John,
In a powerful interview last night, something remarkable happened: The hosts noticed Summer spent the entire conversation passionately advocating for working families, progressive causes, economic justice, and empowering everyday Americans—but never once promoting herself. In fact, the hosts had to stop and ask her directly why she hadn’t promoted herself at all:
When pressed, Summer opened up and spoke from the heart:
“Listen, it's actually harder for Black women to raise money. More than that, it's harder for progressives to raise money. We're not taking dark money. We raise our dollars $5, $10, $20, $100, $1000 at a time. I know that y'all are sick of people and politicians saying, please give us money, but listen, I won't be here if we don't raise money. And we're fighting forces that aren't looking for freedom, they're not looking to end wars. They're not looking to have diverse voices in Congress—and that's bipartisan, across the board.”
Summer's honesty shines a light on the reality of political campaigns today. She is battling billionaires, special interests, and powerful political insiders who aim to silence progressive, diverse, and authentic voices in Congress. But Summer has something incredibly powerful on her side: YOU and countless other grassroots supporters who believe in her and who believe in this fight.
Summer understands that true political power is rooted in collective action. During this interview, she passionately reminded us:
"We didn't get the Civil Rights Act because Lyndon Johnson saw the light. No, we didn't get the Voting Rights Act because Democrats, Republicans, or whoever came to the table on their own. We got that because of movements from the outside. We got that because of an empowered electorate who organized—organized financially, with their labor, organized with their time, organized with their vision. We need that right now more than ever."
And when establishment Democrats stepped back from difficult fights, Summer stood her ground, saying clearly and boldly:
“This signals to the American people that Democrats won’t fight for them. We must leverage our votes to protect social services, to invest in our communities. Otherwise, Republicans will keep running us over.”
This moment demands strong, fearless leaders like Summer Lee, who never back down from a fight and always stand shoulder to shoulder with everyday people. She is exactly the voice we need in Congress—but she can't do it without you today!
Thanks for all you do,
Team Summer Lee
