www.pacleansweep.com

The George Washington University's Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet awarded PACleanSweep the Golden Dot Award for excellence in online campaigning at its annual Politics Online Conference at The George Washington University.

The 2006 Golden Dot Awards recognize outstanding achievement in the use of the Internet as a political tool between the dates of January 21, 2005 and January 20, 2006.

PACleanSweep was one of five finalists nominated for the Institute's Best PAC or Nonpartisan Internet Campaign award. PACleanSweep and winners in other categories were announced at last weekend's conference.

"The Internet is a printing press without the overhead," said PACleanSweep Chair Russ Diamond. "Like pamphleteers in revolutionary Philadelphia, Internet users have taken advantage of a very inexpensive method of transmitting information to a much wider readership."

PACleanSweep was launched on July 18, 2005. Since then, the website has logged nearly 5.5 million hits from 200,000 unique visitors. Over 675,000 pages and 4.1 million files have been requested by visitors to pacleansweep.com.

Nearly 11,000 posts by 620 members of the PACleanSweep online discussion group have kept individuals across Pennsylvania informed of the group's activities in raising 96 candidates - to date - to run for legislative seats.

"We set out to be a springboard for local grassroots activity," added Diamond, "and this award is a sign that we've accomplished that to some degree. We proudly accept it on behalf of our 5900 subscribers, volunteers and candidates. It belongs to them."

PACleanSweep Announces 13 More Candidates

PACleanSweep today added 13 new names to their growing list of approved candidates. The total number of PACleanSweep-approved candidates stands at 96 with more potential candidates awaiting approval.

12 of the 13 candidates will be competing for a seat in the House of Representatives:

Ronald J Esposito (R-71)
Ed Nicholson (R-25)
Richard A. Yeager (R-50)
Jim McDonald (R-41)
Edmund J Sieminski (R-119)
Brian Blasko (D-56)
Raymond R. Vees (R-122)
Michael Thompson (I-165)
John T. Galloway (D-140)
Tim Carson (D-52)
Gregory Walter (R-11)
Domenic F. Leone (D-15)

The Senate candidate receiving PACleanSweep approval is Russel P. Bigus (R-20)

2006 Golden Dot Award Winners

Complete PACleanSweep Candidate List

PACleanSweep Discussion Group