CPD Action Endorses Slate of Progressive Candidates
Posted on October 25, 2018 by jchavez
For Immediate Release:
October 24, 2018
Media Contact:
Lia Weintraub, lweintraub@populardemocracy.org, 202-618-2482
CPD Action Endorses Slate of Progressive Candidates
With less than two weeks until the Midterm Elections, CPD Action brings momentum to next generation of progressive leaders
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the Center for Popular Democracy Action (CPD Action) announces its final roster of progressive candidates headed into the 2018 midterm elections. The endorsements, ranging from Governor’s races and U.S. Congress all the way to City Council and mayoral contests, are for the next generation of progressive leaders who are committed to making America a place where everyone can thrive.
The slate of endorsements closes out CPD Action’s first year of bringing the voice of the movement to weigh in on electoral contests. For the past two years, CPD Action and our network have been organizing communities and leading a wave of resistance at the local, state, and national level that has stopped legislation to gut healthcare, reversed attacks on immigrants, and advanced the struggles and rights of women to the center of the national stage. The affiliate organizations in the CPD Action network have endorsed hundreds of candidates this election cycle. Of those, the candidates that CPD Action has amplified with its endorsement reflect the races at the forefront of the progressive movement in American politics.
“Together, this slate of candidates have already transformed their local communities. They represent the next generation of progressive leaders who will co-govern with our communities and fight together to make democracy real for everyone in our country,” said Jennifer Epps-Addison, Network President & Co-Executive Director of CPD Action. “We need officials in elected office who represent the interests and needs of people of color, of low income people, of immigrants, and of women. For the past two years, the CPD Action network has been building power in communities across the country. On November 6, we’re prepared to bring that power to the ballot box to support progressive leaders.”
CPD Action endorsees include Rashida Tlaib (MI) and Ilhan Omar (MN) for Congress, who are positioned to be the first two Muslim women in Congress. Stacey Abrams (GA), Ben Jealous (MD), Andrew Gillum (FL) and David Garcia (AZ) are candidates of color who are challenging white male Republicans currently occupying their states’ governor’s mansion. In local races, CPD Action has endorsed Nikki Bas for City Council and Cat Brooks for Mayor in Oakland, CA.
A full list of CPD Action endorsees includes:
Arizona
David Garcia, Governor, Arizona
California
Cat Brooks, Oakland Mayor, California
Nikki Bas, Oakland City Council, District 2, California
Jovanka Beckles, State Assembly, District 15, California
Indiana
Liz Watson, U.S. Congress, IN-09, Indiana
Florida
Andrew Gillum, Governor, Florida
Georgia
Stacey Abrams, Governor, Georgia
Maryland
Ben Jealous, Governor, Maryland
Donna Edwards, County Executive, Prince George’s County, Maryland
Massachusetts
Ayanna Pressley, U.S. Congress, MA-07, Massachusetts
Michigan
Rashida Tlaib, Congress, MI-13, Michigan
Minnesota
Keith Ellison, Attorney General, Minnesota
Ilhan Omar, Congress, MN-5, Minnesota
New Mexico
Abbas Akhil, State House of Representatives, District 20, New Mexico
Xochitl Torres-Small, U.S. Congress, NM-02, New Mexico
Susan Herrera, State House of Representatives, District 41, New Mexico
Andrea Romero, State House of Representatives, District 46, New Mexico
Micaela Cadena-Lara, State House of Representatives, District 33, New Mexico
New York
Julia Salazar, State Senate, District 18, New York
Jessica Ramos, State Senate, District 13, New York
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. Congress, NY-14, New York
Pennsylvania
Summer Lee, State House of Representatives, District 34, Pennsylvania
Sara Innamorato, State House of Representatives, District 21, Pennsylvania
Lindsey Williams, State Senate, District 38, Pennsylvania
Jess King, U.S. Congress, PA-11, Pennsylvania
Texas
Beto O’Rourke, U.S. Senate, Texas
Vermont
Mari Cordes, State House of Representatives, District 4, Vermont
Wisconsin
Earnell Lucas, Sheriff, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Mandela Barnes, Lieutenant Governor, Wisconsin
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Center for Popular Democracy Action is a national network of more than 50 community organizations dedicated to achieving racial and economic justice through local grassroots organizing. CPDA trains and supports leadership, staff, and members to grow base-building organizations to scale and leverage that strength to win cutting-edge policy victories at the federal, state and local level.
