Insider News from the Political Revolution!
HEADLINES: BIG Election Wins | Progressives BEAT Manchin Dems | Summer Lee Victory in PA-12 | Jamie McLeod-Skinner in OR-5 | Bernie vs. Big Tech | Cawthorn Out of Office | Roe v Wade Actions | SC Labor Forum | M4A Day of Action | Larry Cohen: On Democracy | & MORE!
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We scored major wins this week with Summer Lee and Jamie McLeod-Skinner — proving that organizing can outmatch big money. On Tuesday, Jessica Cisneros takes on anti-choice “Dem” Henry Cuellar, and we need you to become a RECURRING DONOR to Our Revolution right now to fund our voter outreach in Texas & beyond!
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Join us this Monday, May 23rd, at 8:30p ET/7:30 CT for our National ‘Organize to Win’ Call with Our Revolution Board Member and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on the state of the progressive fight in 2022!
Congressional races are heating up, and we’ll be strategizing directly with Mike Ortega (CA-46), Delia Ramirez (IL-3), and Litesa Wallace (IL-17) — tune-in to meet these incredible allies and help get them into office!
RSVP HERE
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ORGANIZING TO OUTMATCH BIG MONEY
Our Revolution candidates pulled off pivotal wins on Tuesday because our movement out-organized and outworked the monied interests. Our people-powered operation activated voters to elect progressives and deliver serious blows against the Manchin wing of the Party.
In Oregon, Jamie McLeod-Skinner took a decisive lead over Blue-Dog Kurt Shrader — nicknamed “Joe Manchin of the House” for famously undercutting Biden’s agenda and being a key vote against lowering drug prices.
Biden still came out to endorse Shrader against Jamie and Big Pharma helped him outspend her 10:1. But her progressive platform triumphed, and Jamie is set to become the first queer representative in the 5th District come November!
“Kurt Schrader became the national poster boy for learning the hard way,” Our Revolution Executive Director Joseph Geevarghese told The Hill. “Progressives won some big races despite millions of dollars from corporate billionaires pouring into Democratic primaries.”
In PA-12, years of grassroots organizing in Pittsburgh helped Summer Lee overcome $4.5M in spending against her to defeat a union avoidance lawyer running as a corporate Dem. Before the money poured in, Summer had a 25-point lead — but our movement still pulled out this historic win!
Also in Pennsylvania, John Fetterman won in a landslide against Establishment darling Conor Lamb. Despite insurance companies funding bizarre ads against him - and suffering a stroke days before the election - he won every county in the state to secure its Democratic US Senate nomination.
In his race, Fetterman explicitly slammed Joe Manchin, who endorsed his opponent, and came out on top by a margin of 2:1.
Not coincidentally, a new NBC News poll shows the same 2:1 margin among Democratic voters, who want to vote for a candidate “who proposes larger-scale policies that cost more and might be harder to pass into law, but could bring major change” vs. incremental change proposals.
All told, in recent elections, AIPAC, crypto, and billionaires teamed up to spend more than $18M helping corporate-aligned Democrats and hindering working-class candidates.
A flood of corporate cash blanketed the airwaves attacking progressive women of color running for Congress — resulting in losses for Nida Allam in NC-4, Erica Smith in NC-1, and Attica Scott in KY-3.
“The same groups have been spending heavily in primaries across the map this cycle,” Our Revolution Political Director Aaron Chappell told Roll Call. “It’s insane that a couple of issue groups can spend this much money and have a real impact on races.”
Our fight is far from finished! The Texas primary is this TUESDAY — chip in now to help us GROW THE SQUAD by getting more progressives like Jessica Cisneros over the finish line.
On Friday, Bernie joined Jessica Cisneros for a rally in San Antonio to get out the early vote ahead of Tuesday in her runoff against Henry Cuellar - one of the WORST “Democrats” in Congress.
Cuellar is anti-choice, anti-worker, and brazenly corrupt — a faithful servant of Big Pharma and Big Oil. While he has the backing of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Jim Clyburn, Jessica has our progressive movement behind her.
Also this Tuesday, money is pouring in against Jasmine Crockett and Michele Vallejo who are also running against the establishment in Texas.
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We can expect to see more of the “Ohio Model for Purging Progressives” they first honed against Nina Turner in the pivotal races just around the corner, The American Prospect reports.
Bernie is leading the push to bring an end to this warfare - calling on DNC Chair Jamie Harrison to take action and ban Super PAC money in Democratic primaries, Punchbowl reports.
“The goal of this billionaire-funded effort is to crush the candidacies of a number of progressive women of color who are running for Congress,” Bernie said.
The corporate establishment sees us growing stronger, and they’re desperate to stop the ascendance of our multiracial, multigenerational movement.
Rush a donation now to help elect powerful progressive candidates and counter the corrosive effect of big money in politics!
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CAWTHORN OUSTED FROM OFFICE
Our Revolution is thrilled to see insurrectionist Madison Cawthorn ousted from Congress. He conceded his seat in North Carolina’s 11th District on Tuesday to Republican challenger Chuck Edwards.
Our members and our partners at Free Speech For People are still battling the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene in the courts, and we need your support more than ever to uphold the Constitution which prohibits insurrectionists from re-election.
With AIPAC funding 109 of them in the primaries, we have a lot of important work in front of us. We’re up against Doug Mastriano and Scott Perry in Pennsylvania, and in Arizona, we’re taking on US Reps. Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs — and State Rep. Mark Finchem who joined the mob and breached the Capitol on January 6th!
TAKE ACTION: Sign our petition to your state elections official demanding they uphold the Constitution and bar insurrectionists from the ballot.
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REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE ACTIONS
Our Revolution chapters around the country took part in a National Day of Action - Bans Off Our Bodies - organized with Planned Parenthood.
Thousands came out in Princeton, NJ, Cleveland, Ohio, Columbia, SC, and other cities to rally for reproductive justice.
Abortion is healthcare and healthcare is a human right. We cannot let the far-right authoritarians undo decades of work on this critical issue.
Thanks to our organizers Anna-Marta Visky, Diane Morgan, Lucero Mesa, Andrea Jimenez, Miguel Ribau, and others - and to Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman and everyone who joined these mobilizations to make the voice of the majority heard!
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Our Revolution continues to ramp up pressure on President Biden to sign executive actions strengthening workers’ ability to unionize and punish union-busters.
“It’s incredibly powerful for the president to visibly show solidarity by inviting low-wage workers to the Roosevelt Room, that’s awesome,” Our Revolution Executive Director Joseph Geevarghese told The Hill. “The pat on the back, the embrace, is not in itself enough. The president has to use the full power of the United States government to help these workers organize.”
Our Revolution also stands with Bernie to call on Biden to help low-wage federal contract workers losing millions to bureaucratic fumbles amounting to wage theft, as reported by The Washington Post this week.
Support our work to grow worker power and carry forward the momentum of the resurgence of the labor movement in America.
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Speaking of worker rights, Our Revolution South Carolina convened a Labor Forum right before helping lead the Reproductive Rights Rally in downtown Columbia.
South Carolina AFL-CIO President Charles Brave joined Gubernatorial candidate Senator Mia McLeod and State House Candidate Keith Grey, Sr.
Brave, a longtime labor leader in both the AFL-CIO and the International Longshoremen's Association, spoke of the “critical role unions played in creating a middle-class, and the successes of the civil rights and women’s rights movements.”
Senator McLeod pointed to low wages as one reason for the exodus of young people from the state, calling “South Carolina a right to work for slave wages state.” She pledged to “work to strengthen unions and fight to repeal right-to-work laws.”
Grey decried increasing corporate reliance on “independent contractors” and called for “adequate funding to enforce labor protection laws on the books.”
WATCH THE LABOR FORUM HERE
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CALLING OUT CVS’ ANTI-M4A SPENDING
Last week, Our Revolution joined National Nurses United for a National Day of Action, where supporters showed up to canvass customers at CVS stores around the country.
We called on CVS Health to stop funding anti-Medicare for All efforts and worked to raise awareness with customers of the company’s nefarious actions.
CVS is the largest donor to the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future, donating $5M to the dark money lobbying group fighting tooth and nail against M4A and any candidates who support it – including Bernie’s 2020 campaign.
We are undeterred! Also last week, Our Revolution members rallied at the Capitol Thursday with Bernie, who as Budget Committee Chairman held the first-ever Senate hearing on Medicare for All and reintroduced the bill!
Become a sustaining member of Our Revolution today to power the next phase of our fight for Medicare for All. We are moving the ball forward!
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FACEBOOK v. BERNIE
TAKING ON BIG TECH FOR DEMOCRACY
Did you see the big story in The Daily Beast showing how Facebook suppressed Bernie during his presidential campaign?
Facebook actually blocked constituents from seeing Bernie’s message and told him to change his political platform to suit their social media platform – despicable. A small number of companies have way too much power, and it’s crippling our Democracy.
That’s why we’re fighting to break up the power of these big tech monopolies acting as gatekeepers to the public square.
The Open Apps Markets Act and the American Innovation and Choice Act would enable fair competition on Big Tech platforms and app markets. This will give small businesses a fair shot and empower citizens with more choices on the platforms.
But we can’t win without your support. If you live in California or Washington, click HERE to easily call your Senators and tell them to pass these two important bills!
Not only are we calling for legislative actions, but we’re also calling on President Biden to use the power of the Justice Department to crack down on Big Tech.
While Google is pressuring the Biden administration to force DOJ trust-buster Jonathan Kanter to recuse himself from investigating the company, Our Revolution joined dozens of progressive and antitrust advocacy groups to stand up against the tech giant, Bloomberg reported.
If the DOJ doesn’t grant Kanter a waiver to scrutinize the company, “it will not only be bending to these petulant and dangerous tactics but giving other powerful corporate actors incentive to engage in similar behavior,” our letter reads.
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NEW DOCUMENTARY:
PROGRESSIVES ON A KNIFE’S EDGE
A new documentary by British outlet openDemocracy asks: Can US Progressives Defeat Big Money and Trumpism? The film - Progressives on a Knife’s Edge - features deep discussions with US Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, and Jamie Raskin, Common Dreams reports.
openDemocracy co-founder Anthony Barnett also spoke with Our Revolution Chair Larry Cohen on the film about our organizing work, the state of the Democratic Party, and the fight against fascism.
“Democracy itself is actually the leading issue when we do surveys,” Larry said. “Without a better democracy, we won't have healthcare. We won’t solve the climate crisis. We won’t deal with racial justice. We won’t deal with the inequality of wealth.”
“Democrats are totally addicted to big money,” he told Barnett. “Not only *can* progressives defeat Big Money and Trumpism, they’re the only Democrats trying. This primary season, we must nominate candidates who reject corporate money and the rightwing economic policies that go with it.”
WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY HERE!
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2022 MEMBERSHIP REWARDS!
To show our gratitude to members joining at higher donation levels, we’re sweetening the deal! For $10 a month, we’ll throw in our sticker 6-pack, and at $15, you’ll get the stickers and a poster. For $27, get both and a tote bag, or join at the $50 level to get it all and a T-shirt.
As committed Movement Builders, we know the real reward is taking action to make a better world, but we want to share these fun items as a way of thanks.
BECOME A MOVEMENT BUILDER
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BATTLING THE PARTY FOR DEMOCRACY
Politico reported this week on our fight to make the Massachusetts Democratic Party more democratic.
“A group of Democratic delegates that includes members of Our Revolution Massachusetts is accusing the state party of stymying a resolution that would eliminate a group of unelected members from the roughly 400-person state committee,” Politico wrote.
Our Revolution organizer and Somerville delegate Rand Wilson is “leading the charge to change the rules,” said Politico. Rand argues that having a third of the state committee unelected — makes party leadership “unaccountable to its grassroots base.”
We are working to get 500 delegate signatures by May 21 to bring the resolution for a vote at the convention. If you’re interested in helping reform the state party contact HERE.
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Join us Monday, May 23rd, at 8:30p ET/7:30 CT for our National ‘Organize to Win’ Call with Our Revolution Board Member and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on the state of the progressive fight in 2022!
Congressional races are heating up, and we’ll be strategizing directly with Mike Ortega (CA-46), Delia Ramirez (IL-3), and Litesa Wallace (IL-17) — tune-in to meet these incredible allies and help get them into office!
RSVP HERE
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As we showed this week with the victories of Summer Lee and Jamie McLeod-Skinner, we can overcome the force of big money by reaching voters directly.
We have a shot to elect more allies and replace more #ManchinDems in these pivotal primaries. On Tuesday, Jessica Cisneros goes up against one of the worst — Henry Cuellar — and we can defeat him if we continue to rise up as a unified front and outmatch corporate power.
Help us make calls any day of the week for Our Revolution partners like Alexi Giannoulias for Illinois Secretary of State, and congressional candidates Andy Levin (MI-11), Brittany Ramos DeBarros (NY-11), David Segal (RI-2), Amy Vilela (NV-1), and DC Council candidates Erin Palmer and Zack Parker.
SIGN UP TO MAKE CALLS
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NEW YORK TOWN HALL
Get ready for Our Revolution’s New York Town Hall this Monday, May 23rd, from 7 to 8 pm ET! We have amazing progressive candidates taking on the corporate opposition, and they need OUR help to win their primary races.
We'll be joined by Jumaane Williams and Ana Maria Archila, candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor, as well as two of our most inspiring congressional candidates, Melanie D’Arrigo and Brittany Ramos DeBarros, and others!
RSVP
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This week, we’re ramping up calls to elect Amy Vilela to Congress. She is a progressive champion and a powerful leader in the fight for Medicare for All.
We’ll be calling thousands of voters in Nevada CD-1 which includes Las Vegas - SIGN-UP HERE to make calls for Amy!
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Help us defend democracy by electing progressive Secretary of State candidate Alexi Giannoulias in Illinois!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE - SIGN UP TODAY!
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Sign up for phone banking as we organize to elect progressive Democrat and Our Revolution member David Segal to Congress.
We will be calling thousands of Our Revolution supporters in Rhode Island’s First Congressional District, which includes much of the city of Providence.
RSVP HERE
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Sign up for phone banking as we organize to re-elect progressive Democrats and Our Revolution endorsed Rep. Andy Levin to Congress.
We will be calling thousands of Our Revolution supporters in Michigan’s 11th congressional district, which includes Detroit area communities such as Bloomfield and Pontiac.
RSVP HERE
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Sign up for phone banking as we organize to elect progressive Democrat and Our Revolution member and endorsed candidate Brittany Ramos DeBarros to Congress.
We will be calling thousands of Our Revolution supporters in this Staten Island-based Congressional District.
RSVP HERE
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You can help ramp up direct voter outreach for all of our progressive candidates taking on the establishment in these pivotal primaries happening now!
JOIN THE PHONEBANK FORCE
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Are you a member of Our Revolution? For $5 a month, you’ll be part of choosing our candidate endorsements and crafting our platform and strategy. Plus, we’ll send you our new 2022 Membership Card.
To show our gratitude to members joining at higher donation levels, we’re sweetening the deal! For $10 a month, get a sticker 6-pack, and at $15, get the stickers and a poster. For $27, get both and a tote bag, or join at the $50 level to get it all and a T-shirt.
BECOME A MOVEMENT BUILDER
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