
"It's time to move forward to flip this U.S. Senate seat. And we can do it by working together, by staying true to the principles," Democratic Tennessee Senate candidate Marquita Bradshaw said after her primary win Thursday. (Photo: Marquita Bradshaw 2020)
Outraised 250-1, Progressive Marquita Bradshaw Upsets Establishment Opponent in Tennessee Primary for US Senate
"The progressive movement is undeniable!" Bradshaw said following her win. "Thank you all so much for your support and this victory. It's time to put hardworking people first. Onward."
Despite being outraised 250-1 by her establishment-backed opponent, progressive environmentalist Marquita Bradshaw scored a stunning upset victory in the Tennessee Democratic primary for an open U.S. Senate seat on Thursday after running on a platform that included Medicare for All and the Green New Deal.
James Mackler, one of Bradshaw's four primary competitors, was endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and raised more than $2 million over the course of the campaign, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Bradshaw, by contrast, had the backing of the Memphis-Midsouth chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and raised just over $8,400.
"The progressive movement is undeniable!" Bradshaw, whose campaign consisted entirely of volunteers, tweeted following her win. "Thank you all so much for your support and this victory. It's time to put hardworking people first. Onward."
The youth-led Sunrise Movement celebrated Bradshaw's win as a testament to the power of her vision of a Green New Deal that "puts racial justice at its core."
"She took down the party-backed candidate who raised millions of dollars," the group tweeted. "It's 2020 and big things are happening y'all."
In November, Bradshaw will face off against former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty, who prevailed in a close Republican primary race Thursday with the backing of President Donald Trump. No Democrat has won a Senate election in Tennessee since 1990.
"This is a network that has reached across Tennessee," Bradshaw said of her campaign. "Now it's time to move forward to flip this U.S. Senate seat. And we can do it by working together, by staying true to the principles... by listening to voters."
"I don't have an opponent. We have issues to solve," Bradshaw added. "And that's the reason why we're leading in the state right now. And that's how we're going to flip this U.S. Senate seat."
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just four days to go in our Spring Campaign, we are not even halfway to our goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Despite being outraised 250-1 by her establishment-backed opponent, progressive environmentalist Marquita Bradshaw scored a stunning upset victory in the Tennessee Democratic primary for an open U.S. Senate seat on Thursday after running on a platform that included Medicare for All and the Green New Deal.
James Mackler, one of Bradshaw's four primary competitors, was endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and raised more than $2 million over the course of the campaign, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Bradshaw, by contrast, had the backing of the Memphis-Midsouth chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and raised just over $8,400.
"The progressive movement is undeniable!" Bradshaw, whose campaign consisted entirely of volunteers, tweeted following her win. "Thank you all so much for your support and this victory. It's time to put hardworking people first. Onward."
The youth-led Sunrise Movement celebrated Bradshaw's win as a testament to the power of her vision of a Green New Deal that "puts racial justice at its core."
"She took down the party-backed candidate who raised millions of dollars," the group tweeted. "It's 2020 and big things are happening y'all."
In November, Bradshaw will face off against former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty, who prevailed in a close Republican primary race Thursday with the backing of President Donald Trump. No Democrat has won a Senate election in Tennessee since 1990.
"This is a network that has reached across Tennessee," Bradshaw said of her campaign. "Now it's time to move forward to flip this U.S. Senate seat. And we can do it by working together, by staying true to the principles... by listening to voters."
"I don't have an opponent. We have issues to solve," Bradshaw added. "And that's the reason why we're leading in the state right now. And that's how we're going to flip this U.S. Senate seat."
Despite being outraised 250-1 by her establishment-backed opponent, progressive environmentalist Marquita Bradshaw scored a stunning upset victory in the Tennessee Democratic primary for an open U.S. Senate seat on Thursday after running on a platform that included Medicare for All and the Green New Deal.
James Mackler, one of Bradshaw's four primary competitors, was endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and raised more than $2 million over the course of the campaign, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Bradshaw, by contrast, had the backing of the Memphis-Midsouth chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and raised just over $8,400.
"The progressive movement is undeniable!" Bradshaw, whose campaign consisted entirely of volunteers, tweeted following her win. "Thank you all so much for your support and this victory. It's time to put hardworking people first. Onward."
The youth-led Sunrise Movement celebrated Bradshaw's win as a testament to the power of her vision of a Green New Deal that "puts racial justice at its core."
"She took down the party-backed candidate who raised millions of dollars," the group tweeted. "It's 2020 and big things are happening y'all."
In November, Bradshaw will face off against former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty, who prevailed in a close Republican primary race Thursday with the backing of President Donald Trump. No Democrat has won a Senate election in Tennessee since 1990.
"This is a network that has reached across Tennessee," Bradshaw said of her campaign. "Now it's time to move forward to flip this U.S. Senate seat. And we can do it by working together, by staying true to the principles... by listening to voters."
"I don't have an opponent. We have issues to solve," Bradshaw added. "And that's the reason why we're leading in the state right now. And that's how we're going to flip this U.S. Senate seat."

