Dear Editor,

Next Tuesday — five days from now — Ohio can make history in the special election in our state’s 2nd Congressional District by making Paul Hackett the first Iraq War veteran to serve in Congress.

Paul is a proud Marine who bravely volunteered to serve America in Iraq. Here’s one of the facts about Paul that impresses me the most. Paul didn’t just volunteer to go to Iraq. When he got there, he volunteered again. Only two months into his tour of duty in Iraq, Paul volunteered to go to Fallujah. Extremists and insurgents had seized the city and Paul knew they had to be stopped.

Now Paul is volunteering for another tour of duty, serving Ohio in Congress.

Believe me, at a time when Washington is making crucial decisions about U.S. policy in Iraq, we need the voice of a person who has lived through that experience — someone who knows what it’s like when the bullets are flying and the bombs are exploding.

I always used to say that “politics is supposed to be the personnel department of the Constitution.” Decades ago, you gave me the chance, as a veteran and an astronaut, to become a citizen soldier again serving our state. I look at Paul and I see someone who wants to serve our state with every fiber of his character. I hope you’ll help give him the chance you gave me- but it won’t be easy.

In this tightly-contested special election, the Hackett campaign is relying on an all-volunteer get-out-the-vote operation to pull this extraordinary American through to victory.

We’re still short of the number of volunteers we need to fully deploy the Hackett campaign’s field organization. You can fill the gap by volunteering now.

Volunteer for Paul Hackett in the next 5 days

Please volunteer a few moments of your time to help the Hackett for Congress campaign step up its vital voter turnout efforts in these critical closing days. We don’t have a moment to lose.

I can’t think of a better person to serve in Congress as the first veteran of active military duty in Iraq. We’ve relied on his leadership already — and I know we can count on his leadership again.

Time and time again, Paul Hackett volunteered for you and me. I hope you will act right now and volunteer for him.

Volunteer for Paul Hackett in the next 5 days

Please act right now. America needs Paul Hackett and Paul Hackett needs you.

Sincerely,

John Glenn