John,

This is what we’re up against. The DCCC raised $7.2 million last month, giving them $28.9 million on hand.

Here’s the good news: most of that money will be held over to fight Republicans. But there’s some bad news too: that warchest can still be used to protect corporate incumbents like Dan Lipinski and Henry Cuellar.

It should be obvious that our candidates don’t have nearly as many resources as the DCCC does or their corporate incumbents do. Our folks win races by mobilizing on the ground, organizing their communities, and showing working-class folks that they have a champion.

But that model for victory requires powerful investments in organizers early on, and that’s where you come in. Can you donate $3 to help Justice Democrats invest in these races early, so we can replicate AOC’s model across the country?

Donate

How does the DCCC raise all of that money? By selling access to the Democratic Party. Some amount of their fundraising is through small-dollar online donations, but the majority of it comes in through two other sources: high-dollar fundraisers and corporate PAC donations.

The high dollar fundraisers are particularly insidious. For thousands of dollars, the DCCC brings big name leaders like Nancy Pelosi or Tom Perez to hang out with rich people — in turn, giving corporate executives, wealthy donors, and otherwise very rich people personal audiences with Democratic influencers.

Sure, it’s a good way to fundraise — but it also means the voices of the most economically powerful, most well-off, and most privileged folks are getting the personal ears of our politicians. Why is it shocking that the direction of the Democratic Party seems out of line with it’s base voters when they’re paying closer personal attention to people like this, and not people like us?

It gets worse. Another huge component of their fundraising is corporate PAC donations — many of whom are vehemently against a Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and other progressive priorities. When the DCCC’s fundraising is directly linked to these types of influences, they’re incentivized to oppose progressive challengers, and support entrenched incumbents who want to keep things the way they are.

But thankfully, money isn’t everything. Candidates and organizations that refuse to pander to massive corporations, that stand up courageously for what’s right, and who speak truth to power can overcome the establishment through powerful organizing. Can you chip in whatever you can spare to help us overcome?

Donate

The DCCC might have a corporate warchest, but we have you on our side. We’ll take those odds any day.

In solidarity,

Justice Democrats