RFS feel-good update (5/19): 51 new leaders to love
And support
Hi all -
Last week we announced an amazing new class of endorsed candidates!
A few of the many amazing leaders on this list, that includes candidates across 16 states:
Ry Armstrong (Seattle Mayoral candidate) may be our most creatively accomplished candidate yet—a Grammy-nominated performer turned climate justice leader. As Co-Executive Director of Sustainable Seattle and a National Council member for Actors' Equity Association, Ry is ready to become the first trans mayor of a major American city, proving that art, advocacy, and executive leadership go hand in hand.
Risë Hayes (Virginia State Delegate) grew up in poverty and experienced homelessness—now she's running to hold landlords accountable and build a Virginia where every child has a roof over their head. She’s also the first openly autistic and LGBTQIA+ person to run for her district.
Danyelle Christmas (New Orleans City Council) is the daughter of a wrongfully convicted man and a survivor of Louisiana’s for-profit prison system. Her platform is built on real accountability—for public safety, for housing, and for a government that finally serves its people.
Erin Turowski (Salem City Council) launched a pedestrian safety movement after a string of fatal crashes in her city. A practicing veterinarian and volunteer SCUBA diver, Erin’s fighting for safer streets, sustainable transit, and a climate-ready Salem.
Rebecca Maurer (Cleveland City Council) made history as the first openly LGBTQ+ woman on the Council—and has built her legal career fighting for housing justice and lead-safe homes
Some other fun highlights:
Candidates representing immigrant communities….
Emily Singh (Luzerne County Council, PA) — First-gen Guyanese American championing sustainability and transparency.
Rodger Allen (Bensalem School Board, PA) — A proud Gen Z son of Liberian immigrants fighting for inclusive education.
Mohammad Faraj (Cleveland City Council) — Son of Palestinian immigrants, advocating for clean air and lead-safe homes.
Gabriela Santiago-Romero (Detroit City Council) — A queer Mexican immigrant and RFS alum running for re-election.
Young, bold, and unafraid leaders:
Braiden McElhaney (23, Orchard Park, NY) — Could be the first openly LGBTQIA+ and Indigenous leader on his local council.
Brandon Saffold (26, NJ General Assembly) — Coast Guard vet turned housing advocate.
Mekkai Williams (20, Hempfield School Board, PA) — A college freshman already drafting policy to protect youth mental health.
Leaders who break the mold:
Joy Givens (Mt. Lebanon School Director, PA) — Trauma-informed educator and award-winning children’s author.
Koh Chiba (North Penn School Director, PA) — IKEA public affairs lead, poised to be the first Asian American elected to this role.
Alex King (Livonia City Council) + Darius Beckham (Dayton Commission) — AmeriCorps alums proving service and leadership go hand in hand.
These endorsed candidates are the present and future leaders we need. Get to know the full slate and find one (or a bunch!) you can support now.
John Ewing, the local county treasurer, kept his campaign for mayor of Omaha focused on local issues like street repairs and garbage service while the three-term incumbent Republican mayor kept bringing it out to a fight about trans kids.
John won handily and flipped control of the mayorship for the first time in over a decade.
When we run, we can win. Let’s make sure we’re running everywhere in 2026.
A must-read story in USA TODAY:
Tony Ruiz was happy to join Veterans Affairs in February 2024. A disabled veteran himself, Ruiz left the private sector to become a Veteran Service Representative and help people who had served their country get the benefits they deserved.
Despite glowing performance reviews, and an "employee of the quarter" award, the Orange County, Calif. resident was laid off just days before he expected to become a permanent employee.
Adrift in the weeks afterward, he came to two realizations, he told USA TODAY: he needed a job; and new people need to run for political office.
“The only way to speak up at this point with everything that’s going on ‒ without getting too political here ‒ is to get into power, is to go to some location where there is a Republican," Ruiz said, "and literally running on the platform of ‘hey, I’m one of those federal employees, a veteran, who was cut by the Trump administration.'”
….
In the three days after federal firings began in February, 1,000 people signed up to run for office with Run for Something, said the group's co-founder Amanda Litman. The organization supports progressive candidates who want to run for local office.
It was a “huge spike for us,” Litman said, adding that the layoffs could serve as a pivot point in Trump’s presidency that pushes people to get involved in politics. The group has received tens of thousands of calls and emails about running for office since the election, she said.
On March 25, more than 600 people attended a Run for Something informational call aimed at former federal workers interested in running for office.
Attendees said they were tired of waiting for someone else to get it together. Some said they feel frustrated, disgusted, exhausted, while others said they felt hopeful, optimistic and empowered.
As alumni of the group talked about how they decided to run and organized their campaigns, attendees were in the video call's chat section coordinating local meetups or opportunities to share resources.
We’re here to help people like Tony and the thousands of other. Your support makes that possible. Thanks.
In other RFS community updates:
Big election win: Caseen Gaines, a local teacher running for Hackensack city council, won his election (and even better, was the top vote-getter!!)
TX Rep. Venton Jones, one of the first gay Black men in the TX state legislature, helped lead the repeal of Texas’s ban on homosexuality. (Seriously.)
Lancaster City Councilmember Ahmed Ahmed successfully got a resolution passed supporting a $15 minimum wage in PA.
NJ assembly candidate Katie Brennan put out a new ad highlighting her work as an advocate for survivors of sexual assault. This one is worth watching.
CO Sen. Iman Jodeh successfully sponsored legislation to require the public transit agency in Denver to create a 10-year master plan and face accountability for their services.
The Boston City Council, led by Ruthzee Louijeune, passed a petition to bring ranked choice voting to city elections — a bill that was cosponsored by fellow RFS alum Julia Mejia and Henry Santana.
Isaiah Santiago, the youngest member of the Rochester School Board, is leading on rethinking mental health and student wellbeing in schools.
In our regular bench watch:
Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit announced his campaign for Michigan attorney general — there are now RFS alum running for three statewide offices in MI!
Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison announced his campaign for Congress in IL-8.
IL Sen. Robert Peters jumped into the congressional race for IL-2.
All of those are good reminders: When the very top seats open up (as they did in MI and IL with Senate retirements), the subsequent opening of House seats creates space for even more new leaders to rise. We love to see it.
Some related reading or listening:
On Friday, I joined Morning Joe to talk about When We’re in Charge and what might be possible when new leaders step up and take power.
I chatted with Brian Tyler Cohen about the surge of people running for office!
I also talked with Forbes about the connection between next-gen leadership and democracy.
Teen Vogue ran an excerpt of my new book all about how what if work didn’t suck — imagining a world where everyone had time to be real people, not just worker bees.
I chatted with the team at The Ink about all of the things.
Tune in to my convo with Molly Jong Fast on Fast Politics about the generational divide in Democratic politics (and enjoy a small rant about how everything is a housing problem.)
I talked with Jane Coasten on What a Day about the 45,000+ people who’ve signed up to run for office in the last six months.
I was also on Strict Scrutiny, giving some leadership tips to the Supreme Court justices. (Roll with it.)
I’m in The Daily Beast making the case for passing the torch and seeing open primaries as an opportunity, not something to shy away from.
Related to that: Axios reports that more than half of all House Democrats over the age of 75 are planning to run for re-election. That’s why we’ll keep beating this drum…
If you’re in DC: Join me on Wednesday night in Georgetown for a free event celebrating my new book! I’d love to see you there. RSVP here.
You make all of this possible. Thanks for being part of this team.
- Amanda