TPAC/OHV Leaders Endorse Doug Ose for Congress in California's CD7

Dear Trail Voter,

The Trail Political Action Committee (TPAC) works to elect federal candidates who will support legislation and policy that promotes and protects responsible off-highway vehicle recreation on public and private lands.   TPAC is proud to announce its official endorsement and support for Doug Ose who is running in California's 7^th Congressional District (CD7).

Ed Santin, an AMA District 36 Board Member and CD7 constituent, states, "Former Congressman Doug Ose was a strong supporter of trail access issues when he was in the House of Representatives.  I believe we need his leadership once again considering the hostile regulatory climate that directly affects our ability to ride responsibly on Forest Service and BLM trails.  I will be urging my friends to vote for Ose on November 4."

Steve Egbert, President of California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs, states, "I believe that Doug Ose is the right choice in this election.  Trail users are continually faced with onerous unwarranted regulations that impact our ability to enjoy the great outdoors with our family and friends.  We need to send Ose back to Washington D.C. to help bring some common sense to the land-use debate."

As a former congressman, Doug Ose has a proven track record when it comes to supporting legislation that protects responsible OHV recreational access to federal lands.   He will also fight against the anti-access regulatory agenda of the green lobby in Washington D.C. and champion common sense regulatory reform at the EPA and other agencies.

His opponent, Ami Bera, was recently endorsed by that very same green lobby.  Last month, the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) and the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund announced their endorsement of Ami Bera for re-election to CD7.

Ose is in a very tight race with incumbent congressman Ami Bera.  Early in the midterms, TPAC identified CD7 as one of our key House battleground races.  Now with CD7 in the national spotlight and because the green lobby is rushing its support to Bera, it is time for trail voters to step up to the plate and  help elect Doug Ose to the House of Representatives.

HERE IS MY $25, $50,$100,$200,$500, OR $1,000 TO HELP ELECT PRO-TRAIL CANDIDATES  

http://www.thetrailpac.com/donate.html

Remember that with each donation of $25 dollars or more, you get one of our new "I VOTE TRAILS" bumper stickers that you can proudly display on your vehicle of choice.

 

Thanks for being engaged in the 2014 midterms!

Don Amador, Founder

The Trail PAC

www.thetrailpac.com

The Trail PAC Endorses Tom Cotton for Senate in AR

The Trail Political Action Committee (TPAC) works to elect federal candidates who will support legislation and policy that promotes and protects responsible off-highway vehicle recreation on public and private lands.  Today, TPAC is proud to announce its endorsement and support for Tom Cotton who is running for the U.S. Senate in Arkansas.

Congressman Cotton believes it is vitally important for the government to provide access to public lands to all Arkansans, irrespective of their mode of transport. Far too often today, the federal government is attempting to take over more private land and restrict the use of public lands in the name of “environmental protection.” Restrictions come in many varieties, but recently the most frequent attack has been through Endangered Species Act listings. The Administration is making a concerted effort to change the rules of the listing process so it is easier to list lands, thereby restricting use and providing additional motivation for individuals to sell their land to federal authorities.

Tom supports the use of federal lands by all users - hunters, fishermen, trail riders, hikers, and everyone else. He believes the proper management of federal lands is achieved when citizens are able to use the land and pass down respect for the land to the next generation, just like his father Len did with Tom, not when we block it off from any use.

Cotton joins Terri Lynn Land for Senate in Michigan and Steve Daines for Senate in Montana as our 3^rd officially endorsed/supported senate race.

Trail voters need a net gain of six seats in November to change the current Senate leadership.   TPAC, along with other political observers, believes the AR senate race will play an important role in changing that Senate paradigm.

6-time Gold Medalist for the International Six Days Enduro and National Enduro Champion, Steve Hatch, says, “I applaud the actions and support the hard work of TPAC’s efforts to elect pro-trail candidates to the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. We all need to stand together and help continue to fight for our trails.”

As you know, TPAC's strategy in 2014 is to target/support up to 11 key Senate and 15 important battleground House races.  Join Steve Hatch and many others in support of TPAC’s effort to change the current leadership in the U.S. Senate and retain the pro-access House majority.   Please consider a donation of $10, $25, $100, $500, or $1,000 today.

Watch for official TPAC endorsements soon in the Colorado and Iowa senate races.

Thanks for helping get summer motorized recreation into the game.

Don Amador, Founder

The Trail PAC

www.thetrailpac.com

Govt. Shutdown - OHV Caught in DC Political Fight

TPAC Founder, Don Amador, at OR Dunes NRA 

This area is reported as being closed by the shutdown

Dear OHV Voter,

Throughout the West, federal land managers are announcing OHV related closures today in response to the government shutdown.

 

There does not appear to be any consistency between agencies and units on what recreation facilities and trails will be open.  

 

For example, the Cleveland National Forest in Southern California has closed the Corral Canyon OHV Area.  In Northern California, it appears the BLM's Ukiah Field Office will close the entrance gates to the South Cow Mountain OHV Recreation Area. 

 

Closure Sign at FS Staging Area at OR Dunes

*Photo thanks to Save the Riders Dunes

 

 

On the other hand in Colorado, it looks like public land trails on the White River National Forest and the BLM's Colorado River Valley Field Office will be open.

 

TPAC believes that Congress is acutely aware of the shutdown's impact to recreation activities via the House's introduction of a bill today to fund the National Park Service during the shutdown.

 

TPAC also believes the long lasting impact of the shutdown on multiple-use recreation is logarithmically related to the length of the impasse.

 

This is a massive political battle between opposing ideologies and public land recreation is but a small player on the scene.   TPAC urges recreationists to be advised their recreational experience may be severely impacted by the shutdown.

 

Best regards,

 

Don

 

Don Amador, Founder

The TrailPAC

www.thetrailpac.com

 

 

Political Earthquake in MT Rocks 2014 Political Landscape

A 9.0 political earthquake rocked the national electoral landscape yesterday when MT Governor, Brian Schweitzer, announced he would not run in 2014 to replace Senator Max Caucus who is retiring from the U.S. Senate.

 

The Red/Blue State Map had not felt such a violent force since the 2010 elections when Chip Cravaack unseated Jim Oberstar (MN-CD8).

 

TPAC believes the departure of Schweitzer from the MT senate race assures that contest will be one of the most intensely watched races in 2014.  It also increases the odds for a pro-trail and pro-regulatory reform majority to take control of the U.S. Senate in the 2014 midterms.

 

TPAC will also be monitoring KEY senate contests in Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia.  We plan to be actively engaged in most, if not all, of those races.

 

Be assured our political opponents will be out there in 2014 smearing any of our candidates who want to champion common sense regulatory reforms that impact our recreational activities on lands managed by the Forest Service, BLM, and National Park Service.  In 2012, TPAC supported senate candidate, Denny Rehberg, was narrowly defeated by Jon (I love closure legislation) Tester.   If grassroots trail voters had been more engaged, TPAC believes our pro-trail candidate would have won.

 

TPAC was created to give OHV enthusiasts a seat at the federal political table.  By nationalizing our efforts, trail voters in congressional districts or senate races where it is almost impossible to unseat the anti-OHV incumbent, can still impact the 2014 midterms by helping TPAC support races where our candidate has a better chance of winning.    

 

DONATE $25, $50, $100, $200, $500 - $5,000 TO HELP TPAC SEND PRO-TRAIL CANDIDATES TO THE U.S. SENATE

http://www.thetrailpac.com/donate.html
 

Thanks for being engaged in the 2014 midterms.

 

Don Amador, Founder

The Trail PAC
www.thetrailpac.com

 

 

 

 

Elected Official Asks for Repeal of Anti-OHV Dust Regulations

TPAC wants to showcase the types of elected officials that we need to send to Congress in the 2014 midterm elections.

 

Debbie Peterson, Mayor of Grover Beach, California, has written a petition asking for a repeal of Rule 1001 because of questions raised by a number of agencies including the California Geological Survey about the scientific validity of the dust regulations.  The dust regulations placed unwarranted fiscal burdens on the OHV Park’s managing agency and the user community.  The Rule called for excessive fines, use fees, monitoring costs, and permits.

 

Fresno Bee Article on Repeal of Dust Rule at Oceano Dunes SVRA

http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/07/08/3379420/coastal-leader-asks-for-repeal.html

 

As you know, electing politicians who will champion common sense reforms of excessive regulations – that impact responsible motorized recreation - was one of the key tenets of TPAC’s effort in the 2012 elections.  It is again, a primary focus in the 2014 midterms.

 

TPAC will need your help in 2014 to help continue the work we started in 2012 so we can bolster the pro-trail legislators who are already there.

 

DONATE $20, $50, $100, $200, $500 - $5,000 TO HELP SEND PRO-TRAIL CANDIDATES TO D.C.

http://www.thetrailpac.com/donate.html  

 

 Thanks for being engaged in the 2014 midterms

 

Don Amador, Founder

The Trail PAC

www.thetrailpac.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Recreation Permits

TPAC wants to commend the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation for holding an oversight hearing today on “Impediments to Public Recreation on Public Lands.” 

 

As many of you know, electing federal legislators to enact regulatory reform as it pertains to recreational use of public lands was one of our main goals in the 2012 election.  It most certainly will be an objective for TPAC in the 2014 midterm elections.

 

Subcommittee Chairman, Rob Bishop (CD1-UT), stated at the hearing, “Increased fees, bureaucracy, restrictions, regulation, and processing time are driving up the costs of running private business on public lands making profitable operation difficult, putting many out of business, and threatening the continuation of the services that make visitor access possible and affordable for families.”

 

“Unless there is a change in direction, a generation of Americans could lose the opportunity to participate in outdoor adventure and thousands of local jobs could be lost,” Bishop continued.

 

Link to Hearing and Testimony

http://naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=332125
 

TPAC encourages you to take time and read the public testimony of recreation businesses that face a growing mountain of red-tape and onerous regulations that impact their livelihood and local economies.

 

It is important to remember that these pro-regulatory reform hearings and subsequent legislation will not be possible if we do not retain a pro-trail majority in the House and work to elect an access majority in the Senate in 2014.

 

If you would like to help TPAC prepare for its work in the 2014 midterm elections, feel free to make a donation today of any amount. 

 

Donate Here to Support our 2014 Midterm Battle
http://www.thetrailpac.com/donate.html
 

 

 

Best Regards

 

Don Amador, Founder

The Trail PAC
www.thetrailpac.com

 

 

REI CEO to Head Department of Interior

TPAC wants to share this "trail news" regarding President Obama's recent naming of Sally Jewell as the Secretary of the Interior.

 

Sally Jewell has been associated with two very active anti-OHV entities. Those include the National Park Conservation Association (NPCA) where she has served as a board member since 2004 and REI where she serves as their CEO.

 

The NPCA has been very active in the legal arena where they have filed at least one lawsuit to ban or severely restrict ATV use at Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida.

 

REI has corporately aligned itself with the non-motorized Wilderness agenda of groups such as the Sierra Club, the Wilderness Society, and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. Like NPCA, those groups are actively engaged in lawsuits to ban or restrict OHV recreation on public lands.  

 

However last summer, Jewell as part of an outdoor industry coalition - which included representatives from the powersports industry - helped launch the Western Governor's Association's report on the economic impact of outdoor recreation.

 

June 2012 Recreation Report News Release (link to study included in Release)

http://www.westgov.org/news/261-news-2012/401-outdoor-recreation-a-646-billion-industry

 

 

TPAC will be watching the senate confirmation hearings to see if she indicates a willingness to continue working in a collaborative manner with both motorized and non-motorized recreationists or if she will use her new position to support the anti-OHV agenda of the groups she has been associated with.
 

Best regards,

 

Don

 

The TrailPAC

www.thetrailpac.com
 

Thank You

TPAC wants to send you a heartfelt THANK YOU for your support through the 2012 election cycle.

Your support helped elect several pro-trail candidates to the U.S. Senate in AZ and NV.   You reelected Scott Tipton (CO-CD3) who was in a very tough fight in a battleground state.  You helped Andy Barr ( KY-CD6) defeat the anti-trail incumbent.  

You were the counterweight for our targeted races against the smear campaigns waged by the League of Conservation Voters, Earth Justice, Earth First!, and the Sierra Club.  

You have constructed a strong foundation for TPAC.  Using that momentum, trail voters will be effectively engaged in future elections at the federal level.

There is always a “political itch” in a 2^nd Presidential term.   That itch will be scratched by trail voters in the 2014 midterm (House/Senate) elections. 

TPAC also believes the outcome of this election places additional responsibility on trail voters to be actively engaged in non-election efforts to promote and protect responsible OHV recreation.   That work includes robust participation in the public process/administrative process related to federal land agency planning efforts.  OHVers should also continue working with other stakeholder groups such as county supervisors, outdoor groups, and mainstream conservation organizations.

Thanks again for your support and dedication to this effort.   It is appreciated more than you can ever know.

Don Amador, Founder

The Trail PAC
www.thetrailpac.com

Guns, Regulations, and Special Trails

With just a dozen days left until November 6, TPAC believes that “excessive regulation” has replaced the ”gun issue” as a deciding factor in this election.  Many political experts believe that Al Gore’s harsh anti-gun stance cost him the election in the 2000 presidential race against George Bush.

Over-regulation at the EPA, Department of Interior, and other agencies has been a major topic throughout the primary and presidential debates.  Those regulations are impacting energy development – including the reduction of permits issued - on public lands.   It’s not just energy permits that have been reduced or made complex over the last 4 years… the Department of Interior is threatening the issuance of OHV permits due to a myriad of baseless concerns about the impacts that motorized events might have on the Sage Grouse and other species.

 

The Forest Service has also complicated it recreation permitting process for OHV events.  On another access issue, the Forest Service has proposed to basically close ALL sand trails in the forested areas of the Oregon Dunes. TPAC believes a pro-trail and pro-regulatory reform Congress and White House would review and amend those regulations to reduce their impact on family-oriented recreational use of federal lands.

 

Green PACs are going full-bore until Nov. 6 and so should TPAC and our trail voters.  TPAC believes that “every trail is a special trail” and we should do everything we can to make sure those special routes remain open for future generations.

Thanks also to the following donors who stepped up to the plate and hit a homer this last week.

TRAIL CHAMPION -$200 or more

Steve – Reno, NV - $200
Bill – Grants Pass, OR - $200

TRAIL BOSS - $100 or more

Mike – Denver, CO - $100
Gary – Boise, ID - $100
Jody - North Bend, OR - $100
 

DONATE ANY AMOUNT FROM $25 -$5,000 TO PROTECT OUR SPECIAL TRAILS IN THIS ELECTION

http://www.thetrailpac.com/donate.html

  

Thanks for your continued support of the fight. 

 

Don Amador, Founder

The Trail PAC
www.thetrailpac.com

 

 

Regulate the Federal Regulators!

As TPAC voters know, it’s both anti-trail politicians and the agency leads they appoint and/or confirm at the EPA and other cabinet level departments that can impact our recreational access to public and private lands.

 

TPAC is working hard to elect a pro-trail/pro-regulatory majority to the U.S. Senate.  On November 6, trail voters will help determine if the new Senate will rein in federal regulators on OHV recreation-related issues.   TPAC believes a new pro-access majority in the Senate will have a significant and immediate impact on the politically motivated regulatory agenda of the EPA and Consumer Product Safety Commission.  Those two agencies regulate both our public land access and the vehicles we use.

 

Tomorrow, TPAC will be announcing several new additions to our key targeted senate races.  Remember OHVers need a net gain of 4 pro-trail senators (3 if Romney/Ryan win) to get our majority.

 

Here are TPAC's Key Races as of October 10, 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)
 

New polling data just coming into TPAC’s war room is showing that Tom Smith is closing in on Bob Casey, Jr. in the Pennsylvania senate race.  Casey is backed by Big Green’s League of Conservation Voters and has almost a 100% score from that organization.  Smith’s regulatory reform agenda would give a big boost to public land access champions such as Senator Jim Inhofe and Senator Dean Heller.

 

Donate $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1000, up to $5000 dollars to take back the senate!

http://www.thetrailpac.com/donate.html

 

TPAC is also reviewing other highly competitive and strategic races in OH, IN, and MO.  Again, at least two key senate races will get TPAC donations tomorrow.  Just how large those donations are will depend on your support of our effort in the remaining few weeks of this election cycle.  This is YOUR chance to make a difference.

 

Thanks for your continued support!

 

Don Amador, Founder

The Trail PAC
www.thetrailpac.com

 

 

 

Timber, Trails, and Election 2012 - Keep OHV Off ESA List

With just four weeks left in this election cycle before Nov. 6, TPAC and trail voters are entering a critical phase in our effort to elect a pro-trail and pro-EPA reform majority to the U.S. Senate and to keep our access majority in the House. 

As you know the pro-trail majority in the House of Representatives has worked hard on our behalf.  However, the anti-access majority in the U.S. Senate has stymied efforts by pro-access Senators to hold the White House, regulators, and land-agencies accountable on issues such as Forest Service Travel Management, Presidential National Monument Designations, OHV event cost-recovery reform, EPA’s politically motivated anti-OHV regulatory agenda, and taxpayer-funded environmental lawsuits.

Several decades ago, the green lobby decided to put the timber industry out-of-business on federal lands. To successfully accomplish that goal they helped elect their candidates to Congress and the White House.  Today, the federal timber program has functionally gone extinct.

Those same groups now have painted a political target on the back of the OHV community and are using the political and judicial process to accomplish a similar goal.   Our fate does not have to be the same as federal timber operators. We have the power in this election to change the political structure in Washington D.C. 

 

Your support is already making a difference.  Our 7 targeted key Senate candidates and 5 targeted key House races know that off-roaders are supporting and defending them as they battle their League of Conservation Voters or CREDO SuperPAC-supported opponents.

 

New polling data has come in which shows the FL, OH, and Connecticut senate races have become virtual ties and are contests that TPAC should be getting into.  Remember, trail voters need a net gain of four senate seats (3 senate seats if Romney/Ryan win) to achieve our goal of electing a pro-access majority to that body.

 

This week is fish or cut bait time for trail voters in Election 2012.  TPAC and our team of political analysts will be reviewing new polling data and races nationwide this week so that our fiscal resources can be directed to campaigns where those funds will have the most impact. 

 

Federal election law allows you to donate up to $5,000 dollars to TPAC to help our effort.  Don’t sit on the sidelines in this election – it’s too important.  Don’t expect other trail voters to carry the load by themselves.  Join with us in this effort to promote and protect responsible OHV recreation on public and private lands via the electoral process.

 

DONATE $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, up to $5000 TO KEEP OHV OFF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST

http://www.thetrailpac.com/donate.html

 

 

Thanks for your continued support!

 

Don Amador, Founder

The Trail PAC
www.thetrailpac.com

 

Join TPAC Hall of Fame and CA Voter Registration Info

Join the Trail PAC's Hall of Fame or Be a Trail Hero
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/New-Trail-Heroes-Join-Fight.html?soid=1109092517671&aid=e2Q9iSEWiVc

Also, for CA voters... the deadline to register to vote is Oct. 22.  TPAC urges
all trail voters to make sure that all members of their OHV networks are registered
to vote.  Every Vote Counts!  Remember that some Congressional races have been
won or lost by less than 50 votes.

CA Voters Register Here Online
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm

Thanks for being engaged in this election to protect your trail access!

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 7^th 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

http://www.thetrailpac.com/donate.html

 

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

www.thetrailpac.com

 

 

 

 

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 3^rd 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 30^th 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

 

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

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/22/4843618/hot-debate-set-for-a-hot-us-house.html

 

 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

https://www.efundraisingconnections.com/c/seitchikhq/Donate.aspx?PageID=120930

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.

# # #

Celebrate FREEDOM, Trails, and the 4th of July

 

Just for today, TPAC wants riders to ignore the OHV bad news in California and focus on some positive stories about trail access due to a lot of hard work by OHV enthusiasts, Industry, aftermarket, clubs, and small businesses.

Polaris has their T.R.A.I.L.S. grant program. Yamaha has its OHV Grants Initiative, and the Motorcycle Industry Council created the Right Rider Access Fund.  All of those programs help support grassroots efforts to promote and protect our Freedom to recreate in a responsible manner on public and private lands.

 

New riding areas on public and private lands are coming online.  Riley Ranch ATV Park, a county facility, is now connected to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.  New user organizations have been formed there to champion OHV access in that area.  Moto Mountain OHV Park near Fairmont Georgia has just opened up for family recreation at that private facility. 

 

Some large timber and mining companies either have OHV recreation on some of their lands or are looking at new opportunities for that activity.

 

Today, lets reflect on the aforementioned examples of how we are still blessed with Freedom in this country. We have a lot to be thankful for.

 

After your barbecue today but before the desserts are served, consider a “Fight for Freedom” donation to TPAC so we can continue to support our pro-trail candidates running for federal office.

DONATE TO HELP ELECT FREEDOM LOVING CANDIDATES TO THE U.S. SENATE

http://www.thetrailpac.com/donate.html

Happy 4th of July!

Don Amador, Founder
The Trail PAC

Trail Survey - How Are YOU Engaged in the 2012 Elections?

As trail enthusiasts get ready to celebrate Independence Day, TPAC is asking you to take our

survey letting us know how you are engaged in the 2012 elections. 

TPAC believes this is a critically important election at all levels of government.   County commissioners or supervisors often vote on plans that impact the approval of local OHV parks or trail systems.   State officials have authority over state-run OHV programs.   Congress has budget authority over federal land agencies as well as creating laws that govern those programs.   The White House appoints directors to federal agencies and issues policy directives that impact how those departments approach public land access.

Thanks in advance taking this survey and for being engaged in the 2012 elections.

Greens Blister Access Candidates

TPAC wants to send this short update on the presidential race regarding the recent attacks on Governor Romney by one of the most active anti-OHV groups in the country and that organization is the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

 

PEER’s “OHV Policy” lead is Karen Schambach.  She has been the green’s point person on a majority of the anti-OHV lawsuits filed in the West included a lawsuit PEER filed to close the Carnegie State OHV Park in the S.F. Bay Area (a suit  they just lost and had to pay their own $500 thousand dollar legal debt).  Schambach was also the driving force behind the California legislature’s plan to gut the state’s user-pay/user benefit OHV program.

TPAC is warning you and our candidates that this will be an extremely ugly political season where far-left green groups will blister and smear pro-trail candidates with such names as “Member of the Dirty Dozen” or “Eco-thug” like they did to former Congressman Richard Pombo, Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.

TPAC hopes you will get out on the trail this summer with your family and enjoy the access to public lands that we are fighting for through the election process.

 

Donate $25, $50, $100, $200, $500 today to help us defend our candidates against the green smear machine

http://www.thetrailpac.com/donate.html

Happy Trails,

Don Amador, Founder

The Trail PAC

www.thetrailpac.com

GREENS TARGET SUPER TUESDAY SENATE RACE

When Senator George Allen was in prior office (109^th Congress), he was listed as a “Champion of Private Property Rights” by the League of Private Property Voters (LPPV).  LPPV is an organization that promotes public access and multiple-use of federal lands.

During that same time-period, then Governor Tim Kaine (Allen’s rival for the open VA senate seat on November 6) filed a petition with the federal government for them to set aside almost 25% of scarce Forest Service lands as “Clinton-era Roadless Areas.”  Those 400,000 acres would be locked-up in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.

The Trail PAC will be supporting the George Allen for Senate campaign in this election as one of our key targeted senate races.  Allen will need our support because the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) has targeted him for defeat.  As you know, LCV has a voting review committee comprised of hard-core anti-OHV groups including the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund and The Wilderness Society. 

TPAC believes this election is critical for trail voters and is committed to helping ensure the trail community is effectively engaged and represented in the election process.

Please DONATE ($5, $10, $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, or more) today!
http://www.thetrailpac.com/donate.html

Thanks for your support!

Don Amador
The Trail PAC
http://www.thetrailpac.com/