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The Seattle City Council is the 
legislative branch of government.

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Members set the City's direction
by enacting ordinances

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and passing resolutions.

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The council authorizes
expenditures, adopts

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regulations, levies taxes,
controls the finances

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and property of the
City, and performs many

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related legislative tasks.

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This year, there is a
special election to fill the

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unexpired term in District 5.

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Only voters in District 5, which
is at the north end of Seattle,

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will vote in this election.

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The candidate elected to
this position will serve

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the remaining year of the
four-year term and be on

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the ballot again in 2027.

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Only voters in District 5
can vote in the special

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election for Seattle
City Council District 5.

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♪♪

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-My name is Dimitri
Georgakopoulos.

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I'm running for the Seattle City

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Council District 5 seat.

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I was born and
raised in Seattle.

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I grew up in Montlake
and have called

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Seattle home for 58 years.

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I was very active at a young age
at Montlake Community Center.

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I graduated from Garfield
High School and earned a

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degree in history with a
minor in political science

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from Seattle University.

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I love the city and I've
watched it evolve through

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every critical moment of its
growth over those years.

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I've lived in District 5 for
the past 15 years and I can

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say once again, we are at one
of those critical moments.

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I know we can do better and
here's what sets me apart.

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For the past 30 years, I've
been an entrepreneur, owning

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and operating restaurants, as
well as helping others build

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theirs from the ground up.

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For the last 13 years, I've been
selling real estate with Windermere.

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In both worlds,
time is of the essence.

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It's not just a phrase, it's how

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I operate.

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What I bring to this
position is the ability

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to work across personalities,
communicate clearly, pivot when

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necessary, and move efficiently
to get problems solved.

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That skill set is exactly what
District 5 needs right now.

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because the challenges
here are real.

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From the violence
along Aurora Avenue

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between 95th and
145th to the growing

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number of vacancies as
businesses close or

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leave our neighborhoods.

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These aren't abstract
policy issues.

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They are a crisis.

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The time to act is now.

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When elected, I will be your
loudest and strongest advocate.

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I encourage you to
follow my Facebook page.

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Please do reach out.

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Let's work together to set
an example of how effective

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leadership in District 5 can
reset the tone and table for

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the rest of the Emerald City.

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Once again, my name is
Dimitri Georgakopoulos,

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and I'm running for the City
Council seat for District 5.

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Thank you.

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-I'm Silas James, a healthcare
educator, advocate, researcher,

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Democratic Socialist,
union member, and former

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chair of the Seattle
Disability Commission.

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I'm running for Seattle
City Council in District 5

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because I love Seattle.

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District 5 is my home.

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I want Seattle to live up to its
promise as a welcoming city.

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Immigrants and refugees seeking
sanctuary from abroad or fleeing

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another state for reproductive
access, gender-affirming care,

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or personal safety should know
our city welcomes and will

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protect them.

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Seattle's corporate surveillance
program is expensive and puts

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the very people we promise
to protect in danger.

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It must be ended.

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But for Seattle to be
truly welcoming, it also

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has to be affordable.

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The gap between Seattle's
wealthiest and the

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rest of us is growing.

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Renters and homeowners are
being priced out of our city.

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I'm not a millionaire.

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I don't have a
six-figure income.

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Just like you, I'm reminded
every single day of how

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expensive Seattle is.

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The answer to Seattle's
problems isn't more cops,

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and it's not more cameras.

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It's making Seattle
more affordable.

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For true public safety, we
need to address poverty.

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And that means guaranteeing
a basic income that people

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can count on no matter what.

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Housing people can afford;

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fast, reliable, and free
public transportation;

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healthcare access and support
for people in crisis.

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For almost 20 years, I've worked
tirelessly helping people

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find housing, get healthcare,
access public benefits,

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and graduate college.

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I understand these systems.

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I've used them myself.

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I know where they're broken,
and I know how to fix them.

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I'm Silas James.

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Let's create a safer, more
affordable Seattle together.

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We deserve a city
where working people

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can still have a future.

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- I'm Julie Kang, and I'm
running to represent District 5

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on the Seattle City Council.

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I'm a 30-year North Seattle
resident, an educator,

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union household member,
civic leader, and a

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first-generation immigrant.

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Throughout my career, I
have focused on making

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systems work for everyone.

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As a co-founder of a
community bank in District 5,

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I expanded access to
capital for small businesses

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and learn the importance
of accountability,

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transparency, and responsible
stewardship of public funds.

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District 5 needs
a leader with practical

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problem-solving experience
who will advocate for

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equitable resources
for our community.

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On the Council, I'll
advance middle housing

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and transit-oriented
development to create

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mixed-income neighborhoods
with walkability,

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infrastructure,
and affordability.

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I'll integrate climate
planning into housing

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and fight for safer access
to parks, transits, schools,

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and businesses.

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I'll strengthen public safety

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through transparent
reporting, coordinated crisis

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response, and measurable
improvements across SPD,

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the CARE team, behavioral
health systems, and community

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partners. To reduce gun
violence, I'll invest in

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in behavioral health, suicide
prevention, youth intervention,

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safe firearm storage education,
and trauma-informed services.

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I'll support small
businesses through public

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safety coordination,
storefront stabilization,

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neighborhood activation,
and investments that

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increase foot traffic and
economic opportunity.

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As your councilmember, I will
always strive to improve the

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lives of working families,
seniors, and immigrants,

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and I'll stand up to threats
from our federal government

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that undermine our city's value.

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I'm proud to be endorsed by
the 32nd LD Democrats, elected

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officials, and community
leaders from across District 5.

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I'm Julie Kang, running
for Seattle City Council

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District 5, and I'll be
honored to earn your vote.

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-Hi, I'm Nilu Jenks,
candidate for Seattle

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City Council District 5.

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I'm running because the issues
facing North Seattle are

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not being solved.

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Seattle is a deeply
progressive city.

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We have the resources, the
talent, and the votes to

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tackle major challenges,
but often City Hall feels

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disconnected from what
people are facing every day.

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When the Fred Meyer in Lake
City closed, my kids asked

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me why nobody fought harder
to save it or replace it.

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I didn't have a good answer.

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Families without cars lost
access to groceries and

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pharmacy services overnight,
and our city had no real plan.

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That's not acceptable.

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Housing costs continue to
skyrocket, pushing more

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people into disability
and homelessness,

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while longtime residents
struggle to stay in the

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neighborhoods they love.

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My priorities are
straightforward and reflect

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my conversations with my
neighbors across the district.

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Build more affordable
housing, improve safety on

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Lake City Way and Aurora,
support neighborhood

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businesses, strengthen
gun violence prevention,

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protect immigrant
communities from federal

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overreach, move us toward
meeting our climate goals,

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and make sure ranked choice
voting is successfully

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implemented in 2027
so voters trust and

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understand the system.

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From serving as a PTA advocacy
chair at John Rogers Elementary

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to organizing one of the
largest gun buyback programs

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after the Parkland shootings
to working to implement ranked

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choice voting in Seattle in 2027
as the Fair Vote Washington

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political director, my
work has always been

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about connecting people
and delivering results.

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I'm endorsed by the King County
Democrats, the 32nd, 36th,

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and 46th District Democrats,
Washington Conservation Action,

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the Working Families Party,
United Auto Workers, Seattle

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City Workers, Grocery Workers,
King County Executive Girmay

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Zahilay, Seattle City 
Councilmembers Alexis Mercedes

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Rinck and Joy Hollingsworth,
Senators Javier Valdez and

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Noel Frame, Representatives
Darya Farivar, Julia Reed,

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Liz Berry, and more.

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And I would be honored
to earn your vote.

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Thank you.
