INSIDER NEWS FROM THE FRONTLINES OF THE POLITICAL REVOLUTION
HEADLINES: Special Election for Congress Tuesday! | Bernie Rallies for Aaron Regunberg | Vote Gilliard for SC Senate Tuesday | New Endorsement: Jovanka Beckles for CA Senate | Poll Results: Dems 2024 Trouble? | Raise the Wage Actions | & MORE!
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As we celebrate Labor Day — the nation’s marker for the end of summer and our return to work — Our Revolution is proud to stand with a resurgent labor movement rising up to take on corporate bosses.
As we reflect on the hard-fought progress of generations, Our Revolution members nationwide are fighting for higher wages, union rights, and policies that put people over profits. We’re also working hard to elect the next generation of progressive leaders who will work for all of us.
The Post-Labor Day election season will heat up immediately with TWO special elections this Tuesday: Aaron Regunberg for U.S. Congress (RI-1) and Wendell Gilliard for State Senate (SC- 42).
Donate now to fund our voter turnout work up to the minute polls close on Election Day Tuesday — and read more about these two amazing candidates below!
BUT FIRST —
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Let’s get into the results of our 2024 Temperature Check — and why Democrats cannot take the progressive vote for granted.
We polled thousands of Our Revolution members, and 41% told us they’re feeling depressed, angry, or unmotivated about the 2024 election. A quarter said they plan to vote for someone other than Joe Biden in the Democratic Primaries.
In our online Dem Primary Poll, 44% said they are likely to vote for Biden, 41% said they are likely to vote for another candidate, and 7.6% not likely to vote.
Meanwhile, despite Democrats pointing out all the horrors of Trump, national polls show him tied with or beating Biden in 2024. Democrats have a problem: The base is not excited about a Trump/Biden rematch and tacking to the right is crushing enthusiasm among key voting blocs.
Voters want to see action on healthcare, climate, unions, and more — and the President still has time to act. There’s no getting around it, Democrats need to raise the standard of living for voters and go beyond messaging to show whose side they’re on.
That’s why Senator Bernie Sanders was out speaking in New Hampshire and Philadelphia last weekend, calling on Democrats to lay out a strong, clear agenda for working people in 2024.
“What the democrats have got to do is begin to engage in class politics, to understand we’ve been in class war for decades and the wrong class is winning,” Bernie told Ali Velshi in a TV interview.
In an academic study of Our Revolution members by SUNY and William & Mary colleges, 47% say progressive groups should probably or definitely mount a nomination challenge to Biden in the 2024 Democratic Primary, and another 15% were unsure.
Willingness to be involved in a Biden 2024 reelection campaign is down even from 2020 to just 47% if Biden is the nominee, the study showed.
There’s a serious risk we could face another Trump term in 2024 — unless Democrats can deliver tangible results for working people in order to earn trust and votes.
That’s why Our Revolution and our allies are working overtime to unify the progressive movement and focus our pressure on key demands like student debt relief, an end to medical debt, and urgent climate action.
Our movement is critical to defeating the far right and advancing policies to address the many crises facing our country. If you’re not already a monthly member of Our Revolution, sign up today!
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Aaron Regunberg has started to pull away as the front-runner in this crowded field for Congress just days ahead of Election Day — good timing that comes after a big rally with Bernie Sanders last weekend.
Our Revolution members felt the excitement in the room for Regunberg, who has delivered paid sick days and higher wages for Rhode Islanders. In his day job as a lawyer, he’s held Big Oil accountable for environmental crimes.
“Friends, we're gonna win this thing, and we're going to take these fights all the way to Congress," Aaron told the crowd. “This is a district that can support more than just another Democrat, we can elect someone who is going to organize up there.”
Bernie addressed a packed house for Aaron, saying: “This is not just about electing another member of Congress. We need leadership with the courage to take on the incredible power of the 1 percent.”
“Brothers and sisters, this is a fight that Aaron alone will not be waging, that I alone will not be waging — now is the time for a political revolution of working families coming together to tell the people on top this country belongs to all of us,” Bernie said.
An election for Congress like this is rare — and a special election is all about turnout in these final days. Donate $5 or $10 to help us mobilize as many voters as possible in Rhode Island by Tuesday!
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Our Revolution is also working to get out the vote in South Carolina, where State Rep. Wendell Gilliard is running for State Senate in South Carolina (SC-42) in a special election this Tuesday!
Gilliard kicked off his campaign with an economic justice bus tour and led a rally for higher wages with Bernie Sanders in Charleston. Watch this powerful clip of Rep. Gilliard here.
He was a 2020 campaign co-chair for Bernie and state director in South Carolina, and like Bernie, he has been a powerful champion of working people for decades.
US Rep. Ro Khanna has also joined us in campaigning for Wendell Gilliard who’s been a union leader, a Charleston City Councilor, and a fighter in the SC House for good-paying jobs, neighborhood safety, and criminal justice reform.
“We need a voice not afraid to speak truth to power,” Wendell said. “They want this seat so they can keep power in Columbia and not in your hands. They want to control the money, jobs, and opportunities.”
Wendell is an incredible movement ally and he’s in a tight race against the corporate wing of the party. We can pull this out with your help — donate now to GOTV in South Carolina!
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Our Revolution is excited to endorse Jovanka Beckles for California State Senate in 2024!
We backed Jovanka in her successful runs for Richmond City Council, and she’s been twice backed by Bernie Sanders — including in 2014 when she took on Chevron for polluting her community and WON!
As a city counselor, she was able to increase the minimum wage, pass rent control, pass Ban the Box, and support local labor unions. As a member of Teamsters Local 856, Jovanka can be found on picket lines at a moment’s notice.
“These were progressive policies that I continued to push for even after being told they would be impossible to do on the local level,” Jovanka said on a recent Our Revolution broadcast.
Jovanka would be the first black candidate to represent this district in nearly 40 years. She brings lived experience as a Black, Queer, immigrant, Latinx woman and a voice that is needed in state government.
“I’m running because we need bold leadership who will be courageous on climate, healthcare, criminal justice reform, housing, taxing the rich, women’s and worker’s rights,” she said. “I’m proud to be part of this movement for change, for a society that puts people over profit.”
Our Revolution organizers are already getting started ahead of the March primary! Help us build a winning grassroots team now to make sure we’re ready to get Jovanka to victory as the next State Senator in California!
JOIN OUR ORGANIZING TEAM FOR JOVANKA BECKLES
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We took a survey, and it’s clear that Our Revolution members in California want political leaders who will stand up and fight against Big Oil, Big Pharma, and Wall Street.
Members chose their top 3 issues heading into 2024, and Climate and Healthcare topped the priorities of nearly three-quarters of respondents. About half ranked defending democracy and affordable housing as their top choices.
Members are motivated to pass CalCare to create a single-payer system in the state, and they want to stop an effort funded by Big Oil to try to repeal SB 1137 — which prohibits new oil/gas wells within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, nursing homes, and hospitals.
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MARYLAND — Councilmembers Will Jawando and Kristin Mink joined us for Server-for-a-Day in Ocean City last week, where they served up food to promote legislation to raise the wage — and not leave tipped workers behind!
“It was a great experience and it was fun, but it’s also hard work. I think this demonstrates why we need to do it,” Councilman Jawando told Maryland Matters.
The event included Our Revolution, One Fair Wage, and our coalition of worker activists and other state/local elected officials at On the Bay Seafood — a ‘high-road’ restaurant that pays its servers the full minimum wage.
Organizers and workers fought and won a $15 minimum wage that goes into effect on Jan. 1st in Montgomery and Howard counties, but the tipped wage is still $3.63.
Last month Mayor Brandon Johnson joined us for a similar event in Chicago, and if you’re in Ohio, RSVP now to join us this week with Mayor Aftab Purval in Cincinnati and Mayor Justin Bibb in Cleveland for Server-for-a-Day events!
Stay tuned! In Ohio and Arizona, Our Revolution has teams canvassing for signatures for petition drives that will put a $20+ MINIMUM WAGE directly on the ballot in 2024.
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Ahead of Labor Day, anti-worker Republicans are pulling out all the stops to block the Senate from reconfirming worker champion Gwynne Wilcox to the National Labor Relations Board — but we’re taking action!
It’s a hot labor summer and America’s workers need help from the NLRB right now. Hollywood writers and actors are on strike. United Auto Workers have authorized a strike. And, new unions like Starbucks Workers United and Amazon Labor Union are facing off against some of the most aggressive illegal union busting in history.
If Republicans stop Wilcox from being reconfirmed, the NLRB will not have enough members to make decisions. That means it will be unable to step in and protect striking workers from corporate wrongdoing and illegal union busting.
Tell Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to schedule a vote and make sure Senators like Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema VOTE YES to reconfirm Gwynne Wilcox to the NLRB now!
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WHEN WE ORGANIZE, WE WIN!
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