Democracy for America backs Kevin de León in California U.S. Senate race

Today, Democracy for America (DFA) announced its endorsement of State Senator Kevin de León immediately after he declared his candidacy for U.S. Senate in California.  De León, the current President pro tempore of the California State Senate, will face four-term Senator Dianne Feinstein in the June primary.

This is DFA’s first endorsement of a 2018 U.S. Senate primary challenger.  

Earlier this year, DFA has endorsed incumbent Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in their respective 2018 reelection fights.

Democracy for America has 298,529 members in the state of California and more than one million members nationwide.

DFA Executive Director Charles Chamberlain on the decision to endorse De León in the U.S. Senate primary campaign in California:

“Californians made their state a bright blue beacon of resistance to Donald Trump’s hate-fueled agenda, and they deserve two Senators who will be relentless allies in their battle to stand up to the White House and take bold action on social, racial, and economic justice.  

“From his work as a young community organizer battling the anti-immigrant Proposition 187 to his leadership in the push for a bold single-payer healthcare plan in the California State Senate, state Senator Kevin de León has spent his life fighting for justice and that’s why Democracy for America members couldn’t be more excited to support his campaign for the U.S. Senate.

“When Trump became President, de León didn’t ask people to sit back and wait, hoping maybe Trump would someday turn out OK. He immediately began working to pass policies that would help the people most immediately affected by Trump’s bigoted, greedy policies.

“The simple fact is this: We won't defeat Trump and his Republican Party with corporate Democrats pushing Republican-lite policies and weak leadership. We win when candidates offer a progressive vision for America and fight to make it happen. Kevin de León has proven he will do both and we can’t wait to see him do it in the U.S. Senate.” -- Charles Chamberlain, Executive Director, Democracy for America

DFA’s decision to endorse Kevin de León follows a “Pulse Poll” of DFA’s California members that found that 63% of respondents want a progressive leader to challenge Senator Feinstein in the 2018 U.S. Senate election.

Quote from Sen. Kevin de León on receiving DFA’s endorsement:

“Earning the early support of Democracy for America’s grassroots members isn’t just an honor, it’s a reflection of my commitment to running a people-powered campaign for the U.S. Senate that’s focused on big, bold populist progressive ideas and the active confrontation of Donald Trump’s bigoted agenda.” -- Sen. Kevin de León, U.S. Senate candidate

As the first Latino elected President pro Tempore of the California State Senate in more than 130 years, Sen. Kevin de León has been a leader in the fight to pass single-payer healthcare through the California State Senate; a fierce champion in the battle against climate change; and a stalwart ally for immigration justice who got his start in politics organizing citizens against the virulently anti-immigrant Proposition 187.  If elected, Sen. De León would be the first Latino to represent California in the U.S. Senate.  He’s committed not only to standing up to Donald Trump’s bigoted right-wing agenda, but building on California’s tradition of progressive leadership and leading the fight for big, bold populist progressive ideas.

Since its 2004 founding, DFA members have raised and contributed more than $40 million and made more than 11.1 million volunteer calls to help successfully elect 915 progressive candidates nationwide.