As his campaign surges, DFA endorses Charles Booker for U.S. Senate in Kentucky

Today, Democracy for America (DFA) announced its endorsement of Charles Booker for U.S. Senate in Kentucky.

Booker is running against 2018 congressional candidate Amy McGrath in the June 23 primary that will determine Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Democratic opponent in November.

Statement from DFA CEO Yvette Simpson on the grassroots group’s endorsement of Charles Booker for U.S. Senate in Kentucky:

“Democracy for America is endorsing Charles Booker because he’s a real Democrat who can beat Mitch McConnell and isn’t afraid of taking a firm stand against Donald Trump, knows he would have voted against placing a man facing serious allegations of sexual assault on the U.S. Supreme Court, and is ready to fight for progressive ideas like Medicare for All.

“Especially in the wake of Breonna Taylor’s murder in Louisville, Charles Booker has proven himself to be a fearless visionary and boundlessly compassionate leader with the kind of life experience we desperately need in the U.S. Senate.

“When Senate insiders decide which candidate they’re going to bless with their endorsement and the millions in contributions that come with it, the critical experience that a young Black man who has lost family members to gun violence, like Charles Booker, might bring with him to the Senate never enters the equation. And, that narrow vision leaves Congress and our country weaker.

“Despite what DC insiders have told them, the people of Kentucky want something more than the same broken, spineless Democratic politics that’s allowed Mitch McConnell to drive his right-wing agenda in the Senate for 35 years.

“Momentum is growing behind Charles Booker in this race because he’s the bold breath of progressive air Kentucky knows our country needs in Washington, and that’s why Democracy for America couldn’t be more honored to stand with him today.” -- Yvette Simpson, CEO, Democracy for America

Statement from Charles Booker on receiving DFA’s endorsement in his race for U.S. Senate:

"I am so grateful for the endorsement of Democracy For America. The movement we are building here in Kentucky — for Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, ending racism and generational poverty — is a part of a bigger movement all across the country that DFA’s grassroots activists have been a critical part of. Together, we will win this race and transform America.” — Charles Booker, Kentucky Senate Candidate

The endorsement of Booker is part of DFA’s 2020 “Flip the Senate” strategy, which aims to (a) hold Senate Republicans accountable for the role they played in helping cover up Donald Trump’s White House crimes and (b) end Republican control of a body that could halt inclusive populist reform, even with a Democrat in the White House.

To take the majority in the U.S. Senate, Democrats need to gain just four additional seats. Other U.S. Senate candidates that the grassroots progressive group has endorsed include Royce West in Texas, Rev. Raphael Warnock in Georgia, Theresa Greenfield in Iowa, Jamie Harrison in South Carolina, Cal Cunningham in North Carolina and Betsy Sweet in Maine.

DFA has 9,158 members in Kentucky and more than one million members nationwide.