Wired Mag: Software Exec Eyes Senate Seat in Pennsylvania

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A great profile on Charlie Crystle (He and Linda Skinner of Illinois are our best chances for progressive Democratic Senators in 2004).

Wired mag on his chances in the Senate race for 2004:

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,60078,00.html

LANCASTER, Pennsylvania -- Musician. Programmer. Waiter. Laborer. CEO. Filmmaker.

Charlie Crystle, who runs a software company in the farm town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and has held all these jobs, now wants to add the title of U.S. senator to his eclectic resume.

While Crystle, 36, has never held public office, the self-described bulldog is determined to unseat powerful Republican Sen. Arlen Specter, who has been helping pass legislation since before Crystle had to worry about passing algebra.

Crystle said the reason he's running for office is simple: He can't sleep watching people around him lose their jobs, their health care and then their homes.

America's trade and economic policies are "killing the middle class, and I won't sit for it," said Crystle, who wants to put the 73-year-old Specter out to pasture.

"Arlen and this administration gave tax cuts to the wealthy," he said, "when they should have been investing in education and training grants for laid-off workers.".................

.......................Crystle wants to bring his "pragmatic dreaming" to a Washington where "there are 33 lobbyists for every member of Congress." He said the administration doesn't ask for sacrifices and lures voters with "free money" from tax cuts while creating only "Wal-Mart" service jobs selling products made overseas.

If another transformational technology such as the Internet comes along, he said, the United States is unprepared to capitalize on it. "This administration is actively engaged in destroying the social fabric, to the detriment of our futures."

Stuart Rothenberg, editor and publisher of the Rothenberg Political Report, said that having no political track record both helps and hurts Crystle. While he doesn't have a voting record or public stance on issues to criticize, he's also far behind the other candidates in name recognition.

"He's not tilting at windmills, but he's got a long way to go," Rothenberg said.

Crystle will also be able to tout his tech savvy and private-sector credentials, such as running a company and meeting a budget, to show financial responsibility, according to Rothenberg. Crystle isn't the first tech exec to campaign for the Senate. Former RealNetworks executive Maria Cantwell used some of her stock profits to win a U.S. Senate seat in 2000 in Washington state.

Crystle said his campaign is largely relying on volunteers to build community, and that the Internet will play an important role in getting out the word. His website uses the Meetup service to help organize volunteers, who are at the heart of his campaign. This strategy emphasizing a volunteer network to inform and inspire voters has helped presidential hopeful Howard Dean to gain a national audience.