There's a stiff competition raging at the Democracy for America website -- they've nominated almost 100 candidates to compete for the title of DFA Grassroots All-Star Congressional. My boss, Chellie Pingree, is truly a grassroots all-star, as campaign volunteer and long-time DFA organizer Alison Smith of Portland so aptly describes below. Her opinion is echoed by John Nichols in this week's post in The Nation, as he describes Chellie as part of "a trend that has seen veteran social activists drawn into politics by their frustration with extreme Republicans and cautious Democrats."

You can vote for Chellie here: http://democracyforamerica.com/gras

Democracy for America, the successor organization to Howard Dean's amazing grassroots presidential campaign, is having a contest to name a Grassroots All-Star for 2008. Many terrific congressional candidates from all around the country have been nominated, and the competition is fierce! Much more than a mere online poll, the winner of this contest will have the benefit of DFA's nationwide network of deeply committed progressive activists.

Maine's Chellie Pingree is exactly the kind of person we all think of when we wish that good people would run for office. That's why I voted for her in the DFA competition. More importantly, she is exactly what the Democratic party needs to strengthen its progressive backbone... especially in the United States Congress.

Before Chellie entered politics, she was a mom, an organic farmer and a small business owner, but most importantly, Chellie was an engaged citizen. Her first forays into the political world - running for tax assessor and for the school committee - sprang directly from her involvement in her community.

Whenever Chellie gets involved with something, she ends up leading. She won a seat on the school committee and wound up chairing it. She later won a seat in the State Senate and wound up as Majority Leader. (cont.)