John,
We’re back with the WFP Newsletter — your inside look at what’s happening in our party, and how we’re organizing towards a world where our elected leaders have working people’s backs.
There’s a lot to catch up on since our last roundup, so let's get to it!
HUGE PRIMARY NIGHT IN PENNSYLVANIA
This month, we celebrated some major primary wins in Pennsylvania. From Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, Working Families Democrats ran incredible and inspirational campaigns, and dozens of our champions running for municipal and judicial seats advanced to the General Election in November.
In Allegheny County, WFP members helped power primary wins for candidates including progressive champion Sara Innamorato for County Executive and Matt Dugan for County District Attorney!
WFP Mid-Atlantic Elections Director Shoshanna Israel told The Intercept:
“Voters in Allegheny County showed once again that they are hungry for leaders with big ideas who will fight hard for working people. They rejected tough-on-crime fear mongering from a decrepit political establishment and embraced reformers who will invest in and support our communities.”
“This is a victory not just for Sara Innamorato and Matt Dugan, but for the people-powered movement that knocked on tens of thousands of doors to elect them. It’s a victory for those who want an Allegheny County that works for everyone, not just the powerful and politically connected.”
In Philadelphia, we expanded our progressive bloc in the city council. Rue Landau won her primary for an at-large seat on the city council and is poised to become Philly’s first openly LGBTQ+ city council member. Councilmember Isaiah Thomas also advanced to the General Election in November, receiving the most votes out of any at-large candidate in the Democratic field!
WFP champion Helen Gym unfortunately came up short in her quest to bring a progressive vision to City Hall as mayor, but we remain immensely proud of the campaign she ran.
And finally, we racked up several judicial wins for nominees who will fight for equality and justice under the law: Timika Lane for Superior Court, and six candidates for Court of Common Please, including Caroline Turner, Samantha Williams, Kay Yu.
If you’d like to read more about WFP’s work in Pennsylvania this cycle, read our pre-election post on Medium that goes into more detail about the extraordinary organizing our entire team did to reach voters in these and other races across the state.
NEW ENDORSEMENTS IN RHODE ISLAND AND VIRGINIA
In Rhode Island, we endorsed long-time organizer, community leader, and former state representative Aaron Regunberg for Congress in RI-01 after Rep. David Cicilline’s surprise resignation left the U.S. House seat open.
In a statement to the Boston Globe, WFP New England Regional Director Georgia Hollister Isman said:
"Aaron is exactly the type of leader Rhode Islanders need in Congress. He has an unshakeable commitment to progressive values. He’s dogged enough to take on the Republicans and corporate Democrats organizing to block progressive change, and skilled enough to get things done in tough conditions. From winning paid sick days for over 100,000 Rhode Islanders or walking picket lines with striking workers, Aaron is someone who shows up, brings people together and gets results.”
In Virginia, WFP has made endorsements in 12 races ahead of the June 20th primary, including Laschrecse Aird who is running to defeat the last anti-abortion Democrat in the state senate and Sally Hudson who is standing up to Dominion Energy. You can see the rest of our endorsements in Virginia here.
This year, every single seat in the Virginia State Legislature is up for election, giving us a huge opportunity to elect champions who will reform our criminal justice system, defend abortion access, and stand up to abusive utility monopolies — and making Virginia one of the most hotly-contested battlegrounds of the year.
WATCH: CALIFORNIA WORKING FAMILIES PARTY FORUM WITH SENATE CANDIDATES BARBARA LEE AND KATIE PORTER
California WFP made waves last month after it held the first forum of the U.S. Senate race, featuring candidates Reps. Barbara Lee and Katie Porter. You can watch the full recording of the livestream here.
The forum offered an opportunity for the CA-WFP and our members across the state to discuss priority issues, share a collective vision for the future, and build momentum for progressive change.
WFP members and activists hosted dozens of watch parties across the state, encouraging attendees to join their regional WFP clubs to uplift local efforts happening in their communities. You can read some of the post-forum takeaways watch party attendees had in the San Francisco Chronicle and Orange County Register.
WFP’S SUE ALTMAN ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR CONGRESS IN NJ-07
After four years leading WFP’s efforts in New Jersey, State Director Sue Altman is taking a step back — to run for Congress in NJ-07!
Sue will be running to unseat Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in what will be one of the highest-profile swing district contests in the country. The New York Times broke the story, with more coverage in The Star-Ledger.
While Sue is away, we’re proud to announce that NJ WFP Political Director Antoinette Miles will serve as Interim State Director and keep our movement moving!
ALL HANDS ON DECK TO STOP COP CITY IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA
The Atlanta political establishment has been dead-set on the construction of a new massive 85-acre military-style police training facility in Atlanta dubbed ‘Cop City,’ since it was first proposed.
Georgia WFP has firmly opposed the development from the beginning — and has been educating and engaging Atlantans on public safety and Cop City since the 2021 municipal elections.
But on Tuesday, after listening to over 12 hours and 400+ nearly-unanimous testimonies against Cop City, the Georgia City Council voted to fund the center by a vote of 11-4 — with 3 out of the only 4 opposing votes cast by WFP councilmembers.
Georgia WFP and our partners are now calling for a city-wide referendum — a direct vote for the community to decide Atlanta’s fate and defeat Cop City for good.
Over the next two months, WFP organizers will gather tens of thousands of signatures to achieve the 75,000 necessary to qualify for the referendum process. But this work takes resources, and we rely on your support.
Can you make a contribution of $3 or more today to our campaign to stop Cop City?
Contribute »
ABORTION RIGHTS BATTLE IN OHIO
Ahead of a likely November vote on an amendment that would enshrine abortion rights in the state, the Ohio GOP is ramming through an allegedly illegal August election on a proposal to make it harder for voters to amend their state constitution.
Republicans know abortion bans are massively unpopular among voters everywhere. And they know they can’t win unless they rig our government for GOP corruption.
Ohio WFP has joined a coalition of progressive organizing groups to collect the over 400,000 signatures needed to put the amendment to enshrine abortion rights in the Ohio Constitution on the ballot this November, and organize the voters of Ohio in defiance of the legislature's anti-democracy efforts.
BRANDON JOHNSON SWORN IN AS MAYOR OF CHICAGO
Brandon Johnson was sworn in as mayor of Chicago. Check out this great interview on how United Working Families (UWF) members in Chicago and WFP supporters nationwide were crucial to building the multiracial progressive movement we needed to win this election, and hopes for the future with UWF director Emma Tai in In These Times.
UPCOMING EVENTS
WFP Campaign Camp
Join us at Campaign Camp — a fun-filled and FREE virtual training series we hold on Tuesdays and Thursday nights in the month of June to provide grassroots organizers and activists with the tools they need to win elections and continue fighting for the poor, the working class, and the marginalized in moments like this.
Apply now to attend our next session, Targeting and Progressive Election Math, happening tomorrow, June 8th at 7PM ET.
Can’t make it? You can still apply and select to attend any of our upcoming modules — whether it’s just one, or a few, or all of them!
Join us at Campaign Camp »
WFP Call Party for Virginia Senate Candidates
In less than two weeks, Virginia voters have the opportunity to take a stand against abortion bans and abusive utility monopolies by nominating Lashrecse Aird and Sally Hudson for State Senate.
Join our virtual volunteer phone bank TONIGHT, June 7th at 6PM ET to make an impact in two of the most important elections of the year.
Join us at our Call Party »
Welcome Gathering
On Thursday, June 15th at 7PM ET, join WFP members old and new for our monthly Welcome Gathering! On the call, you’ll have the chance to meet people who share your vision of a world where we can thrive, and not just survive — and learn how you can get involved in making that vision a reality.
Join us at our Welcome Gathering »
Study Group: Reading for the Revolution
In June’s edition of the WFP Study Group: Reading for the Revolution, we’ll be discussing Becoming Abolitionists by Derecka Purnell. On Saturday, June 24 at 1PM ET we’ll talk as a group about what the book means for our work and how we can apply its lessons to our own advocacy work.
Join us for our Study Group »
Thanks for taking the time to read more about what our party’s been up to, John.
It’s been a busy cycle, and our work to deliver the transformative change this country needs isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
But the policies, leadership, and future(s) we seek requires us to take on some of the world’s most powerful, moneyed interests. This kind of fight takes a lot of resources — and we rely on your support.
Can you pitch in to help fuel our organizing to help power our movement and win real change for our communities?
Pitch in »
Thank you,
All of us at the Working Families Party
