Ocean Champions Delivers Significant Energy to Crucial Gilchrest Campaign in Maryland

CAPITOLA, CA--(Marketwire - February 11, 2008) - Ewire -- With less than 24 hours until the polls open for Maryland's primary, the national, political group Ocean Champions is on the ground in the state's first congressional district mobilizing voters for incumbent Wayne Gilchrest. Rep. Gilchrest is one of the House's leading Republicans for the environment and ocean health. In the past three weeks, Ocean Champions raised more than $40,000 for an aggressive 'Get Out The Vote' campaign engaging more than 40,000 Republicans in communities along Maryland's Eastern Shore, Annapolis and Baltimore.

Ocean Champions, a long-time supporter of Rep. Gilchrest, knows how crucial this primary is, for Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay, and the nation's oceans at large. In this extremely close primary, Ocean Champions assigned a professional team to the district to identify and mobilize voters in support of Rep. Gilchrest and his record of ocean conservation.

"Representative Gilchrest has been a leader for ocean conservation throughout his career," said David Wilmot, PhD, Co-founder and President of Ocean Champions. "We are doing everything we can to make sure he returns to Congress and continues championing legislation on behalf of the oceans."

Ocean Champions is working with a coalition of other like-minded environmental and Republican groups to make strategic independent expenditures for Gilchrest. Ocean Champions complements the advocacy efforts of other coalition members with the deployment of their 'Get Out The Vote' strategy, which proved successful in previous campaigns.

Ann Granandos, Chairman of the Dunes Stabilization Committee in Ocean City, Maryland, views her support of Rep. Gilchrest as a show of concern and support of the political policy on behalf of the oceans and bay environment. "Each time legislation has come before Congress to provide funds for beach replenishment, Congressman Gilchrest has been the sponsor in the House. He is very important to us in Ocean City. I'm so grateful Mr. Gilchrest works to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay," says Mrs. Granandos.

The Maryland primary is the first of many races Ocean Champions will be involved in this election year. Ocean Champions is the only national nonpartisan political voice that endorses pro-ocean Congressional candidates and lobbies members of Congress on behalf of the oceans. To learn more visit www.oceanchampions.org

Contact Information: For Details, Contact: Maureen Wilmot Media Director Phone: 831-332-0369 Fax: 831-462-2542 Email: