From smoldering ruins, the Democratic phoenix rises this November in Virginia.
Democrats lost 1,000 state legislative seats since 2008 -- and we're taking them back with bold progressives like Schuyler VanValkenburg who are running to win Republican-held districts that Donald Trump lost.
MOTHER JONES: If you want a sneak preview of how the 2018 election is shaping up for Democrats, you should pay attention to people like Schuyler VanValkenburg. The 32-year-old VanValkenburg is a high school civics teacher at a public school in Henrico County, Virginia. [...] "People just assumed that it was a Republican area because for so long Republicans were winning and that becomes kind of a vicious circle," he says. "It becomes one of those things where because Democrats never run, Democrats never run. One of the big reasons I got in was because I think Democrats can win here but more importantly Democrats need to organize here."
PCCC members have given over $30,000 $40,000 to Schuyler and 16 other Virginia Democrats running for state and local seats this November -- and the Washington Post reports that the terrified Koch brothers are pouring money into House of Delegates contests "in hopes of stopping a surge by Democrats."
Crush the Kochs. Take back our states. Donate $1 each to 17 Virginia Democrats as they face an election in just one month.
Meet some of the other Virginians PCCC members are supporting:
Danica Roem (VA-HD13): Danica, a longtime journalist, is running to become the first transgender elected official in Virginia history -- and she's running against one of the worst lawmakers in America. Her opponent sponsored an anti-transgender "bathroom bill" to target women like Danica, has claimed disabled children are a "special punishment" from God on women who have had abortions, compared the Affordable Care Act to "forcible economic rape," derailed the appointment of an openly gay judge and sponsored the ban on gay marriage in Virginia, and railed against abortion in cases of rape, calling victims "sin-bearers of the crime." Donate $1 or more to Danica Roem’s campaign.
Chris Hurst (VA-HD12): In August 2015, social media exploded with the horror of a Virginia reporter and her cameraman who were shot and killed on live TV while doing an interview. Chris Hurst was an anchorman at that TV station, and the reporter killed was his fiancee. Now, he’s running to defeat an NRA-endorsed Republican in a competitive district. Donate $1 or more to Chris Hurst’s campaign.
Elizabeth Guzman (VA-HD31): Elizabeth is a social worker and a proud Peruvian immigrant running to be the first Latina ever elected to the Virginia General Assembly in its 398-year history. A longtime member of AFSCME Local 3001, Elizabeth Guzman will fight for the priorities of the Elizabeth Warren wing of American politics. Her Republican incumbent opponent is the chief architect of a slew of Arizona-style anti-immigrant bills. Donald Trump lost this district by 8 points. Donate $1 or more to Elizabeth Guzman’s campaign.
Jennifer Carroll Foy (VA-HD02): Jennifer is a public defender and a trailblazer. She was the first African-American woman to graduate from the Virginia Military Institute, the last military college to accept women. A foster mother, she has dedicated her life in service to others and her community. This is a winnable open seat most recently held by a Republican -- in a district Donald Trump lost by 17 points. Donate $1 or more to Jennifer Carroll Foy's campaign.
Justin Fairfax (VA-Lt. Gov.): Justin will be only the second African-American elected statewide in three centuries of Virginia elections. The Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote that his "outsider" campaign "broke in" to the Virginia Democratic establishment. Rising from inner-city Washington, DC, Justin is fighting to preserve the economic opportunity that he was able to have. He'll fight for debt-free college in a state with some of the highest tuition in America, criminal justice reform, and a livable wage. He calls himself a proud feminist who serves as vice-chair of Planned Parenthood Metropolitan Washington Action Fund. Chip in $1 or more to Justin Fairfax's campaign.
Kathy Tran (VA-HD42): After the fall of Saigon, Kathy Tran fled Vietnam in 1979 as a refugee on a boat. Granted asylum by the United States, she worked to prepare immigrants like herself to help build America's economy. Now, she's raising 4 kids including a new baby while running to fight Donald Trump. She's running in an open seat left by a longtime Republican incumbent that Donald Trump lost by over 20 point. Donate $1 or more to Kathy Tran's campaign.
Hala Ayala (VA-HD51): The Guardian wrote that "she marched and now she’s running....Hala Ayala has been active in Democratic politics for more than a decade, but it wasn’t until after she helped organize a contingent of Virginia women of the Women’s March on Washington that she saw her name on the ballot." Founder of her local chapter of the National Organization for Women, she'll fight for equal pay for equal work. Donate $1 or more to Hala Ayala's campaign.
David Reid (VA-HD32): A decorated navy veteran and small businessman, David Reid was a foster child who finished college with the help of scholarships. He's paying it forward by fighting to keep our state colleges and universities for his children and the children of all Virginians. He's running against a Republican incumbent in a district Donald Trump lost by 18 points. Donate $1 or more to David Reid's campaign.
Lee Carter (VA-HD50): Lee Carter deployed with the Marine Corps after 9/11, and now runs a small IT business. A community activists that fights for affordable housing and worker's rights, Lee is an alumni of PCCC's candidate training program, which has trained hundreds of candidates nationwide including several Virginia incumbents. Donate $1 or more to Lee Carter's campaign.
We're also supporting more Democratic challengers to Republican incumbents in competitive districts: Wendy Gooditis (VA-HD10), Dawn Adams (VA-HD68), Karrie Delaney (VA-HD67), Shelly Simonds (VA-HD94), Kelly Fowler (VA-HD21), Kellen Squire (VA-HD58) and Donte Tanner (VA-HD40).
They all need your help.
MOTHER JONES: So far, Democrats may have the wind at their backs, but they’re lagging in one key area: money. And in the 17 Republican-held districts carried by Clinton last fall, Republicans cumulatively held a more than $1 million cash advantage.
Close the gap. Donate $1 each to 17 Virginia Democrats today.
Thanks for being a bold progressive.
-- Kenton Ngo, PCCC organizer