Solidarity-- 2020

In Poland, solidarity overthrow a tyrannical occupation

In 2014, there were over a dozen Democrats running for the West Side of L.A. congressional district Henry Waxman was retiring from. The DCCC/EMILY's List conservatives had some awful status quo candidate, Wendy Greuel, they were funneling immense support to. EMILY's List spent $158,516 on one of their typical smear campaigns against progressives and Greuel spent $1.3 on the primary. Blue America did our first-ever dual endorsement, for the two most progressive candidates in the race, Ted Lieu and Marianne Williamson. As you know, Ted was elected to Congress and Marianne has continued advocating for her love-based political agenda. She is also working with Blue America on helping to elect congressional candidates who back the progressive ideas she has been espousing both on and off the campaign trail.

This week both Ted and Marianne, each of whom has endorsed Mike Siegel's campaign for Congress in Texas, sent out letters to their own followers ask them to contribute to Mike's primary, which is on March 3.

Marianne urged her supporters not to forget that "it's not just the White House that’s hotly contested this year. All seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats are in play as well!" She went on to explain that she's backing Mike and why.

Mike’s congressional race means a lot to me because I was born and raised in Houston. I remember a Texas that was rich in the values that make America great, and it has saddened me to see my home state represented at times by people who do not express those ideals.

Mike is running to replace a Republican congressman named Michael McCaul. McCaul designed the House versions of Trump's Muslim Ban and family separation policy, two acts egregiously in opposition to what America is supposed to stand for. Those of us wishing to see the U.S. government reflect the angels of our better nature have no interest in seeing someone like McCaul return to office.

Mike Siegel, on the other hand, stands for human rights, humanitarian values and common decency. He's a Texas civil rights attorney, a married man with two children, and a great congressional candidate. Most importantly, he has the best chance to replace McCaul-- but he needs our help in order to do it.

Having run for office myself, I know what it means when Mike says he needs help building his field campaign. A congressman doesn’t just represent his district; he represents America. I’m writing to you now so that all of us can help him.

Mike’s campaign is running hard on labor issues and the Green New Deal. This has not only earned him the support of folks like the Sunrise Movement and 350 Action, but also the Texas AFL-CIO, even though many of the workers in the Texas 10th are a part of the fossil fuel industry. He has taken a strong stand on climate change and voting rights, on justice for Rodney Reed (a Texas death row prisoner who grew up in TX-10), and on providing a living wage with a dignified retirement.

March 3rd isn't just Super Tuesday for the presidential candidates, it is also the big day for many congressional candidates all over the country. Early voting in Texas starts on February 18th. The money we raise for Mike today will help his campaign bring voters to the polls and keep getting his message out.

You and I both know how much this matters. Please help create a wave of enthusiasm that will return our government to the best of who we are.

Ted also emphasized to his supporters what a big day March 3rd is. "Californians," he wrote, will go to the polls and cast their ballots in the primary elections-- but we’re not the only ones who’ll be making our voices heard on Super Tuesday. In states across the country, from Colorado to Virginia, voters will decide which Democrats are going to be taking on Republican challengers in November, including one of the most vulnerable members of Congress, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas." 



I’m proud to back Democrat Mike Siegel in his bid to unseat Rep. McCaul, and today I’m calling on all of my supporters to participate in a contest to ensure that Mike’s team has the resources they need to win big on Primary Day... Mike’s taking a strong stand on issues ranging from climate change to healthcare to justice reform, and the money we’re able to bring in for him will help his campaign reach as many voters as possible in the final stretch of this race... [L]et’s replace a reactionary Republican with a progressive Democrat.

The other day, I was at a fundraiser for Mike up on Bunker Hill and Cenk Uygur was one of the inspiring speakers. His message was all about solidarity and how important it is for progressives to work together and bring more progressives into Congress-- real progressives. The next day, Cenk released his first TV ad. Watch it; it's really good:





Yesterday, I was very impressed with a Chicago Sun Times editorial endorsing progressive Marie Newman for Congress against the reactionary Blue Dog incumbent backed by Cheri Bustos and the DCCC, Dan Lipinski. They hit it out of the park, not just for Marie, but for all the progressives taking on Republican-lite primary challengers this cycle.

This editorial could, more or less, be in favor of Shaniyat Chowdhury's campaign to replace Gregory Meeks in Queens; Kim Williams' campaign to replace Jim Costa in the Central Valley; Jessica Cisneros' campaign to replace Henry Cuellar in south Texas; Rebecca Parson's campaign to replace Derek Kilmer in Washington state; Mark Gamba's campaign to replace Kurt Schrader in Oregon; Eva Putzova's campaign to replace Michael O'Halleran in Arizona; Brianna Wu's campaign to replace Stephen Lynch in Boston; Michael Owens' campaign to replace David Scott in the Atlanta suburbs; Robin Wilt's campaign to replace Joe Morelle in Rochester; Rachel Ventura's and Robert Emmons' campaigns, both also in Chicagoland, to replace, respectively Bill Foster and Bobby Rush; and Mckayla Wilkes' campaign root replace Steny Hoyer out of K Street so that she can represent the people who live in southern Maryland.

The incumbent congressman, Daniel Lipinski, is a reluctant Democrat. He voted against the Affordable Care Act in 2010 before coming around and doing so later on.

Lipinski, we should add, also has voted against key legislation on immigration-- measures widely favored by his own party-- before coming around. And he’s been slow to support full rights and equality for LGBTQ folks, though of late he’s been coming around.

And why does Lipinski, who has never distinguished himself in Washington, finally keep coming around?

To keep winning elections. He has the great political misfortune to be a closet Republican, at least on social issues, in a strongly Democratic district.

Our endorsement goes to Newman. Nobody will have to give her a push to champion the values and policies of her own party.

Blue America has endorsed many candidates since we were founded in 2006. And many of them are now serving in Congress. I love the fact that I never have to call members like Pramila Jayapal, Ted Lieu, Barbara Lee, Ro Khanna, AOC, Judy Chu, Rashida Tlaib, Jimmy Gomez, Ilhan Omar, Alan Lowenthal, Raúl Grijalva, Jamie Raskin, Nanette Barragan... to argue with them about policy. They are leaders to whom progressive policies are second nature. They are not political cowards and they are not closet Republicans. Remember any blue will NOT do!

You will never see us endorsing the DCCC garbage candidates who go on to become the kinds of wretched Blue Dogs and New Dems, like Lipinski, who need to be primaried and replaced just like Republicans. How do you know? You can check Blue America's endorsements on this page and this page. You can check who PCCC, Justice Democrats, DSA, PDA, DFA and Brand New Congress are endorsing. Another way to do it-- see who the bad guys are backing. If someone is being supported by the Blue Dogs or the New Dems, they cannot be good candidates and, if they are elected, they will not vote for progressive initiatives. Virtually every Blue Dog and New Dem scores at "F" from ProgressivePunch. Jeff Van Drew, now a Republican, was both a Blue Dog and New Dem until last month. The Democrats with the 5 worst voting records in the House are all Blue Dogs and New Dems (not or, AND): Anthony Brindisi (NY), Joe Cunningham (SC), Kendra Horn (OK), Abigail Spanberger (VA) and Ben McAdams (UT). The Blue Dogs, who know they are toxic, hide their candidates from voters and just reveal them to corporate donors. As for the New Dems, these are their candidates so far this year. You may decide they are the lesser of two evils, but don't kid yourself, if you support progressive policy solutions, they are the enemy. Note that the conservative opponents of both Mike Siegel and Cenk Uygur have been endorsed by the Wall Street-owned-and-operated New Dems.

Next year's congressional bad guys if they are elected