Sunrise Movement Endorses GND Champions in PA and NC, Building Long Term Infrastructure

Coming off of Greg Casar's win and Jessica Cisneros's advance to the runoff in Texas, Sunrise is using this momentum to make its second round of House endorsements, endorsing Green New Deal champions Summer Lee (PA-12), Nida Allam (NC-04), and Erica Smith (NC-01).

"In these states, we are electing everyday people who have lived through the same crises we have, and who will represent us in Congress. They've organized alongside us, fought for us, and from rural North Carolina to urban Pennsylvania, they are running unapologetically on a Green New Deal," said Varshini Prakash, Sunrise Movement's Executive Director. "The movement for the Green New Deal is growing, and we're excited to throw down and see these climate champions over the finish line."

These endorsements are part of Sunrise's long term strategy of using progressive energy to build youth organizing infrastructure in strategic states while electing Green New Deal champions in the primary. Leading up to the Texas primaries, Sunrise had hundreds of unique youth volunteers mobilizing for Jessica Cisneros and expects to to triple the number of active volunteers in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, making hundreds of thousands of dials, and knocking on doors to talk to voters -- all the things that made the difference in Texas.

"Our programs should be a new model for Democrats - instead of mobilizing organizers every 2 years, young people are using these exciting races to build long term, consistent infrastructure that builds power throughout a community, connects local organizers, and makes winning in these states possible," said Michele Weindling, Electoral Director for Sunrise Movement. "In the general election, these candidates will make a strong contrast with corporate backed Republicans by exposing the corruption and greed we've seen from the GOP for years now. And the work we do right now will help Democrats hold onto their majority this fall."

Hear what each candidate has said on the Green New Deal:

Summer Lee: "In Congress I will fight for a Green New Deal to transition to a 100% clean and renewable energy economy. This includes ending fracking, which poses a disproportionate threat to communities like ours. The Green New Deal centers frontline and marginalized communities facing the brunt of environmental racism - communities with poisoned water, high rates of asthma, etc - communities like ours."

Erica Smith: "While serving in the state senate, I saw my district get hit hard by storms and floods that took lives. It's also one of the most economically distressed districts in the state, with high unemployment rates and generational poverty. There is an economic crisis in this country and there is a climate crisis in this world and with the Green New Deal we can take on both of them. By investing in a sustainable future we can further build on our place as second in the country in solar energy capacity and we can energize our coastal economy with offshore wind farms! We will combat climate change by creating millions of new jobs and building the energy system of the future."

Nida Allam: "I support a Green New Deal because we need to invest in solutions that meet the scale of the climate crisis. We can transition to a green energy economy and put millions of people to work with good paying jobs in the process. Those in power have let fossil fuel companies wreak havoc for far too long."