After talking with a pro-access Latino political leader in New Mexico yesterday, TPAC is also sending additional support today to Heather Wilson for Senate. TPAC believes this is one of the most critical senate races in the country.  It pits a pro-access candidate against a political colleague of Dave Foreman, Founder of Earth First!
TPAC is counting on your continued support and new support from trail interests who have never really been engaged the never ending political struggle to preserve and protect responsible recreational access to public lands.
Donate $10 - $5000 dollars if you want to be part of TPAC’s national strategy to elect a pro-trail majority to the U.S. Senate and keep our pro-access majority in the House.
Hey TPAC, I want to do my part with this donation
 
TPAC is encouraging you to stay strong and don’t let the current “polling debate” discourage you from fighting for your access rights via the political process.
Yours for more trail access,
Don Amador, Founder
The Trail PAC
 
 
 
 

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Off-Roaders Want Lodi/Stockton/Brentwood House Seat Back


TPAC is proud to announce that it has named the Ricky Gill for Congress (CA CD9) as our 3rd targeted key House race.  The TPAC Trail Access Victory Fund is sending support to that campaign today as part of our national strategy to elect a pro-trail majority to the Senate and retain that majority in the House.  Gill is in a very tight race and needs our support.

 

Gill is facing off against Jerry McNerney who defeated the former chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Richard Pombo, in 2006.  During one of the public debates between Pombo and McNerney, the green lobby drove up with 4 busloads of environmental activists from U.C. Berkeley and San Francisco to disrupt the event.  Today, McNerney is being strongly supported by the League of Conservation Voter’s GiveGreen Project.  Gill comes from an agricultural background and his family also operates a RV Park.  Gill understands the importance of recreational access to public lands as a way to boost rural economies.

 

On July 30, Congressman Wally Herger stated, “During my service in Congress, I have fought hard to protect and enhance multiple-use recreation on federal lands.   House members have introduced and passed legislation that defends trail use and stops the aggressive use by EPA and other government agencies of politically motivated-regulations to restrict our access to Forest Service and BLM lands.

 

   Unfortunately, the leadership in the U.S. Senate is blocking all access and regulatory reform and oversight efforts in that body.   America needs to vote in senate candidates who will champion responsible use of our public lands.

 

   I believe that you can make a difference in this critical election.  That is why I am asking you to join me in support of the Trail PAC’s effort to elect pro-trail candidates to the U.S. Senate and grow the House majority.”  
 

The TPAC Trail Access Victory Fund needs to raise $10,000 or more between now and the FEC filing deadline of September 30th to support additional key races such as Gill. Your donation WILL have an impact on November 6.
 

DONATE $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1000, up to $5000 to the TPAC TRAIL ACCESS VICTORY FUND
http://www.thetrailpac.com/donate.html
  

Anti-OHV PACs will gauge our commitment to the fight by how much trail voters are donating to the battle. Your donations in this election will forecast TPAC's success in future elections. Remember that TPAC's groundwork for the 2014 mid-term elections will start on November 7, 2012.
 

Again, thanks for your support. Watch for more targeted races to be announced soon.
 

Don Amador, Founder
The Trail PAC
www.thetrailpac.com



 

Monday, September 24, 2012

TPAC's Targeted/Key Senate and House Races



Trail voters have just about 6 weeks until Election Day on November 6 where we can and will make a difference in the political arena.  TPAC wanted to give its supporters a quick update on our key targeted Senate and House races as of today.

 
All of our key races are classic examples of where you have pro-access and pro-EPA reform candidates v. candidates who champion the closure agenda of the League of Conservation Voters, Earth Justice, Earth First!, and the Sierra Club.
 

TPAC Targeted/Key Senate Endorsements

 
Dean Heller (NV – Senate)
Denny Rehberg (MT-Senate)
George Allen (VA- Senate)
Jeff Flake (AZ – Senate)
Heather Wilson (NM-Senate)
Rick Berg (ND-Senate)
Others - TBA

 
TPAC Targeted/Key House Endorsements

 
Dan Lungren (CA CD-7)
Chip Cravaack (MN CD-8)
Others – TBA
 

Also remember that TPAC has joined forces with various OHV leaders to host its ONLY formal fundraising event -Dan Lungren (CA CD-7) – between now and November 6.  It will be held on September 30 at the CAL4WD HQ in Sacramento at 6:30pm.


 Here is link to event flyer with directions
http://www.cal4wheel.com/latest-news/292-cal4-and-trailpac-team-to-support-ohv
 

This is a critically important event for OHV politics since the Lungren race is viewed by most political experts as the hottest House contest in this election.   Our event is right after his debate with Bera and we need to give Dan a warm welcome and a strong show of trail voter support.
 
Sept. 22 - SACBEE Article on Lungren Hot Race
 
 Please make plans to carpool to this event and if you can’t make it… please send in a donation to the Lungren folks since they have set up a special online donation link for this event.
EVENT DONATION SITE
Please RSVP to Lindsey Seitchik/Lungren Campaign if you are coming – Lindsey@setichikHQ.com
 Also, RSVP to Don Amador at TPAC -  info@thetrailpac.com
PLEASE RSVP TO BONNIE STEELE AT CAL4WD HQ so she can plan on number for seats, refreshments, etc.   Bonnie is the CAL4 office administrator who is in charge of getting the facility ready for the event.
 Contact Bonnie at: ca4wdc@cal4wheel.com
Thanks again for your continued support.  TPAC has received a number of calls from candidates who value our active support and appreciate our efforts to publicly defend them from the Big Green political attack machine.  TPAC is the only pro-recreation PAC out there that has taken on that important role at the national level.
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Thursday, September 20, 2012

Berg for Senate in ND Named as 6th Targeted Senate Race


NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Don Amador, Founder, The Trail PAC

Phone: 925.301.5439


Date: September 20, 2012

 

OFF-ROADERS NAME RICK BERG FOR SENATE AS A TARGETED KEY RACE

 

North Bethesda, MD – Today, the Trail PAC is proud to name, Rick Berg for Senate, as its 6th targeted key Senate race in the 2012 election.  TPAC was founded as the first national non-partisan political action committee dedicated solely to championing responsible off-highway vehicle recreation on designated roads, trails, and areas on public lands through the electoral process.

The race in North Dakota has tightened recently between Rick Berg and his opponent, Heidi Heitkamp.  Rick has a record of fighting against over-regulation by the EPA.  Those regulations often impact trail use on public lands.   Heidi is a former EPA attorney and one of her first acts in office would be to re-elect Harry Reid as Senate Majority Leader.  Trail voters don’t want Harry back in a leadership role where he has continually blocked House bills that address Forest Service travel management-related closures and regulatory reforms at the EPA.

 

Don Amador, Founder of TPAC, states, “Tens of thousands of miles of historic trails and roads on public lands have been closed over the last 4 years to OHV users.  Trail enthusiasts need Rick in the Senate to represent and support responsible access to public lands. ”

 

“Trail users and other public land access groups deserve better than the status quo in the U.S. Senate,” Amador concludes.

 

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The Trail PAC | 5704 Chapman Mill Drive | Suite 150 | North Bethesda | MD | 20852

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Trail PAC Names Chip Cravaack for Congress as 2nd Key Race


NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Don Amador, Founder, The Trail PAC
Phone: 925.301.5439
Email: info@thetrailpac.com
Date: September 19, 2012
 

TRAIL USERS NAME CHIP CRAVAACK FOR CONGRESS  AS A TARGETED KEY RACE
 

North Bethesda, MD – Today, the Trail PAC is proud to name, Chip Cravaack for Congress, as its 2nd targeted key House race in the 2012 election.  TPAC was founded as the first national non-partisan political action committee dedicated solely to championing responsible off-highway vehicle recreation on designated roads, trails, and areas on public lands through the electoral process.

Trail voters believe Chip is in a very tight race with his opponent, Rick Nolan.    Nolan is supported by the far left CREDO SuperPAC. The CREDO SuperPAC was founded by mobile-phone executives in the San Francisco area to advance liberal causes.   Several CREDO SuperPAC board members also work with hard-core environmental groups such as the Sierra Club and League of Conservation Voters.

 

Don Amador, Founder of TPAC, states, “Two years ago, the political world was rocked by a massive earthquake on Election Day 2010 when Chip ousted 18-term congressman, Jim Oberstar.   A lot of my trail and snowmobile friends in MN CD-8 worked hard for Chip and he has been working hard for them during his 1st term in Congress.”

 

“Trail users nationwide need Chip back on The Hill to support House majority efforts to champion responsible trail access to public lands and to oppose the ever growing regulatory agenda of the EPA,” Amador concludes.

 

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The Trail PAC | 5704 Chapman Mill Drive | Suite 150 | North Bethesda | MD | 20852