An article in today’s Washington Post describes the way the Internet is changing Presidential politics.

What’s true at the national level is even more true at the local and state level.

Example Number One: me.

I’m not supposed to be in office. In the 2001 redistricting, my district was carefully drawn to make sure I couldn’t win it. And it almost worked. But because I communicated so regularly with voters, even a few who told me they “never voted for anyone else in your party” pulled the voting lever for me.

We didn’t have access to many of the tools that are available today. There was email, but not all my colleagues knew how to use it. (Actually, some still don’t. One older veteran still asks me to “Send me an Internet on that.”)

Today, I use email, a web site, an electronic newsletter, online surveys, and a blog.

It hasn’t replaced all my other communication. I still mail a lot. I go to community meetings and school events. I knock on doors.

But technology has made it easier for me to reach more people.

Now I’m looking forward to talking with colleagues in Algeria about the many ways to use technology.

Note: This is cross posted at www.algiers2008.com, which is a blog we have created to document our training mission to Algeria.