
12/05/2001	On this day I decided to run for Congress! Florida District # 22.
12/11/2001	I sent some emails to the press, announcing my decision to run.
12/30/2001	Both campaign websites are online: www.Gr8St8.com and www.Xuna.com
1/2/2002	Both consultancy sites ( www.StrategicNames.com and www.InternExp.com have been completed and are being hosted online. Hopefully, these services will provide enough to sustain my family expenses.
1/3/2002	Starting of email campaign. Press Release sent to PRico, Spain and USA. Promoted websites.
1/4/2002	IBL News (online Spanish newspaper) is the first publisher covering the news.
1/5/2002	Diario de Pontevedra, largest newspaper from the capital of the province of Pontevedra (Galicia, Spain) -where I was born- writes article about Juan Xuna. Scan is displayed (in Spanish) on this website.
1/11/2002	IBL News does it again! They published a longer article. Displayed (in Spanish) on this website.
1/12/2002	First contribution (check of $100) arrived. It came from a Humanist family in Los Angeles, CA. I will frame it! ( money is tight, so it would be a photocopy if it, of course ) What a great boost to my spirits!
1/15/2002	Effective day of resignation from my last job as VP for Independent Tech, Omaha.
1/30/2002	Formalizing candidature. Federal Election forms were sent to Washington, with copy to Tallahassee.
1/31/2002	Faro de Vigo, newspaper from my hometown (Vigo, Spain), the one with the largest circulation in Galicia, fills one full page of the Sunday edition with an article on this candidate and his political campaign.
2/1/2002	Promoting of sites worked! A search by "Juan Xuna" in Yahoo!, Google, or any other Internet engine brings many of my websites to the screen. That's great!
2/4/2002	The Florida State registration is official: #34837 and #34838
2/6/2002	Opened a political committee bank account for JUAN XUNA FOR CONGRESS (SunTrust, Deerfield Beach)
2/19/2002	Democrat Carol Roberts announces her candidacy.
2/26/2002	The Federal registration is also official: # H2FL22049 and # C00373522 .
3/11/2002	Televisión de Galicia is asking me for an appearance on "Encontros", their TV program dedicated to showcase Galician Immigrants.
3/27/2002	Televisión de Galicia spotlighted my candidature on the "Encontros" report.
4/4/2002	Filed the required quarterly reports (Q1) to the FEC, for the first time and electronically .
4/5/2002	Although the deadline was in mid May, I also filed early the Candidate's Financial Release Statement.
4/13/2002	From the 12th to the 14th I attended this year's Florida Democratic Party State Conference. I went as Delegate from Broward county. Met with important Democratic Party members. Milly Herrera asked me to give a short presentation to the members of the Hispanic Caucus. Thanks again, Milly.
4/15/2002	I refreshed my campaign websites with new pictures taken in Orlando. Brochures are ready.
4/16/2002	Fundraising efforts with PACs were started. Mailed first 250 letters asking for campaign support.
4/17/2002	Brochures also sent to Political Clubs (50) , and acquaintances (200).
4/20/2002	Secr. Defense, Cheney, came to help Shaw. Raised $500,000 in one night (dinner in Ft. Lauderdale).
5/8/2002	More than 100 letters being sent to Chambers of Commerce and other Business Clubs. Offering speech.
5/9/2002	Letters to Democratic Party top brass were sent. I complained of favoritism for Roberts, and improprieties to my persona by DEC officers. Letters are being ignored. Obviously, they want to rollover my campaign in Carol's favor. There has been neither, relevant contacts from higher-ups in the Party, nor opportunities to debate Mrs. Roberts.
5/10/2002	My efforts to accompany former President, Jimmy Carter, to Cuba have been futile. I even sent a personal letter by courier to Plains, GA. For 40 years I have been against the embargo. For many years I have been negotiator in business deals in Latin America and elsewhere. I speak vernacular Spanish. I was born in the same region of Spain where Angel Castro (Fidel's father) was born, and I think I understand Castro's mentality better than the US Administration does. But, not even a consolation call for my "bona fide" offer.
5/11/2002	I am switching to Independent. Amendments to "Statement of Candidacy" -and Committee- were sent to the Federal and to the Florida State Elections Commission. I will free to be myself, without Party's platform and without strings. I will have better chances of reaching out to Republicans, as well as to Democrats. And that includes Italians, Hispanics, Technocrats, and free-Thinkers. I am also hopeful with the Jewish vote (although my support for Israel has reservations, and is moderated by my view on the rights of ethnic Arabs) For more than 50 years Arabs have been second-class citizens of Israel (if citizens at all). I have a problem with the "character of Israel" being only Judaic, instead of separating of Church and State as in a truly democratic system. Quite different to Clay Shaw or Carol Roberts position: Full support for Israel regardless of perpetual human abuses committed on the Palestinian people.
5/15/2002	Petition cards (as Independent) arrive from Florida Department of State, Division of Elections.
5/17/2002	Starting of efforts to get the 2135 petitions signed to get qualified under Florida Elections Law.
6/21/2002	I finished getting the petition to qualify to be on the ballot. I have more than needed!
6/24/2002	Deadline for "qualification". Those qualified will be announced in mid July.
7/3/2002	Mailed the quarterly reports to the FEC (Q2). Copied to the FL Department of State.
7/5/2002	Did random poll. Of the 50 questioned 5% recognized my name.
7/6/2002	"Meet the Candidate" invitations start to pour in from Police, Hospitals, Clubs, ... I will try to accept most.
7/18/2002	Florida State and Federal Government are supposed to announce the "qualified" candidates on this week.
	... SHOW TIME from here on !!!! Clay, Carol, move over ... I'm sprinting!
9/1/2002	Las Olas Art Festival. I handed out hundreds of fliers on this Labor day week-end. Robert's troops were there as well.
9/10/2002	Run-Off Election. As an Independent candidate I do not have to worry about Primaries now .
10/2/2002	NOW Forum. In Palm Beach, I talked to those attending, Carol did too. Clay did not show up!
10/2/2002	Bob Norman journalist of the Broward-PalmBeach NewTimes writes very good article about my campaign. It is titled "The Xuna Xone" .. not only is supportive, he also endorses my campaign, and says Norman will vote for XUNA. That's something worth commemorating!
10/4/2002	Several journalists start calling, asking me to email pictures. Thanks Norman, you are a decent man and a great journalist!
10/11/2002	Viva Broward! event in Fort Laud. Handed out fliers to Puerto Ricans and others.
10/12/2002	Viva Broward! event in Fort Laud. Handed out fliers to Puerto Ricans and others.
10/14/2002	I had an screening with the Palm Beach Post, but they called canceling it!
10/15/2002	My mother died from stomach cancer complications (Vigo, Spain). RIP mamá. Diagnosed last June.
10/16/2002	Political signs arrive at 5PM. At 6PM I am on the road sticking them. Worked thru the night.
10/17/2002	After 18 hours straight thru the night, I returned home at noon. I do not have any volunteer (what do you expected as NPA?). Rested for one hour, took a shower, and attended a debate, sponsored by the Human Resources Association of Palm Beach. Carol and I fielded a few questions for 5 minutes. Clay did not show up, and Carol said he was in town. It was the funeral of my mother in Spain. Sorry for not being there! But I know you have always been proud of me!
10/18/2002	Another debate, at 8:30 AM in Royal Palm Beach (by the PB Partnership for Aging). Did not sleep enough, but I did quite well though ! Met Stan Smilan for the first time in person. He is a smart man, eloquent and a cancer survivor. It is noon, I am tired and edgy, but I decided to take advantage of the trip to work on the signs. I do not have any volunteer (this lack of support always goes with the NPA territory, everyone wants to associate with the perceived winners, and not with the underdogs) I continued sticking those in many roads. I finally arrived home at 6PM.
10/19/2002	Finally slept enough hours. Did random poll. Great results! Of the 50 questioned 34% recognized my name. I had to read a ton of newspapers. I am catching up!
10/20/2002	Wrote to Sun-Sentinel.
10/21/2002	Wrote some important emails to the US Media and to the Herald.
10/22/2002	Temple Beth Forum (sponsored by Jewish organizations and the Congregational Church)
10/23/2002	Temple Torah Forum (sponsored by the League of Women Voters)
10/25/2002	"Walk the beaches and parking lots" - from here to the election I will greet people and hand out palm cards and other literature. Will go to the beaches, Publix, Home Depo, and so forth.
10/30/2002	...
11/5/2002	General Election. The race goes now till November. It was a 5 Km race. Now is a 10 Km one. Let's see who has the stamina! Sit back, watch and enjoy, because -modesty aside- I guarantee you one thing: " this race will be remembered, it will be one for the books".