The PCCC had a clean sweep of victories in four down-ballot Virginia primaries on June 13. PCCC members helped turn these campaigns from long-shots to victories over establishment-backed candidates.

We were proud to support four incredible progressives running for Delegate in Prince William County: Danica Roem (VA-HD13), Jennifer Carroll Foy (VA-HD02), and Elizabeth Guzman (VA-HD31), as well as Justin Fairfax for Lt. Governor.

Justin Fairfax defeated the closest of his two opponents by 10 points statewide. Danica Roem won by 498 votes (a commanding margin of 11 points over the closest of her three opponents). Elizabeth Guzman won by 4 points, or a mere 253 votes. And, in one of the closest races in Virginia history, Jennifer Carroll Foy won by 12 votes (that’s a mere 0.28% of the vote). In these down-ballot races, every vote counts, and the support PCCC members provided to mobilize voters made the difference for these bold progressives.

Each of these candidates have incredible stories. And they are just a few of the unprecedented number of Resistance-inspired candidates running across Virginia. PCCC supported Danica, Elizabeth, Jennifer, and Justin early, as one of the first groups to endorse candidates in competitive primaries, and this gave them early money and an edge against their establishment-backed opponents.

Our big wins in Virginia show where PCCC local and state electoral work is headed next. We are proud to provide difference-making support for a slate of bold progressives that will make an ambitious policy agenda possible in Virginia. Democrats need to retake state houses in Virginia and across the country to pass crucial policies like Medicaid expansion, living wages, and upholding the Paris climate agreement.

Here’s more on why our candidates were so groundbreaking:

Danica Roem (VA-HD13): Danica, a longtime journalist, is running to become the first transgender elected official in Virginia history — and she’s …

How to Win Endorsements from Local Organizations
Local Unions, Environmental Groups, Womenai??i??s Groups, and More!

Why Are Endorsements So Important?
Endorsements can give emphasis to a campaign in several ways:

Validation: Organizations, such as local unions and social movement groups can lend credibility to candidates by providing political context to newcomers or expanding support for elected officials seeking higher office.

Money: Even the most effective, efficient campaigns require funding. Organizations can bolster a campaignai??i??s coffers or even help a fledgling campaign compete against a crowded and/or competitive field.

Press: Along the lines of validation, an organizationai??i??s stamp of approval often draws media attention. Organizations issue press releases announcing their endorsements, write and place supportive op-eds at crucial junctures, and promote activities that can generate buzz with reporters.

Volunteers: An organization can mobilize its members to volunteer on your behalf. Local members can amplify your message to neighbors, co-workers, and friends, while national members can fundraise and make calls in support of your campaign.

Votes: Organizations not only bolster a campaignai??i??s Get Out the Vote efforts leading up to election day, but can also encourage its local members to turn out and vote.

What Is The Process?

The standard endorsement process often includes five steps: (1) Introductions and Initial Meetings; (2) Questionnaires and Interviews; (3) Follow-Up; (4) Endorsement; and (5) Financial Benefit.

There are several key factors to keep in mind while going through the process:

A strong introduction can go a long way — reach out to your networks to determine the who might be able to provide most effective introduction to an organization.
Do your homework — research past endorsed candidates to ensure your campaign would be a good fit, and have a firm grasp of the organizationai??i??s goals and work.
Remember this is a political process — it takes time; be patient.

How Should A Campaign Approach Endorsements?

It is not as hard …

State Representative Noel Frame is a long-standing supporter of children, education, and mental health awareness. As a progressive organizer, communications specialist, and public speaker, she has been an outspoken advocate for improved facilities and conditions for Washington students. A former foster parent, she has been a vocal supporter of increased awareness of mental health issues and the need for increased funding for our stateai??i??s social safety net.

For five years Noel was the Director of Progressive Majority Washington, where her organizing and presentation skills were put to good use as she partnered with groups representing communities of color, youth, women, and the LGBTQ community to increase the number of people from those communities running for office. She recruited, trained, and advised candidates for political office, from local government all the way to the state legislature.

Why do you spend so much time helping other progressives get elected? Why is that important to you?
My ability to advance a progressive agenda depends a lot on how many other progressives serve with me! So I work to elect fellow progressives to the legislature to ensure we’re in the majority and that we have progressive voices in leadership. I also work to elect progressives to municipal offices so progressives legislation is being enacted locally. Plus, local office holders are often our strongest candidates for higher offices, so I’m working to build the bench.

What is one important lesson youai??i??ve learned from your years of electoral work?
Authenticity matters. The 2016 campaign proved that point, even if we didn’t like the outcome. Voters are tired of what they perceive as dishonest politicians. We need more authentic public servants running to affect change in a positive way for their constituents.

What are you working on right now in the state legislature?
We are in our second special session, negotiating a state budget …

Supporters are often a campaignai??i??s greatest asset — they amplify your message and generate enthusiasm for your race within their community and networks. Donai??i??t leave that energy untapped! Here are three ways to give your supporters a stake in your campaign that will take it to the next level.

1. Hold a strategy discussion.
Invite supporters to join a potluck discussion. Explain how many votes you need to win or where you need greater name recognition. Invite them to brainstorm ways to build on your campaignai??i??s successes and overcome challenges. At the end of the discussion, ask them to sign-up to work on one of the areas you identified together (fundraising, volunteering, hosting events, etc.).

2. Ask them to take a formal role.
There are lots of specific titles and responsibilities that you can give your supporters. You can ask someone to act as ai???Office Manager,ai??? and keep your campaign space efficient and organized. You could ask other supporters to act as the ai???Correspondence Team,ai??? writing thank you notes to donors and volunteers. If supporters have a title and responsibility, they will feel like a bigger part of the campaign.

3. Be honest about your obstacles.
Some candidates think that supporters just want to hear the good news — that everything is going great. But honesty goes a long way with supporters, especially when you are facing challenges. They will love helping you overcome the hurdles of running for office, whether itai??i??s a tough opponent, a nasty rumor, or a hard fundraising quarter. You donai??i??t have to take on the burden of your campaign alone — and your supporters will feel as though they made a real difference at a critical moment.

The #MillionsOfJobs Coalition is a growing group of organizations, elected officials and labor unions who support efforts to enact a bold jobs and infrastructure package that benefits all Americans. To learn more or become involved, email us: tate@millionsofjobs.org

Send email now to keep your supporters subscribed and happy.

Have you emailed your supporters since the November election? If not, the clock is ticking before your permission expires!

If you’re thinking of running for office again in the future, or expect that you’ll want to make any big announcements to the people who supported you through the election, then it’s important to prevent your email list from going stale.

Hereai??i??s what you need to know, what to do, and how we can help.

Opt-in does not last forever — it has an expiration date.

A supporter’s opt-in to receive email from you is not a ticket to email them for life. Instead, itai??i??s a generally accepted industry standard that permission to send email blasts lasts about six months before going stale.

Why six months? After that point, your supporters may have forgotten why they signed up for your emails if you haven’t stayed in communication, and you’ll start getting more complaints and less engagement when you do decide to get back in touch.

How can I restart the clock?

Itai??i??s easy — just email your supporters at least once every few months, and make sure that you include ways for people to unsubscribe from future updates at the bottom of your email.

If you donai??i??t email them at least every six months, many email blast services will not consider your proof of permission as valid and will not let you use their service to contact your list without asking people to opt-in again.

If you’ve built a particularly large email list, you may also want to periodically unsubscribe people who haven’t even opened an email from you in six months or more. This “list cleaning” will keep your costs down and help make sure big email providers like Google and Microsoft don’t start rating you as a spammer.

What should …

House parties can be a critical part of any strategy to introduce yourself to new supporters. The tips below are designed to help you identify a great host, prepare a successful event, and engage new supporters afterward.

Find a great host. The ideal host is someone who has lots of friends and has enough space to accommodate a small gathering. They also are willing to spend their time recruiting attendees and take responsibility for the overall success of the event.
Track and confirm RSVPs. Keep a shared Google spreadsheet with your host to track RSVPs. Collect email addresses from all potential attendees so you can send reminders. Ask the host to call and confirm with potential attendees two days before the event.
Discuss logistics with the host. Walk through the space and discuss how the house party will work. Where will people sit or stand? Where should you expect to speak to the crowd? Where will people sign in? How will they be greeted? Is there a place for coats? Will the host offer food or drink?
Come prepared. Make sure to bring everything you need, like sign-in sheets, name tags, clipboards, pens, and campaign literature. Make sure all attendees sign in. Bring a laptop if you plan to collect donations through ActBlue, a free online donation platform for Democratic candidates.
Follow up. After the event, thank everyone who attended with a phone call or email. Ask them to donate (if they havenai??i??t already) and volunteer. Invite them to another campaign event, like a pizza party or barbecue. Donai??i??t forget to send a handwritten thank you to your host!
Find an event coordinator. If you are just getting started, you can manage these events yourself. As your campaign grows, youai??i??ll need to find an organized volunteer or staffer who can coordinate these events for you.

For additional …

What is your background? Why did you get involved in politics?
My background is in issue-based and electoral organizing. I see political change as the fastest way to help the most people. I worked on the Clinton campaign in North Carolina last year, managing a team of organizers across eight rural counties. Before that, I helped run NextGen Climate’s campus program in New Hampshire, where I’m proud to say the youth vote helped swing the 1,017 vote difference for Senator Maggie Hassan. I got my start organizing for fossil fuel divestment at Middlebury College, where I first saw how people standing together could successfully fight injustice. Then I learned how we could go beyond holding leaders accountable and replace them with progressive champions, and I was hooked.

What are some ways you evaluate a candidatesai??i?? chances of success?
I look for a track record of community leadership and a commitment to work hard, fight for progressive policies, fundraise aggressively, and run a field operation that will talk to enough voters to win.

Youai??i??ve been attending a lot of Democratic committee meetings around the state. What are you seeing and hearing?
People are fired up across Virginia. Every meeting is overflowing with people. Democratic committees across the state are scrambling to find larger meeting spaces. There are more contested primaries in Virginia than ever before. So many people were inspired to run to fight against Trump’s hateful agenda. We can channel this energy into a landslide win in November.

What are some Virginia races-to-watch for progressives?
The Governor’s race will be hard fought. Tom Perriello has come out swinging on progressive issues, including his bold stance against the Atlantic Coastal Pipeline. I’m watching over a dozen House of Delegates seats that could flip from red to blue. The Democratic candidates across the board are stellar. …

Constituents are looking for candidates to bring progressive power to every political level — local, state and federal. This role requires boldness and commitment to fight for the issues that directly impact — and improve — the lives of voters.

You will directly report to them!

Responsibilities for all candidates include:

Being Visible – Get out there! Talk to voters, plan appearances, attend forums and house parties. Donai??i??t just stand around waiting to be invited to events and activities. Read community calendars and make your own calendar of events. Invite yourself to high schools to talk about the process of running for office and to senior centers for a listening hour. Ask a local business if you can tour and learn more about what they need from government. In a big campaign, youai??i??ll hire a scheduler to do this for you. If you donai??i??t have a big team, see if a friend or volunteer will help.

Asking for Money – Even if you have a shoestring budget, you still need money to compete. You are the best person to ask supporters for money. Ask everyone you meet. Most people will be excited to support your campaign. Candor is key. Tell them specifically why you need their support — ai???Iai??i??m raising $250 to pay for a mailing letting voters know about my strong record on education.ai???

Trusting Your Team – When you hire a team with expertise, make sure you listen to them. Seek out diverse viewpoints. Listen humbly and show you value their counsel. No matter how much experience you have, you can always learn something new.

Owning the Message – You set the message for your campaign. Our Running for Office guide includes tips on how to develop your message. You should make sure your message is reflected in your stump speech, and all your …

“After todayai??i??s revelations of years of police reports about allegations of domestic abuse involving Alan Grayson, we are no longer willing to support and are formally withdrawing our endorsement of him in the race for U.S. Senate.

“Unfortunately, this deeply disappointing revelation means progressives have no great options in the Florida race for Senate.” — Stephanie Taylor, Co-Founder, PCCC; Adam Green, Co-Founder, PCCC;Ai??Charles Chamberlain, Executive Director, DFA

This is the first unendorsement in history of both the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Democracy for America.

The PCCC and DFA call on Alan Grayson to donate all money donated to his Senate campaign by PCCC and DFA members to an Orlando-based organization to help victims of domestic abuse.

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Letai??i??s say that youai??i??ve been invited to a social occasion like a wedding, bar mitzvah, or holiday shindig. How do you make the most of it as a candidate?

Make new connections. Make it a goal to meet 5-10 new people at every event. You never know who will become your next big campaign supporter!
Collect contact information from other guests. Casually exchange business cards, or write down email addresses and cell phone numbers in a small notebook. After every event, be sure to add the information to the ai???Contact Databaseai??? app in PIES.
Scout hosts for future events. If your friend throws a great party, ask them whether they will consider hosting a fundraiser for your campaign! Your new connections could be the solid start of a guest list since they already know the host.
Look the part. Remember that when you are running for office, you may receive more attention than usual. Use this as a chance to shine! Make sure you are dressed cleanly and appropriately. Smile a lot. This is a great chance to project a professional image to a new group of people.
Relax and rejuvenate. Campaigns are stressful. Social events can be a great way to unwind. Try to enjoy yourself, and stop worrying about your long to-do list.

Don’t have a PIES account yet, or not sure how to access it? Bringing PIES to your campaign begins by completing ourAi??candidate questionnaires hereAi??– or just email us atAi??help@campaignpies.comAi??with any questions.

Elizabeth Warren, for her winning message. If there’s a beating heart of the post-Obama Democratic Party, it’s Elizabeth Warren, the crusading populist senator from Massachusetts who can’t seem to kick the notion, lovingly encouraged by her supporters, that she should run for president in 2016.

After the midterms, liberals insisted that what lost was the cautious moderation of the likes of Sen. Mark Pryor (Ark.), while proud Democrats like Warren were winners. “Warren was the most popular Democrat on the campaign trail this cycle — in red states, purple states and blue states,” said Adam Green of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

This morning, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee released a second video challenging Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on his deference to the NRA and opposition to gun reforms.

In the ad, Gary Nutt, a military veteran and hunter, says that he would be a “pretty bad hunter” if he needed an assault weapon to hunt, and notes that McConnell has taken $198,615 from the gun industry during his campaigns.

Watch it:

Click here to pitch in a few dollars to help run this ad in Kentucky.

Listen to our Elizabeth Warren Watch Party conference call for house party hosts below. If you have any questions, just email us at houseparty@boldprogressives.org.

A few highlights from the call:

Remember to take pictures and video of your event! Have your phone and camera charged and ready to go.
You should plan on giving a short introduction and welcome speech around 9:00pm. After your welcome, have folks go around the room, say their name, and why they support Elizabeth Warren. This is a great time for you to capture Warren’s momentum on video!
We expect Warren to speak around 10:00pm. You have a few options to watch Warren’s speech. If you don’t have MSNBC or C-SPAN, many local PBS affiliates will carry the convention for most of the evening. If you prefer watching through your computer, you can watch Warrenai??i??s speech at http://www.youtube.com/politics.
After Warren’s speech, have a computer set up and at the site: pccc.me/WarrenHouseParty. There your guests will be able to sign up and volunteer for Warren!
If you or your guests are tweeting the event, make sure to include the hashtag #WarrenParty.
We’ll be making a compilation of video and pictures from all of the house parties. After the event, please email your pictures and video to houseparty@boldprogressives.org.

Thank you for hosting a Watch Warren Party, and have a great event!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiHNVYRTKP8

Sign up to attend an Elizabeth Warren house party near you.

by Kayla Wingbermuehle

Prior to becoming a Fellow with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, I was the Field Director for Lori Saldanaai??i??s campaign for Californiaai??i??s 52nd Congressional District.Ai?? Throughout the election, the PCCC offered invaluable advice on how to run a true grassroots people-powered campaign.Ai?? With their support and guidance, we were able to bring our race to a statistical dead-heatai??i??after being outspent 5 A? to 1.

I am a fellow at the PCCC because I want to help Progressive candidates understand how to fully utilize every resource they have available so the voices of 99% of Americans isnai??i??t bought and paid for by the 1%.Ai?? Itai??i??s about working harder and smarter than the competition so we get true, bold Progressives elected to office to fight for the issues that affect the lives of working-class Americans.

If you believe that the only way to achieve true reform in this country is to start by taking our democracy back from special interests, corporate greed and the wealthy few, then consider becoming a fellow with the PCCC.Ai?? We need a new generation of leaders who will stand up to right-wing extremists and fight for the middle class.Ai?? We need true progressive leadership to guide our nation, and we need YOU to make it happen.

Click here to sign up and join me and other paid Bold Progressive fellows from across the nation.

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