NATIONAL

2012 ELECTION CYCLE

2012 RECOMMENDATIONS

Progressive Leaders and Candidate Recommendations

US HOUSE 2012

Open Seats & Challengers

Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1)  Special Election January 31, 2012
Darcy Burner (WA-1)  Primary August 7, 2012
Joanne Dowdell (NH-1)  Primary September 11, 2012
Eric Griego (NM-1)  Primary June 5, 2012
Ann McLane Kuster (NH-2)

Lori Saldaña (CA-52)  Primary June 5, 2012
Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1)  Primary September 11, 2012
Ilya Sheyman (IL-10)  Primary March 20, 2012

First-term and Contested Re-elections

Karen Bass (CA-33)
Colleen Hanabusa (HI-1)

Terri Sewell (AL-7)

Progressive Incumbents

Andre Carson (IN-07)
Keith Ellison (MN-5) — Co-Chair, Progressive Caucus
Donna Edwards (MD-04)
Chaka Fattah (PA-2)
Raúl Grijalva (AZ-7) — Co-Chair, Progressive Caucus
Michael Honda (CA-15) — Chair, Asian Pacific Caucus

Barbara Lee (CA-9)
John Lewis (GA-5)
Ben Lujan (NM-3)
Doris Matsui (CA-5)
Gwen Moore (WI-4)
Linda Sanchez (CA-47)
Jan Schakowsky (IL-9) — Chair, Women’s Caucus

US SENATE 2012

Open Seats & Challengers

Tammy Baldwin (WI-2) Primary September 11, 2012

US Rep. Mazie Hirono (HI-2)  Primary August 11, 2012
Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

Progressive Incumbents

Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

GOVERNORS 2012

New Hampshire

Race to Watch

STATEWIDE CANDIDATES 2012

DETAILS TO COME IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS.

Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1)  Special Election January 31, 2012
Darcy Burner (WA-1)  Primary August 7, 2012
Joanne Dowdell (NH-1)  Primary September 11, 2012
Eric Griego (NM-1)Primary June 5, 2012
Ann McLane Kuster (NH-2)

Lori Saldaña (CA-52) Primary June 5, 2012
Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1) Primary September 11, 2012
Ilya Sheyman (IL-10) Primary March 20, 2012

Progressives have opportunities to replace Republicans and solidify the progressive wing of the Democratic party.

For details, you may contact the research team at the Partnership by clicking here.

Candidates
Open Seats and Challengers

Suzanne Bonamici (D) is a candidate in the Special Election to replace David Wu in Oregon’s 1st District (OR-1). Bonamici won her primary and is locked in a tight contest with Republican Rob Cornilles. The election is January 31st, 2012. Bonamici served in the state legislature, in both the State House and State Senate and was a champion for the middle class. She was Senate Chair of the Consumer Protection and Public Affairs Committee, and was a leading voice for Mortgage reform, bringing the issue into focus before it was recognized nationwide, helping homeowners and tenants facing foreclosure. Her legislative voting history is progressive. She voted to raise income and corporate taxes on high tax brackets, voted for resident tuition rates for undocumented immigrants, and she received a lifetime 100% score from the Oregon League of Conservation Voters as a Senator. Bonamici has a strong list of endorsements, including environmental groups, EMILYS LIST and the National Organization for Women. View campaign website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue page to contribute!

Darcy Burner (D) is running for WA-1 to replace US Rep. Jay Inslee, who is running for governor. Burner ran for Congress previously in 2006 and 2008 in WA-8, losing to the popular incumbent David Reichert (R). As a candidate she helped create the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq, one of the first strategic proposals for withdrawal from progressives running for and elected to Congress. In 2009, Burner founded Progressive Congress, a nonprofit that supports the leadership efforts, policy and message development of the Congressional Progressive Caucus in the US House. Burner supports fair trade policies that protect the US workforce and sets global environmental standards, investments in public education, vocational and technical training and affordable access to college. Link to an interview here. She is competing for the nomination with a number of Democrats in the August Primary. View campaign website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue page to contribute!

Joanne Dowdell (D) is running in her first election for NH-1, hoping to face off against first-term incumbent Frank Guinta (R). Dowdell will face Carol Shea-Porter (D), who is running for the seat she lost to Guinta in 2010 in the Democratic Primary. Dowdell is a progressive with a background in business and socially responsible investing, where she researched and rated firms on their environmental, human rights and workplace practices. She served on Barak Obama's Senate Steering Committee, worked on Obama's presidential campaign, and was appointed to the Democratic National Committee in 2009. View campaign website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue page to contribute!

Eric Griego (D) is running to represent New Mexico's 1st congressional district. Incumbent Rep. Martin Heinrich (D) is leaving the House to run for the open US Senate to replace Sen. Mark Bingaman (D) who is retiring. Griego is one of the most liberal members of the New Mexico State Senate, first elected in 2008. He currently also works as the Executive Director of New Mexico Voices for Children. Griego also served on the Albuquerque City Council for 2001-2005. As a state senator, Griego received solid scores from environmental organizations and has a voted for domestic partnerships, to prohibit corporeal punishment of children in public schools, against concealed weapons, and to abolish the death penalty. View campaign website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Ann McLane Kuster (NH-2) is running to replace US Rep. Charlie Bass (R). Kuster narrowly lost to Bass in 2010 mid-term elections.  Kuster's chances will be much greater in 2012 when voter turnout is higher. Kuster is a solid progressive and was an early Obama endorser and leader of Obama’s New Hampshire campaign. Kuster is pro-choice and her priorities are to continue healthcare reform, increase access to higher education and build a clean energy economy. View campaign website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Lori Saldaña (D) is vying to unseat incumbent Republican Brian Billbray in the redrawn CA-52, in the San Diego area. Saldaña was in the State Assembly from 2005 through 2010. She has worked as a teacher was an environmental activist (bio). She's got a grassroots following and is expected to mount a strong campaign. As an Assemblywoman she voted consistently with labor, earning recognition in 2008 for her 100% labor record. She also earned a 100% score on environmental issues for her entire six years in the CA Assembly from the California League of Conservation Voters. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1) is in one of the most competitive districts in the country. She will run against Republican Frank Guinta, former Mayor of Manchester, who won in the 2010 midterms Shea-Porter was first elected to NH-1 with little money and great field organizing in 2006. She won again in 2008 but lost in 2010 midterms to the Mayor of Manchester, Frank Guinta (R). Shea-Porter may face a primary challenge by Joanne Dowdell of Portsmouth. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Ilya Sheyman (D) is mounting his first candidacy for public office to win the Democratic primary and defeat incumbent Republican Bob Dold (IL-10) in the Chicago metro area. Sheyman has been a political activist in Howard Dean's campaign for President, with Democracy for America and Mobilization Director for MoveOn.org, and A+Illinois, advocating for school funding reform. He is supported by a strong network of activists and will run a vigorous grassroots campaign. If elected, Sheyman will work to end the tax cuts for the wealthy, build high-speed rail, and withdraw withdraw rapidly from Iraq and Afghanistan. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Races to Watch

CT-5 OPEN SEAT — State Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D) and Speaker of the Connecticut House Chris Donovan (D) are the leading candidates. Chris Murphy (CT-5) is running to replace retiring Sen. Joe Lieberman, vacating his House seat.

FL-8 PICK-UP OPPORTUNITY — Val Demings (D) is running to unseat incumbent conservative Republican Brian Webster. Demings is the former Police Chief of Orlando and is credited with reversing the city's crime rate. She's military veteran, African American and its credited with a dramatic reduction in crime in her city. Recruited by the DCCC, she's running on a progressive platform and is doing well raising money. Redistricting by the Republican Senate has increased the Republican character of the district. View campaign website.

HI-2 OPEN SEAT — A number of candidates for the open House seat HI-2 are vying for the Democratic nomination and no clear progressive stands out in the field at this time. Declared candidates include Tulsi Gabbard (D), a Honolulu City Councilwoman and Iraq War veteran; Mufi Hannemann (D), former Honolulu Mayor and 2010 candidate for Governor; Esther Kia'aina (D), State Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chief Advocate and former congressional aide; and Bob Marx (D), a former State Rep. Incumbent US Rep. Mazie Hirono's (HI-2) is also in the running (see listing below.)

OH-3 OPEN SEAT — A strong field of Democrats are vying for the nomination for this newly drawn district for Columbus, Ohio. Running in the OH-3 Democratic primary are former Columbus Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy; African American Joyce Beatty (D), a former state legislator and House Minority Leader; Priscilla Tyson, a Columbus City Councilwoman; and Ted Celeste, a State Rep. and 2000 congressional nominee. Kilroy won election to Congress from the prior Columbus CD, OH-15, in 2008, but was turned out of office in the Republican wave of 2010. Additional candidates are declared and expected to emerge in this unsettled district. District boundaries are still in flux due to various challenges, and the primary date is not yet confirmed.

WI-2 OPEN SEAT — Incumbent Tammy Baldwin (D) is leaving her congressional seat to run for open US Senate seat and replace retiring Democrat Herb Kohl (See US Senate candidates below.) A number of candidates are vying for the safe Democratic seat. Kelda Roys is the only woman declared in the race. Roys is a State Rep. and the former Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin. Other leading candidates include Mark Pocan, a State Rep. and former County Supervisor.

First-term and Contested Re-elections

Progressive Leaders

Karen Bass (CA-33)
Colleen Hanabusa (HI-1)
Terri Sewell (AL-7)

André Carson (IN-07)
Donna Edwards (MD-04)
Keith Ellison (MN-5) — Co-Chair, Progressive Caucus
Raúl Grijalva (AZ-7) — Co-Chair, Progressive Caucus
Chaka Fattah (PA-2)
Michael Honda (CA-15) — Chair, Asian Pacific Caucus
Barbara Lee (CA-9) — Chair, Black Caucus
John Lewis (GA-5)
Ben Luján (NM-3)
Doris Matsui (CA-5)
Gwen Moore (WI-4)
Linda Sanchez (CA-47)
Jan Schakowsky (IL-9) — Chair, Women’s Caucus

Supporting progressive incumbents we help leverage influence and their ability to set the agenda and win policy.

The Progressive Caucus is the largest in Congress and includes 81 members in the House, out of 255 Democrats, and one in the Senate, Bernie Sanders. The following 16 progressive Members of Congress have leadership roles and represent emerging constituencies.

Candidates

Karen Bass (CA-33) won the 2010 election to replace retiring incumbent Diane Watson (D). Bass will be running in the newly drawn CA-37. She has voted consistently progressive since taking office in January 2011. Before election to Congress she was Speaker of the California Assembly. Bass is recognized as an active and strong leader. She is a co-sponsor of H.R.308 - Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act, to ban the sale or possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines for firearms and other progressive measures. She has received very high scores from civil rights, environmental, family and elderly, labor, LGBT, and women’s advocacy organizations. View campaign website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. André Carson (IN-7) was elected to Congress in 2006. He is an African American and the only person of color from Indiana in Congress. Carson is the lead sponsor of H.R. 853 — The Transition-to-Success Mentoring Act to provide federal funding for mentoring to struggling students.  The second Muslim to be elected to Congress, Carson is a strong supporter of public education, is pro-choice and is a co-sponsor of EFCA. He sits on the Financial Services Committee and supports ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He voted to expand health care. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. Donna Edwards (MD-4) was first elected to Congress in 2008 after defeating incumbent, fellow African American Democrat Al Wynn, in the primary. She has emerged as a strong leader of Congressional progressives. Edwards has introduced H.R.631 — Working for Adequate Gains for Employment in Services Act to establish a base minimum wage for tipped employees, and is a co-sponsor of the Fair Taxation Act of 2011 and the H.R.1404 — Fair Elections Now Act, to reform the financing of House elections, and for other purposes. Edwards helped draft the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq and has voted against Supplemental appropriations for funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that lack timetables for withdrawal. Overall she has one of the best voting records in the top progressive tier. She’s strong on election reform, was a leader for the public plan in health care reform, supports EFCA, is pro-choice, and solid on the environment. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. Keith Ellison (MN-5) is African American and the first Muslim elected to Congress. He recently became Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Congress. He is a co-sponsor of the H.R.1404 - Fair Elections Now Act, He was first elected in 2006 and represents a strong Democratic district faithfully. He sits on the House Financial Services, and Foreign Affairs committees. He is taking a leadership role in progressive politics, introducing health care cost control legislation and protections for renters in mortgage foreclosures. Rep. Ellison voted to raise taxes on upper incomes, supports federal funding for education and opposes vouchers for public schools, EFCA-- the union card-check, and has voted to end the Iraq war and for national health care reform. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. Chaka Fattah (PA-2) was elected in 1994 and sits on the House Appropriations Committee. He is a sponsor of H.R.1294 — Fiscal Fairness Act, an act to assure comparability of opportunity for educationally disadvantaged students, and, H.R. 1295 — Student Bill of Rights, an act to provide for adequate and equitable educational opportunities for students in State public school systems. Fattah is a leader for greater federal funding public education, the “Opportunity to Learn” campaign and has voted against vouchers for private schools. He voted for health care reform, and the public option, supports EFCA-the union card-check, is pro-choice and has voted in favor of defense cuts, increasing social and infrastructure spending. He is against torture of detainees and nuclear proliferation and supports ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but has made a number of conservative votes opposing reductions in military spending, against reducing US expenditures in Afghanistan and withdrawal by the end of 2011. Voted against authorization in 2002, and has voted in favor of setting timetables for withdrawal. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. Raúl Grijalva (AZ-7) is the Co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus. A Latino, he represents a solidly Democratic district faithfully. He is a sponsor of H.R. 1548 - Right to Rent Act of 2011, an act to allow homeowners of moderate-value homes who are subject to mortgage foreclosure proceedings to remain in their homes as renters, and, H.R.1547 - Success in the Middle Act of 2011, an act to provide grants to States to ensure that all students in the middle grades are taught an academically rigorous curriculum with effective supports. He opposed any increase in troops in Afghanistan. First elected in 2002, he sits on the House Education and Labor, and Natural Resources committees. He has voted consistently for expanding opportunity and the middle class, against vouchers for private schools and in favor of fully funding public education and is pro-choice. He was a leader for the public option in health care reform, EFCA and comprehensive immigration reform providing a path to citizenship. He voted for health care reform, the public option and single-payer, against the war in Iraq, supports withdrawal from Iraq and cutting military spending and unnecessary weapons systems.View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Colleen Hanabusa (HI-1) was elected to Congress in 2010. Hanabusa has voted with progressives in most areas since taking office in January 2011, but has made a number of conservative votes opposing reductions in military spending and troop levels in Europe, against reducing US expenditures in Afghanistan and withdrawal by the end of 2011, and in favor of new missile systems and assault vehicles. She supports women's rights and choice, greater federal support for public education, and higher taxes on upper incomes. Hanabusa was the first Asian American woman to preside over a state legislative chamber becoming Senate President in 2008. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. Michael Honda (CA-15) is a strong progressive whose Congressional votes are in line with the solidly liberal Democratic district he represents and will be running in the newly drawn CA-17. Now in his sixth term, he the sits on the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch. He is also Chair of the Asian Pacific American Caucus. Honda is a leader driving comprehensive immigration reform in the House, and introduced legislation in 2009 to allow gays and lesbians to sponsor permanent partners of the same sex. He favors limits to black carbon, CO2 from diesel fuel and wood, and is pro-choice. Honda voted to expand health care, against the Iraq War resolution in 2002 that started the War and opposes the war in Afghanistan. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13) is a founder of the Out of Iraq Caucus and has been a leader of congressional efforts to end the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and will be running in the newly drawn CA-13. In the current Congress, she introduced and passed H.R. 1016: Assessing Progress in Haiti Act to measure the progress of relief, recovery, reconstruction, and development efforts in Haiti. She supports women's rights and choice. Rep. Lee leads efforts for withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan and has voted against all Supplemental appropriations for war funding lacking timetables for withdrawal. She was the single vote to oppose authorization for the Bush Administration for military action in Afghanistan. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. John Lewis (GA-5) was first elected in 1986 and sits on the House Ways and Means Committee. He has introduced H.R.1191 - Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act of 2011, an act to affirm the religious freedom of taxpayers who are conscientiously opposed to participation in war, to provide that the income, estate, or gift tax payments of such taxpayers be used for nonmilitary purposes, to create the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund to receive such tax payments, to improve revenue collection, and for other purposes. Lewis voted to expand health care, has voted consistently against vouchers for private schools and in favor or greater federal funding of public education. He supports EFCA and has consistently supported measures to expand the middle class and extend opportunity to low and moderate income people. He is pro-choice and supports ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, voted against war authorization in 2002 and has voted in favor of setting timetables for withdrawal. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. Ben Luján (NM-3) was first elected to Congress in 2010. Rep. Luján has joined the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Native American Caucus and the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition. He is a sponsor or H.R.1881 - an act to establish workforce training and education, at community colleges, in sustainable energy, and H.R. 1556, an act to allow certain land to be used to generate income. He has voted consistently progressive, supports withdrawal from Iraq, and EFCA, and voted to expand health care. He is on the House Homeland Security, and the Science and Technology committees. Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation, Rep. Luján has made climate change and renewable energy efficiency a priority. He is pro-choice and supports ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and timetables for withdrawal. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. Doris Matsui (CA-6) is in her fifth term and is a leading progressive Asian American from a strong Democratic district who votes accordingly. She sits on the important Rules, and Energy and Commerce committees and is sponsor of the Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act of 2011 to provide for the establishment of a Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Fund, and Safe and Complete Streets Act of 2011, to ensure the safety of all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, children, older individuals, and individuals with disabilities. She's a supporter of EFCA, funding for public education, and national health care reform. She is pro-choice and supports ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, voted against authorization in 2002 and has voted in favor of setting timetables for withdrawal. Matsui will run in the redrawn CA-6. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. Gwen Moore (WI-4) as first elected to Congress in 2004. Rep. Moore is an emerging leader, seasoned and principled. She represents a strong liberal district in Milwaukee and votes accordingly. A leader fighting homelessness, Moore is pushing for $2.4 billion for HUD’s McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants. She is the lead sponsor of H.R.1138 - School Social Workers Improving Student Success Act, to fund additional school social workers and retain school social workers. In May 2009, changes authored by Rep. Moore expanded the federal government's ability to prevent homelessness. She is pro-choice and supports ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, voted against authorization in 2002 and has voted in favor of setting timetables for withdrawal. She was the first African American woman elected Wisconsin State Senator in 1992. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA-38) was first elected to Congress in 2002 and will run in the redrawn CA-38. She represents a strong Democratic district and votes accordingly. She is on the House Committee on Ethics (Ranking Member) and Committee on the Judiciary. She is a sponsor of the Gender Equity in Health Premiums Act, which seeks to prevent health insurance companies from charging women higher premiums than men ("gender rating"), and is leading with bills to prevent bullying in schools and on-line. She has voted against vouchers for private schools and for federal funding of public education. She is pro-choice and supports ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, voted against authorization in 2002 and has voted in favor of setting timetables for withdrawal. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-9) is a leader on job creation, the budget, and deficit and put her own budge proposal together  after the President's Fiscal Commission could not reach agreement. She's a leader for fair taxes and higher rate for incomes 1 million and up and is lead sponsor of the Fair Taxation Act of 2011 and the Patriot Corporations of America Act of 2011. She serves on the House Energy and Commerce, and Intelligence (Permanent Select) committees. She introduced legislation February 23 to eliminate private security contractors in war zones. First elected in 1998 after a career as activist and community organizer, she has called for an investigation into torture in Iraq. Rep. Schakowsky he is a sponsor of the Gender Equity in Health Premiums Act to prevent health insurance companies from charging women higher premiums than men ("gender rating"). She has voted against vouchers for private schools and in favor of federal funding of public education. She is pro-choice and voted against authorization in 2002 and has voted in favor of setting timetables for withdrawal. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Terri Sewell (AL-7) was elected to Congress in 2010. Since taking office, Sewell has voted in favor higher taxes for upper incomes, for social welfare programs but has a very moderate even conservative record on national security casting votes for the Patriot Act, and in favor of military spending on systems and hardware. Sewell was born and raised in the district in Selma. She went to Princeton and Harvard Law School, and has practiced law in New York City and since 2004 in Birmingham. She’s led efforts to address domestic violence and helped establish the first domestic violence court. Departing incumbent Rep. Artur Davis (D) ran for Governor of Alabama, losing in the primary. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

For details, you may contact the research team at the Partnership by clicking here.

Tammy Baldwin (WI-2)   Primary September 11, 2012
Susan Bysiewicz (D-CT) Primary August 14, 2012 Dem pick-up opportunity.

Mazie Hirono (HI-2)   Primary August 11, 2012
Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) Primary September 6, 2012 Dem pick-up opportunity

If elected, these candidates would preserve the Democratic majority in the Senate and bring new progressives into the Senate.

Candidates

Rep. Tammy Baldwin (WI-2) was first elected in 1998 and is the first woman from Wisconsin to serve in Congress. Baldwin recently announced her intention to run for the seat of retiring US Senator Herbert Kohl in the Senate. Baldwin is the sponsor of H.J.Res.47 - Removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment and a co-sponsor of the H.R.1404 — Fair Elections Now Act, has issued a statement opposing the President’s increase in troops for Afghanistan. She has developed an impressive resume over the years and is considered one of the most progressive and outspoken Members of the House. She voted against the Iraq war in 2002. She supports the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), has voted consistently for full funding of public education and against vouchers for private schools. She voted to expand health care and provide economic opportunities for low and moderate income people. She’s a leader for LGBT people, leading the fight to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and is pro-choice. She currently sits on the House Energy and Commerce, and the Judiciary committees. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Susan Bysiewicz (D-CT) is running to replace retiring Sen. Joe Lieberman. She is the former Secretary of State in Connecticut, and served from 1999 to 2011. Prior to her role as Secretary of State she served three terms in the State Legislature. She's in a tight primary race with incumbent Democratic Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5), who is considered the frontrunner. While Secretary of State, Bysiewicz made increasing voter participation a hallmark of her tenure. She successfully advocated for allowing 17 year olds the right to vote in primaries if they would be turning 18 by Election Day. She also made it possible for voters with disabilities to vote by phone if mobility was an issue. Bysiewicz has called for the immediate withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan and has been endorsed by EMILY's List, the National Womens Political Caucus and NOW/PAC. Her work on the “Safe & Home” project is aimed at protecting victims of domestic abuse. The primary is Tuesday, August 14. View campaign website. View Maria’s ActBlue page to contribute.

Rep. Mazie Hirono (HI-2) has announced she is running for US Senator, to fill the seat of Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) who is retiring at the end of this term. Hirono was first elected to the US House in 2006. She is from a strong Democratic district and her votes in the House reflect her constituency. Hirono has consistently cast progressive votes and is pro-choice, supports federal funding for public education and opposes vouchers for private schools, voted against the Patriot Act and supports ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. She has however recently cast votes opposing reductions in military spending and the number of troops in Europe, against reducing US expenditures in Afghanistan and withdrawal by the end of 2011, and voted in favor of new missile systems and assault vehicles. A strong ally of working families, she will need to win the Democratic Primary against a more conservative Democrat. Her strong background and reflective voting record have put her in good position to win the August 11, 2012 Primary. She sits on the Education and Workforce Committee, Transportation and Infrastructure Committees and champion’s education, renewable energy, and environmental protection issues. Rep. Hirono has also helped secure the right of self-governance for native Hawaiians. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is running to unseat Republican Scott Brown and put the Massachusetts' seat back in Democratic control. The outcome of the election could determine whether Democrats retain control of the US Senate. This is Warren's first campaign for electoral office. She previously served President Obama and led creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, one of the biggest achievements of the President's administration. Warren has a deep background in the economic challenges facing middle-class and lower income people working to reach a stable middle class life. She grew up on the lower edge of middle class life, in a struggling household much like her opponent Scott Brown. In contrast to Brown, she recognizes the important role that government policies, programs and assistance play building and sustaining a middle class. Warren will add a strong liberal voice to the US Senate and bring a powerful message for economic recovery and shared prosperity. See a clip from a campaign house meeting. View campaign website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

Your support of progressive incumbents in the Senate will add to their leverage and influence, enhancing their ability to advance a progressive agenda on Capitol Hill.

Candidates

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has quickly become one of the strongest progressive leaders in the US Senate. Elected in 2006, Brown won the seat with 56% of the vote ousting two-term Republican incumbent Mike DeWine. Brown was in the US House from 1993-2006 prior to becoming Senator. Brown has voted consistently for progressive policies. A staunch opponent of the US war in Iraq and withdrawal from Afghanistan, a leader on health care reform and public investments in job creation, women's rights and choice, civil liberties, racial and marriage equality, Sen. Brown will have a competitive race for re-election.  View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has voted consistently progressive since her appointment to the US Senate. She ranks in the top tier of Senate progressives. She is pro-choice and has voted to expand health care, to expand the middle class and support opportunity for low and moderate income people. She supports a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, the DREAM Act and an end to workplace raids. She voted to expand health care, supports EFCA, greater federal funding for public education and equal pay for women. Regarding taxes, Gillibrand voted in 2010 to restore higher tax rates on upper incomes. She won the Special Election November 2010, with 63%, and is running for re-election in 2012. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is a leading progressive in the US Senate. His work for fair taxes, for health care reform, for changes in the filibuster and other issues puts him in the forefront of progressive politics. He is an independent member of the Senate, but participates in the Democratic caucus. Reliably outspoken, he led a standing filibuster in December of 2010, holding the Senate floor for 8 hours and 37 minutes advocating for higher taxes on upper incomes in opposition to the extension of the Bush tax cuts. View official website. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) was the first woman elected US Senator from Michigan, beating incumbent Spencer Abraham (R) by 1% in 2000. She has strong voting record supporting women's rights and choice, for fair trade policies that increase labor and environmental standards among trading partners and protect jobs in the US, for national health care reform and reforming the justice system. That said, she has also voted to prevent higher mpg standards for cars, voted in favor of harsher bankruptcy rules for individuals, to provide immunity for telecommunications companies that supplied information unlawfully for the Bush Administrations illegal wiretapping efforts, and opposed measures that would address global warming. Regarding taxes, she voted to restore the higher rates on upper incomes that were in place before the Bush tax cuts. She is chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee running for re-election and are important leaders on a number of issues. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Senate Races to Watch

Texas Senator Kate Baily-Hutchinson (R) is retiring and will not run for re-election.

Nevada Senate — With Sen. John Ensign's resignation, Republican Dean Heller (NV-2) was appointed by Governor to carry out the term. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (NV-1) is the favored Democrat at this point in the race. She represents most of Las Vegas and has earned a reputation for being a strong independent voice. Berkley is an advocate of affordable health care and clean and renewable energy. Her voting record is supported by high rankings within the education, choice and labor communities. She did vote in favor of the Iraq invasion but voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. View official website.

New Mexico Senate — Senator Jeff Bingaman (D) is retiring from the US Senate. Incumbent Congressman Martin Heinrich (NM-1) has declared his candidacy.Heinrich has been a leader on environmental issues and received high scores from green groups. View official website. Also running is Hector Balderas. Balderas is currently the New Mexico State Auditor and announced his intentions to run for the Senate in New Mexico this cycle. A youthful politician of Mexican decent, he has been recognized for his work by the League of Conservation Voters and within the Latino community. When he was elected Auditor, he was the youngest Hispanic statewide elected official in the country. He has proven to be a strong advocate for restoring accountability and equality within legislative and programmatic priorities, during his tenure as State Auditor. View official website.

Candidates

Details to be added in the coming weeks.

Races to Watch

The Wisconsin Recall Election — Incumbent Gov. Scott Walkter (R) has led an aggressive and reationary push to eliminate basic labor rights for public sector employees, privatized portions of the States Commerce Department, and reduced the scope and budget of the Wisconsin Secretary of State, the agency that oversees elections. Democrats and people from all over the state have fought back and are collecting signatures for a recall election. A recall election will put the Governor back on the ballot in a Special Election, forcing him to run against a Democratic challenger. Petitioners need 540,208 signatures, but will collect upwards of 600,000-plus to overcome any challenges. Visit Maria’s List ActBlue to contribute!

Governor of New Hampshire — Three-term governor John Lynch (D-NH) is not running in 2012. The race is attracting many candidates and is evolving. Two women stand out in particular. Maggie Hassan is the sole candidate to declare formally. Hassan was Majority Leader in the NH Senate, and has a strong record of progressive accomplishments. However, at her campaign announcement, Hassan made "the pledge" to oppose an income or sales tax. Another potential candidate is Jackie Cilley, a former NH State Senator who also has a solid progressive record. Cilley has filed a political action committee named “Friends of Jackie Cilley” and is expected to run, but has not formally declared. Both women could provide strong leadership for the Granite State.

For details, you may contact the research team at the Partnership by clicking here.

Candidates

DETAILS TO COME IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS.

Research and profiles compiled by Michael Fogelberg, and Scott St. Onge and Wayne Marshall of Washington Capital Management.

A Donor Strategy to Put Progressives in the Lead

Early support of progressives helps to shape the race. We start our search for viable progressive candidates and then focus on candidates who promote peace, democratic participation, public education, public financing of elections, fair and progressive taxes, candidates who represent low-income and people of color, and candidates with whom our clients can maintain relationships.

Deliver your contributions through a progressive champion who represents a low and moderate-income district and is a leader on your priorities. She gets credit for delivering contributions to other candidates, to the DCCC or DSCC, and that raises her status and influence in the Congress and the party.

Make campaign contributions to a Leadership PAC sponsored by an elected incumbent. Leadership PAC funds are spent on other candidates. One example is “One Voice,” which supports a strategic and principled progressive woman of color asserting leadership, bolstering viable progressive challengers and vulnerable progressive incumbents. Rep. Barbara Lee is the Honorary Chair.

Add more value to your contributions: bring the achievements of the candidates you support to the attention of Democratic Party leadership. Advocate for Party dollars to support the campaigns of progressives. Remind Party operatives there are money and votes in going progressive.

For details, you may contact the research team at the Partnership by clicking here.

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Listing Criteria: Progressive Leaders & Candidates

1. Has a progressive policy agenda and voting record.

2. Leads on critical issues: ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; supporting public education, the public option in health care reform, the employee free choice act, fair trade, and has played critical leadership roles driving a particular progressive cause.

3. Helps achieve greater proportional numbers for Women and People of Color.

4. Grows voting bloc for low and moderate income communities.

5. Protects vulnerable progressives, recently electeds and seizing easier opportunities.

For details, you may contact the research team at the Partnership by clicking here.

Political Trends

• 2010 turnout electorate in US history.

• Democratic lost control of the House of Representatives.

• Democrats did not sustain new Obama voters' interest and involvement in politics. Despite enacting a number of new policies and programs, Obama and the Democrats have yet to benefit politically with greater support from larger numbers of voters.

• Democratic trend in party identification, Independents grow as largest group and lean Democratic.

• Progressive policy and politics under attack in a number of states. House Republicans pushing radical right-wing agenda to eliminate major government programs including Medicare, Social Security and begin targeting public education.

For details, you may contact the research team at the Partnership by clicking here.

Strategic Political Goals

• Democrats and Progressives need to drive an agenda that motivates the Democratic base and new constituencies, mobilizing these voters for the 2012 elections.

November 2010 Results

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US HOUSE 2010

Open Seats & Challengers

CA-33 Open Seat Karen Bass Elected!
AR-2 Joyce Elliot Defeated
KS-4 Open Seat-R Raj Goyle Defeated
HI-1 Open Seat Colleen Hanabusa Elected!

NH-2 Open Seat - D Ann McLane Kuster Defeated
IL-10 Open Seat-R Dan Seals Defeated
AL-7 Open Seat Terri Sewell Elected!

First-term and Contested Re-elections

André Carson (IN-07) Elected!
Donna Edwards (MD-04) Elected!
Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) Defeated

Ben Luján (NM-3) Elected!
Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1) Defeated
Dina Titus (NV-03) D Defeated

Progressive Incumbents

Tammy Baldwin (WI-2) Elected!
Keith Ellison (MN-5) Elected!
Raúl Grijalva (AZ-7) — Co-Chair, Progressive Caucus Elected!
Chaka Fattah (PA-2) Elected!
Mazie Hirono (HI-2) Elected!
Michael Honda (CA-15) — Chair, Asian Pacific Caucus Elected!

Barbara Lee (CA-9) — Chair, Black Caucus Elected!
John Lewis (GA-5) Elected!
Doris Matsui (CA-5) Elected!
Gwen Moore (WI-4) Elected!
Linda Sanchez (CA-47) Elected!
Jan Schakowsky (IL-9) — Chair, Women’s Caucus Elected!

US SENATE 2010

Open Seats & Challengers

Paul Hodes (D-NH) Defeated

Progressive Incumbents

Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Elected!
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) Elected!

Patty Murray (D-WA) Elected!
Russell Feingold (D-WI) Defeated

GOVERNORS 2010

Incumbents & New Candidates

State Senate Elizabeth "Libby" Mitchell (D) Maine Defeated
Diane Benson (D) - Alaska Lt. Gov. Defeated

Governor Deval Patrick (D) Massachusetts Elected!

STATEWIDE CANDIDATES 2010

Kamala Harris for California AG (D-CA) Elected!

Kevin Boyce Ohio State Treasurer (D-OH) Defeated

The 2010 elections proved to be historic, and sadly, historically bad for Democratic candidates, incumbents and new candidates both.  However, progressive incumbents on Maria's List were overwhelmingly re-elected and new progressive leaders won some very significant races. In particular, victories by Colleen Hanabusa (HI-1), Patty Murray (WA-Sen), Deval Patrick (MA-Gov), and Kamala Harris (CA-AG) stand out.

• The greatest losses hit conservative House Democrats, "Blue Dogs" and others.
• Though Democrats lost majority status in the House, the Congressional Progressive Caucus will remain the largest caucus and Republican efforts to unseat its Co-Chair, Raúl Grijalva  (AZ-7) were thwarted.
• Democrats retained their Senate majority and the wins in Colorado and Nevada were propelled by Latino voters, highlighting their importance to Democratic and progressive majorities.

Maria's List candidates who lost were first-term leaders running for re-election or new candidates.  The two exceptions included losses by incumbents Sen. Russell Feingold of Wisconsin, and US Rep. Carol Shea-Porter from New Hampshire's CD-1 who was running for her third term.

Winning new candidates for congress Karen Bass (CA-33), Colleen Hanabusa (HI-1), and Terri Sewell (AL-7) were each elected to the US House from solidly Democratic districts.  Hanabusa ousted a Republican who held the seat briefly after winning a Special Election in May 2010.

US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) won her first election to the Senate after being appointed in 2009 to replace Sen. Hillary Clinton.  In the race for US Senator from New Hampshire, Democrat Paul Hodes was defeated by Republican Kelly Ayotte. 

Among five first-term incumbents on Maria's List, three candidates won re-election and two lost.  Andre Carson (IN-7), Donna Edwards (MD-4), and Ben Lujan (NM-3) retained their seats winning in strong Democratic districts.  In more contested districts, first-term Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) and Dina Titus (NV-3) lost. 

Of 8 Races to Watch, two Democrats pulled victories.  US Rep. Betty Sutton was re-elected with 55%, holding on to US Sen. Sherrod Brown's former House district.  In New Orleans (LA-2), as expected, Cedric Richmond (D) ousted Republican Anh "Joseph" Cao (66/33%).  

In state contests, Governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick was re-elected.  In California, rising star District Attorney Kamala Harris was elected Attorney General in her first statewide campagin, and by a very slim margin.  That said, Democrats suffered major losses at the state level, including losses by Maria's List candidate for Governor of Maine, Libby Mitchell (D), for Lt. Governor of Alaska Native American Diane Benson (D), and for State Treasurer of Ohio Kevin Boyce (D).  Significantly, Race to Watch candidate for Ohio Lt. Governor Yvette McGee Brown was named to the Ohio Supreme Court by her running mate, out-going Governor Strickland.    

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