Hi, there. It’s not Lis. It’s Hari. (I’ll explain below). 

I’m writing because I’m exhausted by the toxic political tactics coming not just from Trump and his allies, but also from some in our own party. It has to stop. 

Threatening those who don’t agree with you, trading in conspiracy theories, even taking a coffin to an event of a man who lost his son -- these tactics don’t represent the values of the Democratic party. Yet this week, we’ve seen progressive activists employ them all. And as we've seen when the far right uses these tactics -- they're dangerous. 

This election will decide -- and may be our last chance to decide -- if our country is defined by the same divisive and zero-sum politics practiced on Twitter or something that is more reflective of the common decency of the American people. 

If you’re on the side of decency, hope, and a belief that we can be better than this, please consider making a donation to Pete right now. He is the candidate who leads by example, and whose supporters follow a set of guiding principles including respect, belonging, and truth.

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Look, I respect Bernie Sanders. His passion and conviction have inspired so many. But our next president needs to understand that our country is at a crossroads. We can either retreat to our tribes or bring people together. Pete is demonstrating he can do that, while Bernie and his supporters are offering more of the same “my way or the highway” politics.

Just this past weekend, some of Bernie’s supporters convinced the internet that my friend and colleague, Lis, Pete’s senior communications advisor, was running a “sock puppet account” (I had to google this), posing as a Nigerian man. All because someone tweeted “Hey, it’s Lis” from their account. It, of course, wasn’t Lis. (Any “sock puppet account” of hers would surely be about cats.) For the record, the account was run by a gentleman named Chinedu who is genuinely a Pete supporter, just trying to do his small part to help lift up Pete’s positive vision. 

But Bernie’s supporters jumped on this conspiracy theory, and turned the internet into a cesspool for the day. Meanwhile, Pete was in Nevada holding town halls, speaking at a Planned Parenthood event, and discussing the infrastructure of American cities. He was bringing people together over our shared values. 

Uniting the country isn’t just something we need to do to feel good. The next president must unite the country to solve our problems. People are hurting, crises are on our doorstep, and we face massive tests. To meet our challenges, our leaders can either push people away or bring them together. That’s the choice in this election. 
 
Rather than calling for revolution or accepting the status quo, I see the solution in the powerful new majority we’re gathering together. We need leadership that will galvanize that majority, not tear it apart. 

This campaign is about rejecting the failed policies AND the toxic politics of the last four years. If you believe that too, we need your help. 

I’m so proud of you, Team Pete. You are the best team in politics, and the way you are campaigning is hopeful, joyous, and disciplined. Thank you for representing us well every day. I am sorry that it’s like this. We can do better. We must do better. 

Pete will bring this sense of decency to the debate stage tonight. If you can, please consider helping us reach our $250,000 goal before the night wraps. He’s up against a lot.

Thank you,

Hari

Hari Sevugan 
Deputy Campaign Manager 
Pete for America 

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