Less than a day after Rep. Joe Wilson formally apologized to President Obama over his “you lie” outburst, a campaign aide confirms that the South Carolina Republican has raised “more than $200,000” in the wake of the now-infamous moment.
News of that cash haul comes after Wilson directly asked in a Web video for campaign cash to fend off attacks from political opponents and said he’s standing by his opposition to Democratic efforts at health care reform. “On these issues, I will not be muzzled, I will speak up and speak loudly against this risky plan,” Wilson said in a YouTube video released Thursday evening. “The supporters of the government takeover of health care and the liberals who want to give health care to illegals are using my opposition as an excuse to distract from the critical questions being raised about this poorly conceived plan.” The congressman disbursed the video via Twitter and asked his followers to “please watch and pass on.” “[Democrats] want to silence anyone who speaks out against it,” Wilson also says in the video. “They made it clear they want to defeat me and pass the plan. I need your help now. … Contribute to my effort to defeat the proponents of government-run health care.”
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Wilson also sent a fundraising appeal via e-mail, saying he is confident that “my voice is serving as the voice for Americans across the country who are tired of irresponsible government programs that have only worsened our situation.” The appeal for cash came as Wilson’s Democratic opponent in next year’s congressional race, Rob Miller, reported raking in $750,000 as a result of the outburst during President Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress.
Miller ran against Wilson last year, losing by 8 percentage points. It was Wilson’s smallest margin of victory in his five elections for Congress. In an e-mail to supporters Thursday night, Miller said he is aiming to top over $1 million in the next 24 hours, a total that dwarfs the $67,000 he has took in during the entire first half of the year.
