Governor Dean sent this update from the Register for Change bus over the weekend, but I'm just getting a chance to post it...

As I write this post, we are in Jackson, MS on our Register for Change tour. From the time I became DNC chairman, I have believed Democrats can win everywhere if we show up and ask for people's votes - including Mississippi. And this year we won a critical special election, and we are competitive in Mississippi in the presidential election. There is so much energy here in the South for change. I really do think we will win in some unexpected places this year. We started out yesterday greeted by nearly 100 people in Crawford, TX. People in Crawford want change too - not four more years of Bush-MCain policies. It was a great sight to see people gathered there ready to work for change. We may not win in Texas, but I believe we will come very close and a re-energized Texas Democratic Party will win back the Texas House and undo Tom DeLay's redistricting scheme and elect Rick Noriega to the US Senate. From Crawford we went to Austin to talk to the Netroots community at "Netroots Nation". Over the last few years and throughout this election in particular, the netroots community has been working hard to support democracy and engage in this election.

One of the great things about Barack Obama's campaign is that he totally gets how important it is to help the down ballot races and therefore the future of the Democratic party. Speaking of the campaign, the Obama folks are on the ground in Texas and Louisiana and are working hard with the DNC staff that has been there for the last three years. They are young, energetic, and smart, and so far the tour has gone very well because they have been great partners. Anyway, So far it's been great to be back in the South, and great to be asking for votes for a national Democratic candidate in Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana. Next week on to North Carolina and Georgia! Democratically yours, Howard Dean