RFS feel-good update (6/9): Building the bench 🔨🔨

It pays off!

Hi all -

First, on the protests in LA against ICE raids: What Trump and his administration are doing is a dangerous expansion of military power. We’re proud to see local leaders like State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez and others coordinate responses that hold true to our values and keep people safe. We’ve got their backs however we can.

Meanwhile, our work continues. Last week was a big one for RFS alum announcing campaigns for higher office.

• Chesterfield Circuit Court clerk Amanda Pohl announced her campaign for Congress in VA-1, a seat currently held by a Republican.

• VA Del. Irene Shin announced her campaign for VA-11, the seat opened by up Rep. Connolly’s passing.

• GA Rep. Jasmine Clark jumped into the primary against Rep. David Scott — the second RFS alum to get into this fight for generational change.

• West Hollywood city councilmember John Erickson announced his campaign for CA state senate

This is just in the last week - there are already nearly a dozen RFS alum running for higher office, and more will be announcing soon enough.

This community has built an incredible bench of talent — amazing leaders in nearly every state who have experience in governing and can show up and communicate with voters in authentic ways. They’re stepping up to higher office and changing the party (and the country) as they do. You made their rise possible.

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In RFS community updates:

• Another win! Ric Galvan won his runoff for a seat on the San Antonio City Council by just 25 votes.

• Kelsea Bond explains their campaign for Atlanta City Council to the Atlanta Civic Circle: “A lot of people run simply to build a career for themselves. A lot of people run who have a business background or a real estate background, and they see city council as part of a larger career path for them. Running for office as an organizer, my approach is to work with unions and coalitions to really bring the movement to city hall. Because I look at city hall, and I don’t see any renters represented.”

• CA Assemblymember Alex Lee passed a monumental bill preventing corporate investors from buying single family homes and turning them into rentals.

• It’s the boring stuff that matters in a big way: Terre Haute (IN) Mayor Brandon Sakbun is moving fast and spending big money to fix city streets.

• Get to know CA State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, who was “was inspired to run for office by her grandfather’s work as a union organizer, which sparked her interest in public service. Her favorite thing about being a legislator is assisting her constituents with disaster relief.”

• Hundreds of thousands of dollars are flooding into try and unseat NYC Councilmember Shahana Hanif — she’s not backing down from a tough fight. Read this Q&A to learn more about her record fighting for New Yorkers and for her values.

  

• Andrea Sorce, new mayor of Vallejo, CA, has been proving herself a success in working with the city council and showing up big-time for the community.

• PA Rep. Jennifer O’Mara’s bill expanding cross-state licensing for mental health professionals has passed through the House - a meaningful way to expand access to the care people badly need.

• Seattle mayoral candidate Ry Armstrong joined local news to talk about their plan to solve the housing crisis, lower crime rates, and bring a new generation of leadership into power.

• NY Sens. Kristen Gonzalez and Andrew Gounardes and Assemblyman Alex Bores are introducing all kinds of legislation to create guardrails around AI — RFS alum leading when it matters most!

• Colorado has become the first state to offer paid family leave to parents with babies in the NICU - this is a big deal spearheaded by Rep. Yara Zokaie.

• Minneapolis City Councilmember Jason Chavez joined protestors standing up against ICE agents raiding a local taco restaurant.

• PA Sen. Katie Muth is sponsoring legislation to mandate that K-12 educators teach online literacy.

• Also in PA: Sen. Amanda Cappelletti is pushing to make a shield law that would offer legal protections for women seeking abortion care from out-of-state.

• Oklahoma will eliminate state sales tax on gun safes and safety devices thanks to legislation authored by Sen. Jo Anna Dossett.

Some related reading & listening for you:

• We chatted with The New Republic about how one way to help Democrats win back young men is to run candidates who can actually solve their problems AND communicate to them.

• ICYMI, my convo with Medhi Hasan is now out from behind a paywall and on YouTube.

• If you’re eager for a deepdive into the history how Democrats and Republicans have been building power, I chatted with Chuck Todd all about it.

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Thanks for making this work possible. The news right now is particularly bad — we’re so grateful your support lets us stay focused on building a better future.

- Amanda