Dear John:
After weeks of speculation, President Biden announced yesterday that he was withdrawing from the 2024 race for President, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic nominee in November.
Over the last 24 hours, Harris has already won strong endorsements from WFP champions in Congress, including Elizabeth Warren, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, Summer Lee, Ilhan Omar, Greg Casar, Delia Ramirez, and more. Meanwhile, others whose names had been floated as potential candidates have declined to run and joined in endorsing her.
Now, it’s our turn to make a decision.
For months, you’ve told us in our member surveys that your top priority is to defeat MAGA and Trump.
We know that there is still a strong anti-MAGA majority in this country. We know that we can defeat them — because we’ve done it before. And we know just how high the stakes are for our communities.
In an election season like no other, and with only 105 days left to reach voters, we can’t afford to wait on the sidelines any longer.
Today, we're asking Working Families Party members to help us make the next decision in our process: Should the Working Families Party endorse Kamala Harris for President in order to get started right away on building the biggest possible movement to defeat Donald Trump in November? Cast your vote now:
Yes, WFP should endorse Kamala Harris
No, WFP should not endorse Kamala Harris
If we endorse Kamala Harris for President, that means we will go all out to elect her and defeat Donald Trump — starting right now.
It means we will double down on our plans to reach and turn out voters in critical swing states and demographic groups, just like we did in 2020 when we endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket and drove massive turnout in states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Georgia that were key to defeating Trump in the Electoral College.
An endorsement of VP Harris wouldn’t mean we’ll never disagree with her, or slow down for a second in fighting for our transformative vision, from guaranteeing healthcare for all to a ceasefire in Gaza.
It would mean going all-out to build a popular front against MAGA in November that includes both blocking authoritarian Republicans from controlling the government and building a multi-racial working class movement by electing WFP champions to Congress, to state houses and all the way down the ballot.
This is not a drill. We know what Trump and MAGA Republicans are planning to do to our communities if they win in November. That’s because they are telling us.
They plan to use federal forces to round up and detain millions in camps, then deport them. To decimate the civil service and replace nonpolitical government employees with MAGA loyalists. To take revenge against their opponents by directing federal prosecutions against their critics. To pardon insurrectionists and reward their billionaire backers with tax cuts. To ban abortion nationwide, let our climate burn, and make working people pay more for everything. All with a compliant, corrupt Supreme Court majority that now says a president cannot be prosecuted for any of it.
Our movement has proven that we can deliver real wins for the working class that improve people’s lives. We have a record to run on, and a powerful vision that can inspire voters across the country.
And we want to get started now communicating to voters on the doors, on the phones, in our communities, via texting, postcards, and online.
Given the stakes, should the Working Families Party throw down to defeat Trump once and for all? That's the question we are asking right now. And we need to know where you stand:
Cast your vote: Should the Working Families Party endorse Kamala Harris for President in order to get started right away on building the biggest possible movement to defeat Donald Trump in November?
When you cast your vote, we also hope you’ll share your reason for your vote. We will read every response, and may share selected reasons submitted by WFP members (with your permission) with media and other members.
This endorsement vote is open from now until 2:00pm ET on Tuesday, July 23rd. Here's how it will work:
The Working Families National Committee — which is made of delegates representing WFP state chapters as well as national progressive organizations, unions and movement leaders — will comprise 50% of the total vote share.
WFP members will also receive 50% of the total vote share. (A WFP member is anyone who is currently signed up to WFP's email or text list as of 7/21/24).
Please take a moment to cast your vote now: Should WFP endorse Kamala Harris for President in order to get started right away on building the biggest possible movement to defeat Donald Trump in November?
In solidarity,
Maurice Mitchell
National Director
Working Families Party
