Brand New Congress

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Brand New Congress
Founded2016
Websitebrandnewcongress.org

Brand New Congress is an American political action committee formed by former staffers and supporters of the 2016 Bernie Sanders presidential campaign to elect hundreds of new Congressional representatives in line with the campaign's political platform.[1][2][3][4][5]

Background

Brand New Congress is a volunteer-led American political organization that intends to run campaigns for over 400 United States Congresspeople with candidates of the organization's choosing[6] by the 2018 midterm elections, regardless of party affiliation.[7] The organization plans to make staffing and fundraising decisions for all of its candidates at once.[8] About 20 volunteers from Senator Bernie Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign formed the group in April 2016 as Sanders conceded the primary to Hillary Clinton.[9] They planned the organization to support Sanders's platform and carry its supporters' momentum into policymaking.[10] Brand New Congress planned to announce 50 candidates by March 2017 and over 400 by July 2017.[8][11] Of the 535 total seats in the United States Congress (House and Senate), 468 will be up for reelection in 2018. The group intends to run both Democratic and Republican candidates,[12] depending on regional demographics, as well as independents when an incumbent wins the primary. Brand New Congress requires candidates to align on Bernie Sander’s presidential platform, regardless of party affiliation. While there are large differences in Republican and Democratic policy beliefs, the Brand New Congress hopes that people will unify under the goal of reforming Congress.[13]

The grassroots are better qualified to run electoral campaigns than Democratic party operatives ... They just need to be given the tools, the data, the offices and the structure to succeed.

Zack Exley, former Sanders advisor and a founding member of Brand New Congress[14]

The group attended the July 2016 Democratic National Convention to canvass for support in protestor sites and throughout the city. As of that time, the group had raised $85,000, about 90 percent of which were small donations. Its email list contained 20,000 addresses. Brand New Congress was beginning a tour of 100 cities in mid-2016.[8] Founding members of the group were encouraged by the successful role of grassroots[15] fundraising in the Sanders campaign, which surpassed the Clinton campaign several times in monthly income.[14] As of October 2016, the group is accepting nominations for future candidates and is openly developing its economic platform.[16]

In March 2017, Brand New Congress announced that they teamed up with Justice Democrats to further their goals.[17]

Candidates

As of November 14, 2017, there are 24 candidates officially endorsed by Brand New Congress.[18][19]

Candidate State Party District or Senate
Cori Bush [20] Missouri Democrat Missouri's 1st congressional district
Paula Jean Swearengin [21] West Virginia Democrat U.S. Senator of West Virginia
Anthony Clark [22] [23] Illinois Democrat Illinois's 7th congressional district
Robb Ryerse [24] Arkansas Republican Arkansas's 3rd congressional district
Adrienne Bell [25] Texas Democrat Texas's 14th congressional district
Michael A. Hepburn [26] Florida Democrat Florida's 27th congressional district
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez New York Democrat New York's 14th congressional district
Sarah Smith Washington Democrat Washington's 9th congressional district
Letitia Plummer Texas Democrat Texas's 22nd congressional district
Chardo Richardson Florida Democrat Florida's 7th congressional district
David Benac Michigan Democrat Michigan's 6th congressional district
Roza Calderton California Democrat California's 4th congressional district
Dorothy Gasque Washington Democrat Washington's 3rd congressional district
J. Darnell Jones Texas Democrat Texas's 2nd congressional district
Vanessa Aida Texas Democrat Texas's 12th congressional district
Linsey Fagan Texas Democrat Texas's 26th congressional district
Rick Treviño Texas Democrat Texas's 23rd congressional district
David Gill Illinois Democrat Illinois's 13th congressional district
Marc Whitmire Tennessee Republican Tennessee's 2nd congressional district
Peter Jacob New Jersey Democrat New Jersey's 7th congressional district
Any Vilela Nevada Democrat Nevada's 4th congressional district
Wendy Reed California Democrat California's 23rd congressional district
Jenny Marshall North Carolina Democrat North Carolina's 5th congressional district
John Heehan Michigan Democrat Montana's at-large congressional dsitrict

Platform

Their platform contains many progressive priorities, with the following overarching goals:[27]

  • Rebuild the economy through infrastructure and community investment.
  • Fix the healthcare mess with Medicare for All and increased access to medical services.
  • End mass incarceration by ending the War on Drugs and demilitarizing police.
  • Fight for families through fixing schools and family leave.
  • Clean up Washington D.C. by cutting taxes for middle and low income people and removing money from politics.
  • Reform our immigration system with employment verification systems and global legal immigration centers.
  • Stop fighting reckless wars yet support economic development like with the Marshall Plan.
  • Address climate change through building a green economy and a 100% renewable energy system.

Summer for Progress

Several progressive organizations, including Our Revolution, Justice Democrats, Democratic Socialists of America, National Nurses United, Working Families Party, and Fight for 15, announced in July 2017 a push to encourage House Democrats to sign on to a #PeoplesPlatform, which consists of supporting "eight bills currently in the House of Representatives that will address the concerns of everyday Americans."[28] These eight bills and the topics they address are:

  1. Medicare for All: H.R. 676 Medicare For All Act[29]
  2. Free College Tuition: H.R. 1880 College for All Act of 2017[30]
  3. Worker Rights: H.R.15 - Raise the Wage Act [31]
  4. Women’s Rights: H.R.771 - Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH Woman) Act of 2017 [32]
  5. Voting Rights: H.R. 2840 - Automatic Voter Registration Act[33]
  6. Environmental Justice: Climate Change Bill - TBD
  7. Criminal Justice and Immigrant Rights: H.R. 3227 - Justice is Not For Sale Act of 2017[34]
  8. Taxing Wall Street: H.R. 1144 - Inclusive Prosperity Act[35]

See also

  • Our Revolution – the official political action organization spun out of the 2016 Bernie Sanders presidential campaign
  • Justice Democrats – a PAC dedicated to replacing corporate-backed Democratic Congressional representatives

References

  1. ^ Stein, Jeff (May 30, 2016). "The Bernie Congress: meet the insurgents trying to recreate Sanders's movement down ballot". Vox. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  2. ^ Mahler, Jonathan; Alcindor, Yamiche (May 22, 2016). "Bernie Sanders Makes a Campaign Mark. Now, Can He Make a Legacy?". Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  3. ^ Mahler, Jonathan; Corasaniti, Nick (May 5, 2016). "Bernie Sanders's Online Foot Soldiers Weigh Their Next Campaign". Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  4. ^ "Bernie Won't Get the Nomination. But His Online Army Isn't Done". Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  5. ^ "Brand New Congress: 535 progressive candidates, 1 ticket". April 26, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  6. ^ "FAQ". Brand New Congress. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  7. ^ "The Plan". Brand New Congress. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  8. ^ a b c d "What's next for Sanders backers? Replace the entire Congress". Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  9. ^ SCHMIDT, PETER. "What's Next For College Students Who Backed Bernie Sanders." Chronicle Of Higher Education 62.41 (2016): A13. Education Source. Web. 21 Oct. 2016.
  10. ^ Sanders also announced his own organization to run progressive candidates, Our Revolution.[8]
  11. ^ "Still Feeling the Bern." CQ Magazine (July 25, 2016). http://library.cqpress.com/cqweekly/weeklyreport114-000004934438.
  12. ^ GUTTENPLAN, D. D. "The Future Of Bernie Sanders's Grassroots Army." Nation 302.25/26 (2016): 12. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 21 Oct. 2016.
  13. ^ GUTTENPLAN, D. D. "Clean Sweep." Nation 303.9/10 (2016): 22-24. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Oct. 2016.
  14. ^ a b Lachman, Samantha (April 27, 2016). "Former Sanders Staffers Want To Elect A 'Brand New Congress'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  15. ^ SMITH, DALLAS, et al. "Letters." Nation 303.15 (2016): 2-34. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Oct. 2016.
  16. ^ "Brand New Congress". brandnewcongress.org. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  17. ^ Tom McKay (January 23, 2017). "Cenk Uygur, Bernie Sanders staffers team up to take over the Democratic Party". Mic.com. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  18. ^ "Brand New Congress Official Candidates".
  19. ^ https://twitter.com/BrandNew535/status/930454784380989442
  20. ^ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/4/21/1655196/-Cori-Bush-Brand-New-Congress-candidate-for-Missouri-s-First-District
  21. ^ https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/05/joe-manchin-bernie-sanders-primary-challenge-west-virginia-senate-2018/525918/
  22. ^ http://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/5-17-2017/Oak-Park-activist-announces-run-for-Congress/
  23. ^ http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/oak-park/news/ct-oak-anthony-clark-congress-tl-0525-20170518-story,amp.html
  24. ^ http://talkbusiness.net/2017/05/pastor-plans-gop-primary-challenge-to-rep-womack-running-on-brand-new-congress-platform/
  25. ^ http://www.galvnews.com/politics/buzz/article_95aff27f-c317-5dc0-9fe9-58c5648d5479.html
  26. ^ https://sflcn.com/bahamian-american-michael-a-hepburn-running-for-congress/
  27. ^ "Brand New Congress Official Platform".
  28. ^ "Summer for Progress Petition". Retrieved July 23, 2017.
  29. ^ 115th Congress (2017) (January 24, 2017). "H.R. 676 (115th)". Legislation. GovTrack.us. Retrieved July 23, 2017. Expanded & Improved Medicare For All Act{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  30. ^ 115th Congress (2017) (April 4, 2017). "H.R. 1880 (115th)". Legislation. GovTrack.us. Retrieved July 23, 2017. College for All Act of 2017{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  31. ^ 115th Congress (2017) (May 25, 2017). "H.R. 15 (115th)". Legislation. GovTrack.us. Retrieved July 23, 2017. Raise the Wage Act{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  32. ^ 115th Congress (2017) (January 31, 2017). "H.R. 771 (115th)". Legislation. GovTrack.us. Retrieved July 23, 2017. Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH Woman) Act of 2017{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ 115th Congress (2017) (June 8, 2017). "H.R. 2840 (115th)". Legislation. GovTrack.us. Retrieved July 23, 2017. Automatic Voter Registration Act{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  34. ^ 115th Congress (2017) (July 13, 2017). "H.R. 3227 (115th)". Legislation. GovTrack.us. Retrieved July 23, 2017. To improve Federal sentencing and corrections practices, and for other purposes.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  35. ^ 115th Congress (2017) (February 16, 2017). "H.R. 1144 (115th)". Legislation. GovTrack.us. Retrieved July 23, 2017. Inclusive Prosperity Act of 2017{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links

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