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The UpRising - May 2020
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Last updated: November 2nd, 2020

Office of Susie T. Buell & Mark Buell

San Francisco

June 1, 2020 U.S. Senate Giving Guide & Recommendations

 

We are in a major crisis. The U.S. is far worse off today than in 2016. We’re in the middle of a raging pandemic that has killed 106,000 Americans, we’re seeing an emboldened population of white supremacists, and 40M Americans are out of a job. We must replace the virus-in-chief to reverse the downward trajectory he and the GOP have set in motion.

 

If Joe Biden wins but we don’t regain control of the Senate, we won’t get anything done. If we don’t win the White House or the Senate, we may never undo the deterioration of our great nation. Do or die.

 

In 2014, the Republicans took back the Senate with a net gain of nine seats. In 2020, we need a net gain of 4 seats to retake the Senate majority. Building on our win in 2018, despite the pandemic and widespread voter suppression, we have to believe this is workable, possible, doable. We simply have to get this done.

 

Unless you live and breathe federal elections, making sense of all the races in play this year is confusing and overwhelming. In response to those who have reached out to us seeking help, we’ve created a guide, starting with the U.S. Senate races, designed to simplify things for all of us Democrats, left-leaning Independents, and independent-minded Republicans fed up with our federal government and wanting to engage in the fight.

 

We’ve divided these races into 3 categories to help decide which Democratic (and 1 Independent) candidates to direct your resources and volunteer hours. We are supporting all of the women and men in these three categories. We have contributed to all of them. As you think through how to allocate your energy, talents, time, and dollars in the fight to change the course of history, we recommend them for your consideration.

 

1) Doable – These races are the most high-profile and considered by the media and prognosticators as the most competitive with large amounts of outside spending already invested.

 

2) Possible – Most of these seats can turn from red to blue, but are currently under-resourced or still gaining traction compared to those in the Doable category. One exception is Democrat Senator Doug Jones who’s expected to have a tough race once the Republican opponent is determined.

 

3) Workable – These are races that pose some challenges but can go our way with some work.

 

These races are evolving and anything can happen as we know from history. We are not counting anyone out. We can expect there will be curveballs between now and November 3rd.    

 

We’ve also included a list of races we’re watching. These are Democratic incumbents who are mostly safe, a star Dem Congressman running for an open seat expected to remain blue, a competitive race where there is no clear Dem frontrunner, and a Dem challenger we’re still getting to know with a compelling personal story. We did not include the race between Ed Markey and Joe Kennedy, as interesting as it is, because it won’t change our net gain in November. (UPDATE: Senator Ed Markey won the primary on Sept. 1st.)

 

These campaigns have an enormous amount of work to do from now through November 3rd. We urge you to give to them now so they can maximize the value of your contribution. Don’t wait until after the summer. Everything from ads to zoom town halls to digital organizing costs money, though less in some states than others.

 

We will share our guide to the House races later this month. We will update these guides periodically until we WIN.

 

Now more than ever, we need to come together and stick together. Let's up the ante with the same laser-focused, disciplined, and strategic uprising that brought us the House majority in 2018. Considering everything we’ve endured in the last three and a half years, we have all that we need to win.

 

LET’S DO THIS.

 

FIGHT

DANCE

LOVE

BREATHE

Susie T. Buell

P.S. Take a peek at our House Guide for recommendations on Frontline and Red to Blue incumbents and candidates, and visit RISE to volunteer your time calling, texting, or writing letters to registered voters who need an extra nudge. These are some true changemakers!

June 1, 2020 U.S. Senate Giving Guide & Recommendations

Table of Contents

Click names & sections to navigate easily through this document.

Doable: Let’s just get it done.

Sara Gideon, MAINE

Theresa Greenfield, IOWA

Steve Bullock, MONTANA

Cal Cunningham, NORTH CAROLINA

John Hickenlooper, COLORADO

Mark Kelly, ARIZONA

Possible: Absolutely possible.

Barbara Bollier, KANSAS

MJ Hegar, TEXAS

Al Gross, ALASKA

Jaime Harrison, SOUTH CAROLINA

Doug Jones, ALABAMA

Jon Ossoff, GEORGIA

Raphael Warnock, GEORGIA

Workable: Will takes some work but possible.

Amy McGrath, KENTUCKY

Mike Espy, MISSISSIPPI

Keep an eye on these.

Tina Smith, MINNESOTA

Jeanne Shaheen, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Ben Ray Luján, NEW MEXICO

Gary Peters, MICHIGAN

DOABLE: LET’S JUST GET IT DONE.

★ Sara Gideon, MAINE

 

Susan Collins is having the toughest re-election campaign in her senate career as her approval rating among Mainers has gone south. She has alienated her base, making her a top target this cycle. Her deciding vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court continues to motivate Dem funders to get her out. Enter Sara Gideon, a natural coalition builder who has a proven track record of working successfully with Dems and Republicans as Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. She has worked to decrease health care costs, tackle Maine’s opioid epidemic, boost economic opportunity, expand educational opportunities, and protect women’s personal health care decisions. Sara’s campaign has been outraising Collins in this expensive, high-profile race and is well worth the investment in a state that has supported a Democrat in the last seven presidential elections.

UPDATE: A new poll shows Sara ahead of Senator Collins by 12 points. Sara is now officially the Democratic nominee for Senate in Maine! Even more, she now leads Senator Collins by 4 points in the polls.

Bio: Sara Gideon is a proud mom, wife, sister, daughter, and Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. Her father is an Indian immigrant and her maternal grandparents came to the United States to escape the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. It was her husband who was first recruited to run for the Freeport Town Council, but Sara decided she was better suited for the job. Now, she's served nearly four terms in the State House, the last two as Speaker. Throughout her impressive career, Sara has focused on using her office to improve the lives of Maine families. She has prioritized expanding access to affordable healthcare, been a champion for a woman’s right to choose, and a leading voice in the legislature to draw attention and deliver resources to combat Maine’s opioid epidemic. Sara is running for U.S. Senate because she believes too many politicians in Washington are focused more on the special interests than the interests of the people they’re supposed to represent. As she always has, in the Senate, Sara Gideon will put Maine first.

Opponent: Senator Susan Collins

Learn more: Sara Gideon for Maine https://saragideon.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Sara Gideon for Maine: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/gideon.up 

Get more involved: https://saragideon.com/take-action/ 

___________________________

★ Theresa Greenfield, IOWA

A recent PPP poll shows Theresa Greenfield just 1 point behind Republican incumbent Joni Ernst, whose approval has tanked down to 37%. The Washington Post and National Journal list Iowa, a state where trump’s approval has decreased by 14 percentage points, as a top-five Republican-held seat that Democrats can flip this year. Theresa’s moving personal story resonates with Iowans as a “proud farm kid” and as a 24-year-old pregnant mother of a 13-month-old who lost her husband to an accident on the job as a union electrical worker. She has high likability among voters even while her name recognition is still gaining traction at 49%. Theresa’s grassroots fundraising game, with 19,000 contributions from all 99 Iowa counties, is breaking records without any help from corporate PACs, unlike Ernst who has received $1.9M from corporate PACs. McConnell’s super PAC is committing $13M in ads in the state, its second-largest investment after North Carolina. Theresa leads the primary by a commanding margin.

UPDATE: Theresa’s campaign raised $28.7 million in the third quarter. A new poll shows Theresa ahead of Senator Ernst by 3 points. Theresa has been endorsed by Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s PAC, Win the Era. The Cook Political rating for the Senate race in Iowa has changed from Lean R to Tossup. A prior rating change in March catalyzed what is now a perilous downfall for Ernst. The GOP initially underestimated Theresa, who, with her compelling story, favorable polling, and efforts to re-energize the rural vote, has proven to be a real threat.

Bio: Theresa Greenfield grew up on a family farm, helping with the family crop-dusting business. When the farm crisis of the 1980s hit rural families, Theresa did not give up on her dream to attend college. With a healthy dose of grit, financial aid, and multiple part-time jobs, she put herself through school. After her husband was killed in a work accident as a union electrician, Theresa drew on Social Security survivor benefits to support herself and her two young children. Thanks to this essential safety net, Theresa was able to build a career as an urban planner and real estate executive. Because of her experience, Theresa is committed to protecting Social Security (over 1 in 5 in the state receive its benefits) against partisan attacks in Washington. She is candid about her deeply personal stories, and the drive that they have given her to ensure all Iowans and Americans have similar opportunities.

Opponent: Senator Joni Ernst

Learn more: Greenfield for Iowa https://greenfieldforiowa.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Greenfield for Iowa: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/greenfield.up

Get more involved: https://greenfieldforiowa.com/gotv/

___________________________

★ Steve Bullock, MONTANA

Governor Steve Bullock made the Senate race in Montana competitive as soon as he announced in March, raising $1.2M in 24 hours. He raised almost twice as much as Republican incumbent Steve Daines in the first half of Q2. A recent poll shows Governor Bullock leading Daines 46% to 39% in a state where trump’s approval rating has decreased by 18 points. The DSCC so far has reserved $5.2M to spend on TV and digital ads in the fall in the state that voted to re-elect Democrat Jon Tester to the Senate in 2018. Governor Bullock has already won once with Trump on top of the ticket. Let’s get behind him so he can do so again and get us to a Senate majority.

 

Bio: Steve Bullock is the two-term Governor of Montana. Before he entered public service, Steve worked as a consumer protection, small business, and labor lawyer and helped lead the fight to raise Montana’s minimum wage. Steve was elected Attorney General and fought special interests in politics by bringing the first legal challenge to Citizens United all the way to the Supreme Court. He also fought to protect access to public lands and streams. As Governor, Steve has worked across party lines to get things done, like expanding Medicaid to cover 90,000 additional Montanans, making record investments in education, boosting job training programs, building Montana’s infrastructure and defending Montanans’ access to public lands. Steve will fight to make Washington work more like Montana and will be a Senator who represents the interests of his home state.

Opponent: Senator Steve Daines

Learn more: Steve Bullock for U.S. Senate https://stevebullock.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Steve Bullock for U.S. Senate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bullock.up

___________________________

★ Cal Cunningham, NORTH CAROLINA

This is a must-win race for Dems if we are to flip the Senate, and Cal Cunningham, a native North Carolinian Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, environmental entrepreneur, husband, and father of two is poised to make that happen. Cook Political Report wrote, “How North Carolina goes is not just going to determine who wins the White House, but also who controls the Senate”. A PPP poll from April shows Cal at 47% and Thom Tillis at 40%. In 2014, the year the Republicans regained Senate majority, Tillis beat Senator Kay Hagan by less than 2 percentage points. When trump took NC in 2016, he did so with less than 50% while the state elected Dem Gov. Roy Cooper. In 2018, Dems broke the Republican supermajority in the legislature and won every single statewide judicial race. In 2019’s special election in NC-09, a district trump won by 12 pts., Dems came within 2 pts. of winning. Cal doubled Tillis’ fundraising before the primary while outside GOP super PACs are investing the most amount of funds in this state.

UPDATE: Despite an eventful few weeks for Cal, several new polls show margins remain steadily in his favor. A new poll shows Cal ahead of Senator Thillis by 3 points.

Bio: Cal Cunningham is an Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, business leader, and former legislator who served as Vice Chairman of the Governor’s Crime Commission. In 2000, Cal was elected North Carolina’s youngest State Senator, where he tackled issues such as campaign finance reform, early childhood education, clean air legislation, and the patient’s bill of rights. His impressive work on the Governor’s Crime Commission included efforts to address school gun violence, the opioid crisis, and funding services for women and families affected by domestic violence. As a lifelong North Carolinian and a proud member of his community, Cal leads an environmental services company and employs over 100 people. He is a recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Leadership Award for his honorable service overseas, and would be an honorable addition to the U.S. Senate.

Opponent: Senator Thom Tillis

Learn more: Cunningham for U.S. Senate https://www.calfornc.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Cunningham for U.S. Senate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/cunningham.up

Get more involved: https://www.calfornc.com/get-involved/

___________________________

★ John Hickenlooper, COLORADO

This race is considered one of the most likely pickups for Dems. Incumbent Cory Gardner has voted with trump 98% of the time in a state that went for Hillary in 2016, making him one of the most vulnerable Senators this year. As Governor, John took the state from 40th in job creation to the top economy in the nation, passed landmark gun safety laws, expanded skills training, expanded health insurance to about 400,000 Coloradans, grew the state’s outdoor economy, and made Colorado a leader in fighting climate change. He outraised Gardner in Q1. A poll in May has John beating Gardner 54% to 36%. In terms of cash on hand, Gardner has almost twice as much as John.

UPDATE: John’s campaign raised $22.6 million in the 3rd quarter and he leads Senator Gardner by 9 points in recent polling. The Cook Political Report has moved the Colorado Senate race from Toss Up to Lean Democrat. John Hickenlooper is now the Democratic nominee for Senate in Colorado. His formidable primary opponent, Andrew Romanoff, has pledged his full support.

Bio: John started out as a geologist and later decided to open a restaurant in a then-neglected warehouse district in Denver. His venture was a success, prompting John to start seven more small businesses, ultimately employing hundreds of Coloradans. In 2003, with a drive to bring people together, John decided to run for Mayor of Denver and was elected in a landslide. As Mayor, John worked to expand mass transit, reduce crime, tackle climate change, and improve educational opportunities. In 2010, John ran for Governor and led a historically effective administration. Now, John is running for Senate to make Washington work for Coloradans. He will lower healthcare and prescription drug costs, keep Colorado families safe from gun violence, and protect the state’s public lands while combating climate change.

Opponent: Senator Cory Gardner

Learn more: Hickenlooper for Colorado https://hickenlooper.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Hickenlooper for Colorado: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/hickenlooper.up

Get more involved: https://hickenlooper.com/take-action/

___________________________

★ Mark Kelly, ARIZONA

A few recent polls suggest that Mark Kelly, combat vet, astronaut, and husband of the equally impressive former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, is slightly ahead of Republican incumbent Martha McSally. McSally lost to Senator Kyrsten Sinema in 2018 but was then appointed to John McCain’s seat. Mark is crushing it at fundraising and has consistently outraised McSally. However, outside super PAC spending is involved and there is a $5.7M NRSC ad buy starting on June 1st expected to directly attack Mark. This will be one of the most expensive races in this cycle.

UPDATE: Mark is now polling over 30 points ahead of Senator McSally. The Cook Political rating for the Senate race in Arizona has changed from Tossup to Lean Democrat. Remember that McSally is a non-tradition incumbent, never actually elected to this seat, and is running against one of the strongest candidates in the field.

Bio: Captain Mark Kelly is a retired U.S. Navy combat pilot, engineer, and NASA astronaut. As a naval aviator, Mark made two deployments and flew 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. Mark was selected as an astronaut in 1996 and flew his first of four missions into space in 2001. Throughout his career, Mark has spent more than 50 days in space, and has lived on the International Space Station. In January 2013, in the wake of Sandy Hook, Mark and his wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, co-founded the organization ‘GIFFORDS,’ which unites Americans of all stripes to reduce gun violence and make our communities safer. Mark is running for the United States Senate because Washington is broken and Arizonans deserve independent leadership focused on solving the problems they face.

Opponent: Senator Martha McSally

Learn more: Mark Kelly for U.S. Senate https://markkelly.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Mark Kelly for U.S. Senate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/kelly.up

Get more involved: https://markkelly.com/get-involved/

POSSIBLE: ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE.

★ Barbara Bollier, KANSAS

This is an open seat and an exciting possible pickup for Democrats with Republican Senator Pat Roberts not seeking re-election. A PPP survey from August has Barbara Bollier, a doctor who has been working on expanding Medicaid in Kansas for years, trailing her Republican opponent Roger Marshall by just one point, (43% to 42%).

Barbara, who was a moderate Republican before she switched parties, has built a reputation as an independent voice unafraid to stand up to party leaders when she served in the Kansas House of Representatives and the State Senate. Her campaign had record-breaking fundraising in the 1st quarter and raised more than double all the GOP candidates combined. There was only one other Dem primary candidate on the ballot who formally withdrew her candidacy. The Kansas GOP chair sent letters to two candidates in the Republican primary (Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle and former Kansas City Chiefs player Dave Lindstrom) urging them to drop out or risk losing the seat to Barbara. She raised $3.6 million in Q2.

Bio: Barbara is a doctor and former moderate Republican in the state Senate, who recently switched parties. The daughter of a doctor and nurse, Barbara Bollier grew up in Kansas, where she attended public schools all her life. After a career as a doctor, Barbara ran for the Kansas House of Representatives to serve as an independent voice for Kansans. Barbara is a strong advocate for public schools, access to affordable healthcare and balanced budgets. She worked with a bipartisan coalition to put the state back on sound fiscal footing - and when the Governor forced a radical tax experiment, she stood up to her own political party and voted no. Then Barbara ran for the State Senate, where she continued to fight for Kansans. She partnered with commonsense leaders to build the bipartisan coalition that ultimately ended the failed tax plan that had devastated Kansas for years. As a doctor, Barbara continues to be a leading voice of support for expanding Medicaid. She currently serves on the Governor’s Council on Medicaid Expansion, tasked with building a bipartisan plan to expand healthcare for all Kansans.

Opponent: Rep. Roger Marshall won the Republican primary on August 4th

Learn more: Bollier for Kansas https://bollierforkansas.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Bollier for Kansas: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bollier.up

Get more involved: https://bollierforkansas.com/action/

___________________________

★ MJ Hegar, TEXAS

Texas is changing as we saw in 2018 when Beto O’Rourke came within striking distance of Ted Cruz. MJ Hegar, a mother and Air Force combat veteran with a Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor, is seizing the moment by taking on three-term incumbent John Cornyn, the less popular and lesser-known Texas Senator. MJ leads the July 14th runoff in most racial and age categories by a wide margin especially among independents. Having successfully built a broad coalition that led to reversing an antiquated policy that once denied her a military job for being a woman, MJ has the grit to take it all the way. She has a strong grassroots fundraising operation with a majority of donations from Texans, 90% are $100 or less, and online contributions average $23. MJ had the strongest fundraising quarter in Q1 despite the pandemic.

UPDATE: The Cook Political Report has upgraded MJ’s race from Likely Republican to Lean Republican. MJ has been endorsed by Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s PAC, Win the Era.Read an incredible profile of MJ here. MJ Hegar won a tough race for the Democratic nomination on July 14th, and raised just over $1 million in the week following.

Primary election date: MJ won the Democratic primary runoff on July 14th

October 2020 Politico Political Rating: Lean Republican

Endorsements: Brady PAC, DSCC, EMILY’s List, End Citizens United, Giffords, J Street, NARAL, Off the Sidelines, Planned Parenthood, Vote Mama, VoteVets, Win the Era, Senators Tammy Duckworth and Elizabeth Warren, fellow veteran Pete Buttigieg, etc.

Bio: As a young girl, MJ’s dream of becoming a military pilot was dismissed with claims that “the front is no place for a woman”. Unwilling to back down, MJ became a commissioned officer in the Air Force after graduating from the University of Texas. She was selected for a competitive spot in the pilot training program, where she graduated at the top of her class. MJ went on to serve three tours in Afghanistan as a combat search & rescue and medevac pilot. While serving, she was injured in the line of fire and received a Purple Heart. MJ was later barred from competing for a ground combat position because she was a woman. She worked across the aisle and led the charge to overturn the outdated policy, opening up thousands of jobs for women in the military. MJ is taking on the fight for the Senate with intentions to break the bottleneck that's blocking any constructive progress in Washington.

Opponent: Senator John Cornyn

Learn more: MJ’s campaign website. MJ Hegar for Texas https://mjfortexas.com/meet-mj/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to MJ Hegar for Texas: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/hegar.up

Get more involved: https://mjfortexas.com/get-involved/

___________________________

★ Al Gross, ALASKA

Dr. Al Gross, a lifelong Alaskan born and raised in Juneau who has been working to reform the state’s overpriced health system, is a first-time candidate sailing through the primary having earned the endorsement of the Alaska Democratic Party. He is an Independent like 55% of Alaska’s voting population, and is committed to fighting for affordable health care for all Alaskans, raising the minimum wage, taking on climate change, protecting women’s rights, supporting the LGBTQIA community, and implementing campaign finance reform. Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan, who has voted with trump 97% of the time, beat Mark Begich in 2014 by just 0.77%. In a state with a population of only 734,000 that went for trump with only 51% and where his approval rating has decreased by 19 percentage points, an investment in Al’s campaign goes a long way. Al has so far raised $4M and needs a total of $8M to win this race.

UPDATE: The Cook Political Report has upgraded Al’s race from Likely Republican to Lean Republican. Al’s campaign raised over $9 million in the third quarter. Read an incredible profile of Al here. Al won the Democratic primary on August 18th, facing off against 2 opponents, and earned 75% of the vote.

Bio: Al is a commercial fisherman, orthopedic surgeon, and lifelong Alaskan. He opened a medical practice, raised four kids, and sent them all to Alaska public schools. Al's father was Attorney General of Alaska and his mother was the first Executive Director of the United Fishermen of Alaska and founded the League of Women Voters Alaska. Al was Class President of his high school, and later served as President of the Bartlett Regional Hospital Medical Staff. He then founded and served as President of the Juneau Bone and Joint Center. As a medical professional with a belief in science, Al is particularly qualified to find solutions to the intractable problems his state faces. Al has taken on some tough challenges - including facing off with a few grizzly bears - and he's ready to fight for Alaska in the Senate.

Opponent: Senator Dan Sullivan

Learn more: Dr. Al Gross for U.S. Senate https://dralgrossak.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Dr. Al Gross for U.S. Senate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/gross.up

Get more involved: https://bit.ly/DrGrossVolunteer

___________________________

★ Jaime Harrison, SOUTH CAROLINA

Besides setting fundraising records, Jaime has a lot going for him: 1) recent polling shows Jaime neck and neck with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham who only 33% of voters feel should be re-elected; after voters learn facts about Graham’s record, Jaime rises and beats him 46 to 42, 2) SC turnout for the presidential primary broke the 2008 record and registration among African Americans reached 1M, 3) SC is the 9th fastest-growing state and many of these transplants are from more progressive areas who have no loyalty to Graham, 4) SC still has about 400,000 unregistered voters being targeted by non-partisan groups to register, 5) SC is a far less expensive state compared to other targeted races; contributions go a long way.

Jaime’s campaign, unlike any other, integrates community service through an effort called “Harrison Helps”. This includes bringing resume workshops, homebuyers seminars, and supplies such as boxes of food and hygiene kits to South Carolina residents.

“South Carolina remains the most Republican state on the Eastern Seaboard,” Kyle Kondik and J. Miles Coleman of Sabato’s Crystal Ball agreed. “Harrison’s path is not an easy one, but it is also not an impossible one.” A Civiqs poll in May shows Jaime and Graham tied at 42%.

UPDATE: The Cook Political Report rating for Jaime’s race has changed from Lean Republican to Tossup. Jaime raised $57 million in the third quarter, more than any Senate candidate in history, and is leading Senator Graham by 1 point in the polls.

Bio: The son of a single teenage mom, and raised by his grandparents in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Jaime Harrison overcame the challenges of grinding poverty with the help of teachers and mentors who believed in him. From a mobile home, to Yale University, to Georgetown Law, Jaime never forgot who he was or where he came from. An alum of Congressman Jim Clyburn’s office and the former Executive Director of the South Carolina Democratic Party, Jaime proves a deep-rooted knowledge of the state and has shown persistence in his efforts to make life better for all South Carolinians. He has shown he can raise the funds necessary to win this race, breaking fundraising records and positioning himself to be the best-funded Democrat ever to run statewide in South Carolina.

Opponent: Senator Lindsey Graham

Learn more: Jaime Harrison for U.S. Senate https://jaimeharrison.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Jaime Harrison for U.S. Senate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/harrison.up

Get more involved: https://bit.ly/HarrisonVolunteer

___________________________

★ Doug Jones, ALABAMA

Senator Doug Jones was considered a longshot in 2017, yet he won a special election against accused child molester Roy Moore. He is running for re-election in a state that trump won with 62% of the vote. As a strong ally of women, Doug voted against Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation. As a moral public servant, he voted to convict trump on impeachment charges. He takes his oath to protect and defend the constitution seriously despite knowing it would put his seat in jeopardy. Doug, who has taken on the Ku Klux Klan, is all about doing the right thing and isn't afraid to fight the hard fights. As the most vulnerable Senator this year, Doug needs our help to defend his seat in November so he can continue to fight on our behalf.

UPDATE: Watch Senator Jones’ new ad here. Senator Jones called trump out on his lack of action in response to intelligence reports detailing Russian bounties on American soldiers. Senator Jones demands action and once again, shows us his patriotic commitment to lead with justice at heart.

Bio: Born in Fairfield, AL to a steelworker and stay-at-home mother, Senator Jones grew up during a period of great change and from a young age, was drawn to fighting for what is right. While serving as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, he bravely took on the Ku Klux Klan and successfully prosecuted two of the men responsible for the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, bringing justice and closure nearly 40 years after the brutal attack. Senator Jones recognized growing frustration with the White House and Republican leadership, ultimately prompting a historic turnout among young voters and African American women in 2017. Since his election, Senator Jones has fought for education, economic justice, reproductive rights, and affordable healthcare in his home state and across the country.

Opponent: Football coach Tommy Tuberville won the Republican primary against former Senator and AG Jeff Sessions on July 14th.

Learn more: Doug Jones for Senate https://dougjones.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Doug Jones for Senate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jones.up

Get more involved: https://dougjones.com/get-involved

___________________________

★ Jon Ossoff, GEORGIA

Jon Ossoff garnered national attention when he ran in the 2017 special election in Georgia's 6th Congressional district. Although this race set the record for the most expensive House race in history at the time, Jon came up short against Republican Karen Handel - who was ousted by Congresswoman Lucy McBath just a year later. The special election, which put Jon in the spotlight as the first election in the Trump era, elevated his name recognition in Georgia and allowed him to accumulate a large grassroots following and thus, build an incredibly robust list of donors and supporters.

Since, the political landscape has undoubtedly changed and continues leaning purple. Georgia is certainly in play. On June 9th, Jon won the competitive three-way Democratic primary and avoided a runoff by winning over 50% of the vote. Polling from early July has Jon in a statistical dead heat with Perdue, showing him in a slight lead at 45% to 44% but within the margin of error. Among voters who were familiar with both candidates, Jon is at an even higher advantage with 55% favoring him over the 39% who choose Perdue. However, there is definitely room to grow as Jon falls behind when it comes to name recognition. Although Perdue has a cash-on-hand advantage, it's clear that the momentum behind Jon's campaign is growing. In the second quarter, his campaign raised $3.45 million against his opponent's $2.2 million in the same period. Even more, a Democratic super PAC with the goal of boosting Democratic Senate candidates plans to spend over $5 million to reach Georgia voters. With outside spending like this, further investment from the party, and support from donors across the country, Jon can surely outperform trump-endorsed Perdue in November.

UPDATE: Jon has been endorsed by Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s PAC, Win the Era.The Cook Political rating for the Senate race in Georgia has changed from Lean R to Tossup. Recent polling puts Jon in a statistical tie with Senator Perdue.

Bio: Jon Ossoff is a Georgia native, media executive, investigative journalist, and small business owner. Jon and his wife Alisha, an OB/GYN physician, both grew up in Atlanta. Jon earned a degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a Master’s of Science from the London School of Economics. Jon then worked as a national security aide for Georgia Congressman Hank Johnson, handling defense, foreign affairs, intelligence, and economic policy. In that capacity, Jon helped deliver constituent service and federal resources for Georgia, drafted legislative initiatives that passed both the House and Senate, and helped root out corruption and abuse by federal contractors. Since 2013, Jon has served as the CEO of Insight TWI, a now 30-year old Emmy award-winning media production company that investigates corruption, organized crime, and war crimes for international news organizations. In 2017, Jon was the Democratic nominee in the Special Election for Georgia’s Sixth District. He entered the race at 29 years old, six weeks after Republican Congressman Tom Price had been re-elected by 24%. It became the biggest Congressional race in American history, which Jon narrowly lost by 3% after mobilizing the strongest Democratic Special Election turnout in over a decade, doubling youth turnout from the 2014 midterm, and producing the highest-ever turnout for a stand-alone House Special Election of all time. With the endorsements of dozens of leaders from around Georgia and the country, Jon is challenging Senator David Perdue in 2020.

Opponent: Senator David Perdue

Learn more: Jon Osoff for U.S. Senate https://electjon.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Jon Ossoff for U.S. Senate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jossoff.up

Get more involved: https://electjon.com/action/

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★ Raphael Warnock, GEORGIA

Rev. Raphael Warnock, Senior Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the former pulpit of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is running in a special election in Georgia. Since he announced his campaign in January, he outraised his Republican opponents in the first quarter. Brian Kemp, who narrowly overtook Stacey Abrams for Governor in 2018, appointed political mega-donor Kelly Loeffler (known for cashing out her stock after a coronavirus briefing and before the stock market plunged) to Johnny Isakson’s seat. GOP Rep. Doug Collins, trump’s preferred candidate, is challenging Loeffler’s seat, causing an intra-party battle and likely boosting Rev. Warnock’s chance of winning in an increasingly changing state. The NRSC’s Executive Director Kevin McLaughlin said that Doug Collins’ announcement “[puts] two senate seats, multiple house seats, and Georgia’s 16 electoral votes in play” for Democrats.

UPDATE: The Cook Political Report has upgraded Reverend Warnock’s race from Lean Republican to Toss Up. Recent polling shows Reverend Warnock climbing, with a dougle-digit lead over the rest of the special election candidates.

New internal polling shows Reverend Warnock in second place in the Georgia Senate special election. Reverend Warnock has been endorsed by Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s PAC, Win the Era. Reverend Warnock recently penned an op-ed for BET with fellow candidates Mike Espy & Jaime Harrison about running as a Black candidate and why representation truly matters - read it here.

Bio: Reverend Raphael Warnock grew up in public housing in Savannah, Georgia. The family was short on money, but long on faith, love and humor. Reverend Warnock’s father was a veteran, a small businessman, and a preacher. Reverend Warnock’s mother grew up in Waycross, where she spent summers picking tobacco and cotton, and still lives in Savannah today. He graduated from Morehouse College with the help of low-interest student loans and Pell Grants, earned a Ph.D., and was ordained in the ministry. Fourteen years ago, he was chosen to serve as Senior Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the former pulpit of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Reverend Warnock believes his impact does not stop at the church door, and has been an advocate to expand health care coverage and to ensure hardworking Georgians can make a living wage.

Opponent: Senator Kelly Loeffler

Learn more: Warnock for Georgia https://warnockforgeorgia.com/

Maximum contribution: $5,600 through November 3rd, $2,800 after November 3rd (if runoff is necessary)

GIVE NOW to Warnock for Georgia: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/warnock.up

Get more involved: https://secure.warnockforgeorgia.com/page/s/website_vol

WORKABLE: WILL TAKE SOME WORK BUT POSSIBLE.

★ Amy McGrath, KENTUCKY

Amy McGrath is a retired fighter pilot, mother of three, and the brave woman determined to hold Mitch McConnell accountable for actively obstructing progress in Washington time and time again. A lot of us would love to #DitchMitch and that's reflected in Amy's rock-star level fundraising. But this is an incredibly tough race for Dems in a state that trump took by 30 points. In 2014, when seemingly the entire Dem community coalesced around challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes, a native of Kentucky who was serving as Secretary of State at the time, McConnell still prevailed by 15 points. The Niskanen Center wrote: “…McGrath needs more than the Democrats and independents, she needs actual Republicans to cross over to topple McConnell”. Even with McConnell as the 2nd most unpopular Republican, Amy’s path to victory is full of uncertainty though not entirely impossible as we saw the state elect Democrat Andy Beshear as Governor in 2019. Eric Hyers, Governor Beshear’s former campaign manager, has formed a PAC called Fire Mitch Save America focused on replacing McConnell with Amy. McConnell isn't leaving anything to chance. According to Politico, "Republicans have booked $10.8 million in this race through super PAC Keep Kentucky Great" making this an incredibly expensive race. If you’re moved to invest in Amy’s campaign, rest assured it will at least help keep #MoscowMitch occupied to defend his seat.

UPDATE: Following her primary win and a very successful second quarter, Amy’s campaign announced they had raised over $17 million last quarter with an average contribution of just $39.

Bio: Amy was born in Edgewood, Kentucky to her father, a high school English teacher, and her mother, a pediatrician and psychiatrist. As a young girl, Amy dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot, but women were not yet allowed. Determined to find a solution, she wrote her elected officials to ask them to change the law - but she never heard back from her senator, Mitch McConnell. After the law was changed, Amy attended the U.S. Naval Academy, was commissioned as a Marine Corps officer, and went on to serve for 20 years. She completed two combat deployments, and flew 89 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, targeting al-Qaida and the Taliban. In 2002, Amy became the first woman in the Marine Corps to fly a combat mission in an F/A-18. She completed her last combat deployment in Afghanistan in 2010. After her operational flying tours, Amy served as a Congressional Fellow advising a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee on defense and foreign policy. She then served in the Pentagon as Marine Corps’ liaison to the State Department and other federal agencies. Her final assignment was as a senior instructor in the Political Science Department at the US Naval Academy, before retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and moving back home to Kentucky to raise her family.

Opponent: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

Learn more:  Amy McGrath for Kentucky https://amymcgrath.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Amy McGrath for Kentucky: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mcgrath.up

Get more involved: https://amymcgrath.com/get-involved/

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★ Mike Espy, MISSISSIPPI

This November, Mike Espy faces a re-match against Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, best known for joking about voter suppression and wanting to “be in the front row” of a public hanging. Hyde-Smith has a 37.5% approval rating and has raised less than 96 incumbent US Senators, the three who raised less are retiring! Mike, who announced his campaign in November 2019, won the primary on March 10th with 94% of the vote, more than Biden garnered, but the pandemic shut down the country the following day dampening his campaign’s momentum. A recent poll has Mike within a single digit from Hyde-Smith. With a 94% name recognition in Mississippi, a proven independent voice, consistent success in gaining white voter support, a well-engineered voter mobilization effort, and demographics on his side, Mike has a path to victory in a state where, in 2018, he made history by earning more votes than any Dem Senate candidate Mississippi has seen in three decades. Mike isn’t new to making history, having been the first African-American Congressman in Mississippi since the civil war era and then later as the first African-American Secretary of Agriculture under President Bill Clinton. Mike stands firmly for civil rights, voting rights, and women’s rights and is the kind of leader the South deserves. Stacey Abrams praised him in her endorsement by saying he is “ready to lead on day one”. Mike can win this race with only $6M, a modest amount compared to other Senate races. Let’s help him make history again as the first African-American Senator in Mississippi.

UPDATE: Mike’s campaign raised over $4 million in the 3rd quarter. New polling has put Mike within one percent of Senator Hyde-Smith. Mike broke a single-day fundraising record, bringing in over $200,000 on 9/19. Watch Mike’s new ad here. In addition, Mike recently penned an op-ed for BET with fellow candidates Rev. Raphael Warnock & Jaime Harrison about running as a Black candidate and why representation truly matters - read it here.

Bio: Mike was born in Yazoo City, MS, graduated from Howard University and Santa Clara law school, and returned to practice law in his home state and help the most vulnerable among us. He then became Assistant Secretary of State and Assistant Attorney General. In 1986, Mike was elected the first African American Congressman from Mississippi since the Reconstruction Era. In Congress, he wrote an economic development bill benefitting rural Mississippians that was signed into law by President Reagan. Later, Mike served as the first African American Secretary of Agriculture under President Clinton. After his service, he came home to Mississippi to practice law and serve on the board of a non-profit helping rural residents. It was Mike's grandfather, activist Thomas Jefferson Huddleston, Sr. -- the son of slaves who courageously succeeded to build businesses, a newspaper, insurance company, and the first black hospital in the state -- who inspired his determination to serve Mississippi.

Opponent: Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith

Learn more: Espy for Senate https://espyforsenate.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Espy for Senate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/espy.up

Get more involved: https://espyforsenate.com/take_action

KEEP AN EYE ON THESE.

★ Tina Smith, MINNESOTA

Senator Tina Smith was appointed to Al Franken’s seat in 2018 and defended it in a special election that same year with a 10-point margin. Her challenger, former Congressman Jason Lewis who lost to Congresswoman Angie Craig in 2018, is known for making disparaging remarks against women, people of color, the LGBTQIA community, and people with disabilities. Tina appears to be in a strong position to win her re-election at this time.

UPDATE: The Cook Political rating for the Senate race in Minnesota has changed from Lean D to Solid Democrat. Former Rep. Lewis is a controversial figure and due to his ousting in 2018, does not seem to have a realistic change of ousting Senator Smith.

Bio: Prior to being Senator, Tina began her career at General Mills, started her own business and grew it successfully, all while volunteering for her community and raising her children. She then had the opportunity to expand health care access for women, becoming an executive at Planned Parenthood - she is proud to be the only U.S. Senator to have worked for PP. Later, Tina was called to be Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Minneapolis and the Governor of Minnesota, and then served as Lt. Governor alongside Governor Mark Dayton. As Lt. Governor, she worked to balance the state budget, expand educational opportunities, including free, all-day kindergarten, raised the minimum wage, expanded family medical leave, invested in agricultural research, and passed marriage equality in Minnesota. In Tina's first year in the Senate, she worked across party lines to write and introduce integral legislation that expands resources for career and technical education, another that increases funding for states and tribes to address the opioid crisis, and the bipartisan Farm Bill that supports farmers and ranchers across the state.

Opponent:  Former U.S. Congressman Jason Lewis

Learn more: Tina for Minnesota https://tinaforminnesota.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Tina for Minnesota: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/smith.up

Get more involved: https://tinaforminnesota.com/act/

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★ Jeanne Shaheen, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Senator Jeanne Shaheen appears to be in a strong position to win re-election as we head into the summer. We are watching this race as Corky Messner, former General Counsel for Chipotle who has the ability to self-fund looks to be Jeanne's likely opponent. Messner, who outraised Jeanne in the last quarter, has put $3.3M into the campaign, an amount likely to double this summer. This, along with the RNC investment into the state where trump lost by less than 2800 votes, makes New Hampshire a battleground for the Presidency and the Senate seat.

Bio: Strongly rooted in New Hampshire, Jeanne is the daughter of a shoe factory manager and a church secretary, and the first woman in American history to be elected both Governor and U.S. Senator. Jeanne ran a small business and taught at Dover High School before running for office. She served 2 terms in the New Hampshire State Senate, where she helped create nearly 67,000 new jobs, and then as the Governor of New Hampshire from 1997 to 2003. As Governor, she extended access to affordable health insurance, expanded the education system, encouraged clean energy, and balanced the state budget. As the first female Governor of the state, she repealed a law making abortion a felony and signed legislation requiring insurance companies to cover birth control. After 3 productive terms as Governor, she became Director of the Harvard Institute of Politics before running successfully for U.S. Senate in 2008. Currently, Jeanne is a member of the Senate Committees on Armed Services, Appropriations, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the Select Committee on Ethics. and the only woman on the Foreign Relations Committee. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, she has worked across the aisle to get resources to New Hampshire to address the devastating economic and public health impact. Throughout her public service, Jeanne has been a fierce advocate for strengthening the economy and reducing the cost of health care, and will continue making a difference for New Hampshire.

Opponent: Trial lawyer and Army Ranger veteran Bryant “Corky” Messner

Learn more: Shaheen for Senate https://jeanneshaheen.org/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Shaheen for Senate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/shaheen.up

Get more involved: https://jeanneshaheen.org/volunteer/

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★ Ben Ray Luján, NEW MEXICO

Congressman Ben Ray Lujan, the highest-ranking Hispanic in Congress who led the effort to take back the House, is running for an open seat that Senator Tom Udall is vacating. As Chair of the DCCC, he prioritized recruiting diverse and female candidates to ensure that Congress would look like the Americans they represent. Holding New Mexico’s U.S. Senate seat is critical to the Democratic Party’s efforts to retake the Senate this year and to ensure trump and his party do not make inroads in New Mexico.

UPDATE: The Cook Political rating for the Senate race in New Mexico has changed from Lean D to Solid Democrat. Although Republican nominee Mark Ronchetti holds favor with the Republican party and name recognition from his time on Albuquerque TV, he won’t receive much support as it becomes evident there are few obstacles to Ben Ray’s path to the Senate.

Bio: Ben Ray was born and raised on a small family farm in Nambé, New Mexico by a union ironworker and a public school employee. Ben Ray was first elected to Congress in 2009. Prior to his service in Congress, he was a member and Chairman of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. While in Congress, Ben Ray has served as Chairman of the DCCC twice, Chief Deputy Whip, and now Assistant Majority Leader. In 2018, while Chairman of the DCCC, he prioritized recruiting diverse and women candidates to increase representation as he led the effort to take back the House. As Assistant Speaker, Ben Ray is the highest-ranking Hispanic Member of Congress and has helped advance an agenda that addresses access to clean water, criminal justice reform, lowering prescription drug prices, gun violence, protections for the immigrant community, and removing the influence of dark money in politics. A staunch supporter of the Equality Act, Ben Ray is committed to fighting for equality for all New Mexicans and Americans.

Opponent: Former TV meteorologist Mark Ronchetti

Learn more: Ben Ray Luján for U.S. Senate https://benraylujan.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Ben Ray Luján for U.S. Senate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/lujan.up

Get more involved: https://bit.ly/LujanVolunteer

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★ Gary Peters, MICHIGAN

Senator Gary Peters bucked the trend when he won his race by 14 points in 2014, a year that was particularly good for Republicans. This year, his likely opponent is John James who got little attention but still raised close to $13M in 2018 when he challenged and lost to Senator Debbie Stabenow. Michigan, a state that went for trump by a 0.23% margin, is a top target for the GOP.

Primary election date: August 4th

October 2020 Cook Political Rating: Lean Democrat

Endorsements: Congressional Black Caucus PAC, Council for a Livable World, DSCC, End Citizens United, Giffords, Human Rights Campaign, LCV, Michigan Education Association, NARAL, NOW, Planned Parenthood, Sierra Club, VoteVets, Senators Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Brian Schatz, Debbie Stabenow, and Chris Murphy, etc.

Bio: Senator Gary Peters grew up in Michigan where his father, a WWII veteran, worked as a public school teacher and his mother worked as a nurse’s aide and union steward with the SEIU. Gary earned his M.A., J.D, and M.B.A. by attending night school, all while raising a family and working a full-time job. He was then a successful businessman and financial advisor for more than 20 years. At 34, he joined the U.S. Navy Reserve and became a Lieutenant Commander. Gary ran for the U.S. House in 2000 to make sure middle class families had a strong voice in Congress. After 9/11, Gary rejoined the U.S. Navy Reserve to once again serve his country. During his six years in the House, he was integral in developing landmark financial reform legislation that created the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. Now in the Senate, Gary serves on the Armed Services Committee; Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; and the Joint Economic Committee. He is focused on strengthening our middle class by protecting access to quality, affordable health care, preparing our kids for the jobs of tomorrow, and helping small businesses grow.

Opponent: Businessman and veteran John James

Learn more: Gary’s campaign website. Gary Peters for Senate https://petersformichigan.com/

Maximum contribution: $2,800

GIVE NOW to Gary Peters for Senate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/peters.up

Get more involved: https://bit.ly/PetersVolunteer

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