FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 30, 2018
CONTACT:
Priyal Amin; press@turnoutpac.org
Progressive Turnout Project endorses Baer, Barzee Flores, Mucarsel-Powell, and Murphy
Grassroots-funded organization backs Florida leaders for Congress
CHICAGO—Progressive Turnout Project today endorsed Lauren Baer, Mary Barzee Flores, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, and Stephanie Murphy in their 2018 campaigns for Congress. Each candidate offers voters an impressive record of public service as well as a commitment to progressive values. Additionally, each candidate supports efforts to expand ballot access to all Americans through efforts championed by the grassroots-funded organization, like automatic voter registration, early voting, no-excuse absentee voting, and restoring the Voting Rights Act.
“We know that each of these candidates will fight for Floridians every day because that’s what they’ve been doing for years in their roles as leaders in their professional fields,” said Executive Director Alex Morgan. “If we’re going to pass progressive legislation and restore critical components of our democracy like the Voting Rights Act, then we need to elect these four women on November 6.”
Lauren Baer has deep roots in Florida’s 18th congressional district. Beyond her local knowledge of the region, her experience as an attorney and foreign policy expert will serve all Americans in Congress. Lauren is committed to justice and fairness and will fight for a progressive agenda that includes getting corporate money out of politics and expanding ballot access to all Americans.
“Lauren Baer is an incredible candidate who will get right to work to address big national issues like restoring the Voting Rights Act as well as critical local issues like meeting the unique environmental needs of south Florida,” said Morgan. “We believe that once voters get to know Lauren, they will enthusiastically cast their ballots for her.”
Mary Barzee Flores comes from a family of public servants and has served the Miami-Dade region as a public defender and judge for decades. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans like Mitch McConnell stonewalled her nomination to the U.S. District Court and didn’t even provide her with a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“Mary Barzee Flores has experienced firsthand how partisan Republican politics are playing out in Washington, D.C. and in Florida,” said Morgan. “While Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, and Mario Diaz-Balart have been working against south Florida’s best interests, the people of Florida have always been able to count on Mary and we know she will make a great representative in Congress.”
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is a first-generation American who knows what it means to pull herself up by her bootstraps. She has dedicated herself to helping others through her work at places like Florida International University. Debbie has lived the American Dream and she is the best candidate to lift up the voices of south Florida residents in Congress.
“For four years, Republican Carlos Curbelo has consistently voted for a radical right-wing agenda, breaking his promises to DREAMers and going as far as supporting Donald Trump’s plans for a wasteful and disgraceful border wall,” said Morgan. “Debbie has worked closely with south Florida residents her entire career, knows the needs of her community, and is going to be a great representative in Congress.”
Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy is a former educator, businesswoman, and national security specialist who has been fighting to bring better-paying jobs and a livable wage to central Florida. She is a proud original co-sponsor of the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2017 (H.R. 2978) which seeks to address the Supreme Court’s troubling 2013 ruling that struck down Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act.
“If we’re going to pass progressive legislation in the next Congress, we need to re-elect Stephanie Murphy in the 7th congressional district,” said Morgan. “We’re proud of her efforts to help restore the Voting Rights Act and we look forward to standing with her when we’re able to pass that bill in a Democratic-led House of Representatives next year.”
Today’s endorsement is part of a larger effort by Progressive Turnout Project to expand its impact in the 2018 election. The grassroots-funded organization released an expansive watch list in January and followed up with the announcement of 18 field programs in May. PTP hired a Fellows Program Coordinator in July to support additional candidates.
“Our more than 3 million supporters and 220,000 grassroots donors have been loud and clear that we need to do everything we can to win by supporting candidates who will represent our values and defend our democracy,” said Morgan.
Progressive Turnout Project asks campaigns to complete an endorsement questionnaire that asks about critical voting rights issues such as the restoration of the Voting Rights Act, automatic voter registration, early voting, no-excuse absentee voting, and voter ID laws. The organization will continue to announce endorsements as it receives and reviews completed candidate questionnaires.
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Progressive Turnout Project is a grassroots-funded Political Action Committee with a single mission: get Democrats to the polls. PTP designs, tests, and executes specialized voter-turnout programs targeting inconsistent Democratic voters in the most competitive districts across the country. Since its inception in 2015, the organization raised more than $19 million with a supporter base of over 3 million and invested in voter-turnout programs in 73 congressional races and 17 state legislative races, including 10 Virginia House of Delegate races 2017.
