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To Build the Political Revolution, Grassroots Group Endorses 22 "People's Candidates"
People's Action endorses candidates who "represent families in America, not America's corporate elite"
Oct 18, 2016
Offering hope to those who feel "dispirited" by the presidential contest, the grassroots political organization People's Action on Tuesday released its list of 22 down-ballot endorsements for the 2016 election.
"These candidates come from out of the justice movement in America--some as leaders within our own organizations," said LeeAnn Hall, co-executive director of People's Action.
"They know what it's like to not be able to make ends meet," Hall said. "They understand how it feels to have to choose between meals or medicine for your children. They understand what it's like to be targeted for police violence because you are black, or have your family threatened by deportation. They represent families in America, not America's corporate elite."
Observers will notice overlap between the People's Action endorsements and those of Our Revolution, the organization launched to carry on the progressive ideals of Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. Among the names on both lists are higher-profile candidates like Russ Feingold in Wisconsin, Zephyr Teachout in New York, and David Zuckerman in Vermont; as well as lesser-knowns like Ilhan Omar in Minnesota, Chris Rabb in Pennsylvania, and Jamie Raskin in Maryland.
That's no coincidence.
In a press statement, People's Action said that by endorsing these candidates, it is "building on the progressive political revolution ignited by Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. We are lifting up grassroots leaders who are committed to fighting for people instead of corporate profits; standing up for racial and gender justice; working for an equitable people's economy, and fighting global warming and for climate justice."
To be sure, such platforms also invite the ire of billionaire-funded super PACs, as Our Revolution warned in a fundraising email sent to supporters just this week. Citing her work to get big money out of politics, Our Revolution's Jeff Weaver wrote that Teachout, along with three other grassroots candidates (Morgan Carroll in Colorado, Rick Nolan in Minnesota, and Tom Nelson in Wisconsin), is "up against millions of dollars from a single super PAC."
"These billionaires want to buy seats in Congress for a pretty simple reason: they want people in office who will fight to expand corporate tax breaks, oppose efforts to raise the minimum wage, and to pass disastrous trade deals," Weaver wrote. "We believe that there's a different way our democracy should work."
The full slate of People's Action candidates is:
Russ Feingold
Wisconsin, U.S. Senate
Christina Hartman
Pennsylvania, U.S. House of Representatives District 16
Washington, U.S. House of Representatives, District 7
Zephyr Teachout
New York, U.S. House of Representatives, District 19
Heidi Brooks
Maine, State House of Representatives District 61
Mari Cordes
Vermont, House of Representatives, Addison, District 4
Arturo Fierro
New Mexico, State House of Representatives District 7
Lauren Freedman
Michigan, Kalamazoo School Board
Kim Foxx
Illinois, Cook County, State's Attorney
LaTonya Johnson
Wisconsin, State Senate District 6
Denise Lopez
Nevada, Sparks City Council Ward 1
Theresa Mah
Illinois, State House of Representatives, District 2
Gina Melaragno
Maine, State House of Representatives District 62
Sara Niccoli
New York, State Senate, District 46
Minnesota, State House of Representatives District 60B
Chris Rabb
Pennsylvania, State House of Representatives District 200
Maryland, Congressional District 8
Gustavo Rivera
New York, State Senate District 33
J. Alejandro Urrutia
New Hampshire, State House of Representatives District Hillsborough 37
Andru Volinsky
New Hampshire, Executive Council District. 2
Mandy Wright
Wisconsin, State Assembly, District 85
David Zuckerman
Vermont, Lieutenant Governor
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Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
election 2016ilhan omarour revolutionpeople powerpeople's actionpramila jayapalruss feingoldzephyr teachout
Offering hope to those who feel "dispirited" by the presidential contest, the grassroots political organization People's Action on Tuesday released its list of 22 down-ballot endorsements for the 2016 election.
"These candidates come from out of the justice movement in America--some as leaders within our own organizations," said LeeAnn Hall, co-executive director of People's Action.
"They know what it's like to not be able to make ends meet," Hall said. "They understand how it feels to have to choose between meals or medicine for your children. They understand what it's like to be targeted for police violence because you are black, or have your family threatened by deportation. They represent families in America, not America's corporate elite."
Observers will notice overlap between the People's Action endorsements and those of Our Revolution, the organization launched to carry on the progressive ideals of Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. Among the names on both lists are higher-profile candidates like Russ Feingold in Wisconsin, Zephyr Teachout in New York, and David Zuckerman in Vermont; as well as lesser-knowns like Ilhan Omar in Minnesota, Chris Rabb in Pennsylvania, and Jamie Raskin in Maryland.
That's no coincidence.
In a press statement, People's Action said that by endorsing these candidates, it is "building on the progressive political revolution ignited by Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. We are lifting up grassroots leaders who are committed to fighting for people instead of corporate profits; standing up for racial and gender justice; working for an equitable people's economy, and fighting global warming and for climate justice."
To be sure, such platforms also invite the ire of billionaire-funded super PACs, as Our Revolution warned in a fundraising email sent to supporters just this week. Citing her work to get big money out of politics, Our Revolution's Jeff Weaver wrote that Teachout, along with three other grassroots candidates (Morgan Carroll in Colorado, Rick Nolan in Minnesota, and Tom Nelson in Wisconsin), is "up against millions of dollars from a single super PAC."
"These billionaires want to buy seats in Congress for a pretty simple reason: they want people in office who will fight to expand corporate tax breaks, oppose efforts to raise the minimum wage, and to pass disastrous trade deals," Weaver wrote. "We believe that there's a different way our democracy should work."
The full slate of People's Action candidates is:
Russ Feingold
Wisconsin, U.S. Senate
Christina Hartman
Pennsylvania, U.S. House of Representatives District 16
Washington, U.S. House of Representatives, District 7
Zephyr Teachout
New York, U.S. House of Representatives, District 19
Heidi Brooks
Maine, State House of Representatives District 61
Mari Cordes
Vermont, House of Representatives, Addison, District 4
Arturo Fierro
New Mexico, State House of Representatives District 7
Lauren Freedman
Michigan, Kalamazoo School Board
Kim Foxx
Illinois, Cook County, State's Attorney
LaTonya Johnson
Wisconsin, State Senate District 6
Denise Lopez
Nevada, Sparks City Council Ward 1
Theresa Mah
Illinois, State House of Representatives, District 2
Gina Melaragno
Maine, State House of Representatives District 62
Sara Niccoli
New York, State Senate, District 46
Minnesota, State House of Representatives District 60B
Chris Rabb
Pennsylvania, State House of Representatives District 200
Maryland, Congressional District 8
Gustavo Rivera
New York, State Senate District 33
J. Alejandro Urrutia
New Hampshire, State House of Representatives District Hillsborough 37
Andru Volinsky
New Hampshire, Executive Council District. 2
Mandy Wright
Wisconsin, State Assembly, District 85
David Zuckerman
Vermont, Lieutenant Governor
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
Offering hope to those who feel "dispirited" by the presidential contest, the grassroots political organization People's Action on Tuesday released its list of 22 down-ballot endorsements for the 2016 election.
"These candidates come from out of the justice movement in America--some as leaders within our own organizations," said LeeAnn Hall, co-executive director of People's Action.
"They know what it's like to not be able to make ends meet," Hall said. "They understand how it feels to have to choose between meals or medicine for your children. They understand what it's like to be targeted for police violence because you are black, or have your family threatened by deportation. They represent families in America, not America's corporate elite."
Observers will notice overlap between the People's Action endorsements and those of Our Revolution, the organization launched to carry on the progressive ideals of Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. Among the names on both lists are higher-profile candidates like Russ Feingold in Wisconsin, Zephyr Teachout in New York, and David Zuckerman in Vermont; as well as lesser-knowns like Ilhan Omar in Minnesota, Chris Rabb in Pennsylvania, and Jamie Raskin in Maryland.
That's no coincidence.
In a press statement, People's Action said that by endorsing these candidates, it is "building on the progressive political revolution ignited by Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. We are lifting up grassroots leaders who are committed to fighting for people instead of corporate profits; standing up for racial and gender justice; working for an equitable people's economy, and fighting global warming and for climate justice."
To be sure, such platforms also invite the ire of billionaire-funded super PACs, as Our Revolution warned in a fundraising email sent to supporters just this week. Citing her work to get big money out of politics, Our Revolution's Jeff Weaver wrote that Teachout, along with three other grassroots candidates (Morgan Carroll in Colorado, Rick Nolan in Minnesota, and Tom Nelson in Wisconsin), is "up against millions of dollars from a single super PAC."
"These billionaires want to buy seats in Congress for a pretty simple reason: they want people in office who will fight to expand corporate tax breaks, oppose efforts to raise the minimum wage, and to pass disastrous trade deals," Weaver wrote. "We believe that there's a different way our democracy should work."
The full slate of People's Action candidates is:
Russ Feingold
Wisconsin, U.S. Senate
Christina Hartman
Pennsylvania, U.S. House of Representatives District 16
Washington, U.S. House of Representatives, District 7
Zephyr Teachout
New York, U.S. House of Representatives, District 19
Heidi Brooks
Maine, State House of Representatives District 61
Mari Cordes
Vermont, House of Representatives, Addison, District 4
Arturo Fierro
New Mexico, State House of Representatives District 7
Lauren Freedman
Michigan, Kalamazoo School Board
Kim Foxx
Illinois, Cook County, State's Attorney
LaTonya Johnson
Wisconsin, State Senate District 6
Denise Lopez
Nevada, Sparks City Council Ward 1
Theresa Mah
Illinois, State House of Representatives, District 2
Gina Melaragno
Maine, State House of Representatives District 62
Sara Niccoli
New York, State Senate, District 46
Minnesota, State House of Representatives District 60B
Chris Rabb
Pennsylvania, State House of Representatives District 200
Maryland, Congressional District 8
Gustavo Rivera
New York, State Senate District 33
J. Alejandro Urrutia
New Hampshire, State House of Representatives District Hillsborough 37
Andru Volinsky
New Hampshire, Executive Council District. 2
Mandy Wright
Wisconsin, State Assembly, District 85
David Zuckerman
Vermont, Lieutenant Governor
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