Dear MoveOn member,
I am sure you've been hearing this a lot, but I will repeat it because it's true: This is the most important election of our lifetimes.
In just 29 days, we not only have the chance to finally put an end to Donald Trump's disastrous presidency and end Mitch McConnell's cruel reign in the Senate but to also expand our majority in the House of Representatives by electing a group of young progressive leaders who will fight for the values we all share.
And the path to expanding that majority runs directly through my beloved home state: Texas.
I'm writing to you today to tell you about three inspiring candidates in my state who are all running to flip their districts blue and to continue to build our progressive coalition in the House.
Their names are Sri Preston Kulkarni, Candace Valenzuela, and Gina Ortiz Jones, and I am so proud that in just a matter of days they could all be elected to represent my fellow Texans.
Sri was born and raised in Houston to a middle-class family, and when his father was diagnosed with leukemia when Sri was just 18, he left college to return home to help pay the bills and take care of his siblings. That experience instilled in Sri a deep understanding of how important access to health care is for everyone, and in Congress he will fight to defend and expand access to health care to folks in Texas and around the country.
Sri's opponent is a proud supporter of Trump's administration and has pushed far-right conspiracy theories to discourage voting by mail.1
Candace Valenzuela was born in my hometown of El Paso and has overcome extraordinary odds all her life. After experiencing homelessness as a teenager, Candace persevered and became the first member of her family to graduate from college. As a member of Congress, Candace will fight for much-needed gun violence prevention legislation, will do what it takes to tackle the climate crisis, and will work to defend immigrants and refugees. If elected, she will become the first-ever Black Latina in Congress.2
Candace's opponent wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act, stripping health care away from millions of people, and has repeatedly voiced her support for the barbaric immigration policies put in place by the Trump administration.3
Gina Ortiz Jones is an Air Force veteran who ran against an incumbent Republican in 2018 and lost by fewer than 1,000 votes.4 This time around, she is ready to win. The daughter of an immigrant, Gina is dedicated to protecting the rights of marginalized communities and will fight for immigration reform and to ensure that quality health care is available to everyone around the country. Republicans have been mercilessly attacking Gina, including posting disgusting messages encouraging attacks on her and her partner because they are members of the LGBTQ community.5
Gina's opponent is a Trump-endorsed hard-right conservative who wants to overturn Roe v. Wade.6
Sri, Candace, and Gina represent the true heart and diversity of Texas, and they will be three powerful, much-needed voices advocating for every single one of us—in and outside of Texas—in Congress.
John, will you join me and chip in $3 now, split evenly between their campaigns?
I know Texas, and I believe in the potential for my state to flip blue.
When I ran for the Senate in 2018, we got more votes than any other Democratic candidate for Senate had ever gotten before in the state, and we did it by visiting every single county in the state and energizing a new wave of leaders and voters who are getting engaged and helping to change the future of Texas.
Sri, Candace, and Gina are three of these new leaders, and by electing them, we will help move both Texas and the country forward.
Join me and chip in $3 to push their campaigns over the top in these final days.
Thanks for all you do.
–Beto O'Rourke
Sources:
1. Tweet by Sheriff Troy Nehls, June 27, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/144886?t=5&akid=277525%2E40999114%2Ebatyps
2. "'My story does resonate': Candace Valenzuela wants to flip a Republican seat and become the first Black Latina in Congress," The Texas Tribune, September 10, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/144887?t=7&akid=277525%2E40999114%2Ebatyps
3. "Beth VanDuyne 2020 – DMN Primary Questionnaire – 1-10-20," Beth Van Duyne for Congress, accessed October 3, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/144888?t=9&akid=277525%2E40999114%2Ebatyps
4. "Gina Ortiz Jones," Ballotpedia, accessed October 3, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/144889?t=11&akid=277525%2E40999114%2Ebatyps
5. "National Republicans suggested attacking Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones over sexual orientation," San Antonio Express-News, August 26, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/144890?t=13&akid=277525%2E40999114%2Ebatyps
6. "Values," Tony Gonzales for Congress, accessed October 3, 2020
https://act.moveon.org/go/144891?t=15&akid=277525%2E40999114%2Ebatyps
Want to support MoveOn's work? As Robert Reich says, "No organization in America has a better track record of success in developing cutting-edge strategies to get out the vote and win elections than MoveOn." But it will take each of us doing our part to defeat Trump and flip the Senate!
Will you chip in to help combat right-wing lies, make sure every vote is counted, and win this election?Click here to chip in $3, or whatever you can afford.
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