John,
Did you feel a rush of relief last Tuesday night when you heard that Democrat Tom Suozzi won New York’s 3rd Congressional District? I sure did.
After George Santos was finally expelled under a cloud of lying about absolutely everything, the Nassau County GOP ran a far-right, scorched-earth campaign.
Still, Tom Suozzi won big.
Now, I don’t agree with Tom on everything, but I was glad to knock doors and make phone calls for him. Because Democrats must win back the House of Representatives in 2024 if we want to preserve our democracy.
That will take a big tent: Suburban moderates, urban progressives, rural voters, young people passionate about climate change, older voters concerned most about public safety, and many others. People who disagree about really big things – how to approach immigration, the war in Israel and Gaza – but who know we must stop Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans if we’re going to have a chance to make progress on anything.
If you agree – if you want to help build the big tent we’ll need to win in November – then I hope you’ll join me in supporting two more Democrats running for Congress nearby: Jamaal Bowman and Sue Altman.
My friend Jamaal Bowman is running for re-election in the Bronx and Westchester. Jamaal is outspoken in pursuit of justice and equality. This year, he has a tough primary, with his primary opponent already lying about him in the most heinous of ways.
But there’s no lying about this: Ever since he was a middle-school principal, nobody fights harder for the kids in his district than Jamaal. If we want a diverse coalition that can expand turnout and inspire young people, Jamaal is one of the leaders who can help do that.
Please join me in supporting Jamaal Bowman. Your donation will be split between our campaigns.
Across the Hudson River, Sue Altman is running for Congress in western New Jersey. She’s running for a seat currently held by a Republican, but that was in Democratic hands a few short years ago. Sue was a professional basketball player, a public school teacher, and a corruption-fighter in Trenton as Executive Director of the NJ Working Families Alliance. She was just endorsed by Emily’s List.
In addition to supporting Jamaal and Sue, please join me as a supporter of Battleground New York, a powerful new effort to help Democrats running for Congress in November in swing districts across New York State.
This coalition campaign is organized by Planned Parenthood, Working Families Party, Indivisible, 1199, and CWA – to raise money, run ads, mobilize volunteers, and help our candidates win in November. After all, control of the House of Representatives could all come down to New York state.
We can be honest about it: The coalition we need is not always an easy one.
But it’s just pretty clear that this is true: A big tent will be necessary for protecting the basic institutions of our democracy. Look, I’m depressed and angry that our democracy is under attack. But it is. So we need a broad coalition – in pre-war Europe some called it a “popular front” – to defend against fascism.
And while there are plenty of reasons for political exhaustion and feelings of dread, I’m not just feeling resigned. Even amidst what can feel like existential stakes, I’m still feeling inspired about what’s possible.
Because we actually agree on a surprising amount. A broad, messy Democratic coalition delivered the Inflation Reduction Act, the boldest climate legislation ever, and the infrastructure bill. We agree on protecting reproductive rights, workers' rights, voting rights, housing and health care access.
Today – Presidents' Day – is a good reminder of what’s at stake as we turn our focus to re-electing President Biden and winning control of the House.
We helped elect Tom Suozzi. And I know we can re-elect Jamaal Bowman, elect Sue Altman, protect New York state’s Democratic seats, retake control of the House of Representatives, fend off fascism, preserve our democracy – and make real progress on the issues that matter to people.
So let’s get to it.
Brad
