Sisters and Brothers -
At this moment in American history — in the midst of massive income and wealth inequality, a global pandemic, the existential threat of climate change and major attacks against our democratic foundations — it has never been more important to elect candidates who will fight for a strong, progressive agenda.
We need to support tough candidates who will take on corporate greed, authoritarianism, and bigotry, and who are prepared to fight for justice. In order to do that, we must bring our people together in a multi-generational, multi-racial movement to take on the big-money interests that have so much political and economic power in our country.
That is why I am writing to you today to ask you to split a $5 contribution between the U.S. Senate campaigns of John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Mandela Barnes of Wisconsin. John and Mandela are both excellent candidates whose victories will not only help Democrats retain control of the Senate, but will give us two strong progressive voices fighting for working families.
Right now, within our corrupt campaign finance system, both John and Mandela are up against tens of millions of dollars from right-wing super PACs that are running grossly dishonest attack ads trying to defeat them. We cannot allow these billionaire-funded super PACs to succeed, which is why I need to ask:
If you've saved payment info with ActBlue Express, your contribution will automatically be evenly split between Mandela Barnes and John Fetterman:
John and Mandela are candidates who share our values, and who will have the guts to take on powerful special interests and challenge the status quo if elected to the Senate.
Here is a bit of background on John and Mandela.
John Fetterman came to the town of Braddock, Pennsylvania, 20 years ago to start a GED program for the community. He later was elected mayor of Braddock, and for 13 years worked to build the once-booming steel town back from collapse. He currently serves as lieutenant governor and is a strong pro-labor leader who has stood with striking nurses, steelworkers, and auto workers over the past year and has given support to organizing workers at Starbucks and elsewhere who are fighting for better wages and working conditions. And he championed the cause of legalizing marijuana on a historic listening tour in all 67 counties – something no lieutenant governor had ever done. Now he is running for Senate in Pennsylvania to continue the fight for justice.
Mandela Barnes is the son of a Milwaukee public school teacher and a UAW assembly line worker. Both of his parents were active union members who organized for better wages, benefits and working conditions. From a very young age, Mandela saw the power of grassroots organizing and what is possible when people come together to challenge the status quo. It's what led him to run for state representative, and then for lieutenant governor of Wisconsin. As lieutenant governor he has led efforts across the state to address the climate crisis, and enable Wisconsin to respond effectively to the COVID pandemic. Mandela decided to run for the Senate because he believes that it's time to prioritize the needs of working people and take on powerful special interests.
Let’s be clear. We are living in a time where the 1% is doing phenomenally well, while working people are falling further and further behind. Now is the time to stand up and fight back, and John and Mandela will be important allies in that struggle.
The November midterm elections are enormously important. They will determine whether we go forward fighting for the long-neglected needs of working families, or continue the drift toward oligarchy and authoritarianism.
John and Mandela are counting on strong grassroots support in order to fund their campaigns during these critical final weeks before the election. So I am asking:
Right now our job must be to elect more progressives who are prepared to stand up for working families and take on big-money interests.
Your contribution to John Fetterman and Mandela Barnes today will help ensure we have two crucial votes in the Senate to pass legislation that could transform this country. Thank you for chipping in today, if you can afford it.
In solidarity,
Bernie Sanders
Paid for by Friends of Bernie Sanders
PO BOX 391, Burlington, VT 05402
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