Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersMcConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters Why Democrats must confront extreme left wing incitement to violence MORE (I-Vt.) and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez are the leading Democratic power couple in 2017, joining together in a multistate unity tour aiming to end the one-party rule of Trump Republicans in the House and Senate and White House.

The Sanders-Perez unity tour began this week in Maine and is lifting party spirits through Florida, Nevada, Arizona, Montana, Kentucky, Utah and Nebraska.

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As The Hill recently reported, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards will join the Sanders-Perez tour to offer a rousing reply to the latest GOP war on women through its all-out attack against an organization that has done so much good for so many women.

The Sanders-Perez unity tour has the feel of a presidential campaign by providing a sweeping and powerful answer to the extreme and unpopular programs offered by Republicans and urging Democrats to unite to break up the GOP monopoly on power in Washington.

Every extreme and backward action taken by President Trump and Republicans in Congress creates an even more energized and empowering backlash among progressive and moderate Democrats hungry to take back America.

Democrats and political independents understand the great question on the ballot in 2018 is whether to continue the one-party rule of Republicans who govern as though only Republicans exist in America and progressive, moderate, independent and swing voters are nonpersons.

In their unity tour, Sanders and Perez call for unity against Republicans in the House of Representatives under Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanAt indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates Peterson faces fight of his career in deep-red Minnesota district MORE (R-Wis.) who believes that negotiating with Democrats is a sin, ignoring and insulting the mass of voters who gave Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillicon Valley: FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden | Treasury Dept. sanctions Iranian government-backed hackers The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden MORE a 3 million popular vote victory over Trump in 2016.

It is not hard for Democrats and independents to unite and mobilize against House Republicans who try to pass a cruel and reactionary healthcare bill, produced after negotiations that involved only conservative Republicans and far right Republicans, that would inflict pain and misery on the poor, middle class, working class and senior citizens.

Sanders and Perez call for unity to end the one-party Trump Republican rule in the Senate. It will not be hard to unite Democrats against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMcConnell focuses on confirming judicial nominees with COVID-19 talks stalled McConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security Warren, Schumer introduce plan for next president to cancel ,000 in student debt MORE (R-Ky.), who stole a Supreme Court seat by refusing to consider former President Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaThe Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Don't expect a government check anytime soon Trump appointees stymie recommendations to boost minority voting: report Obama's first presidential memoir, 'A Promised Land,' set for November release MORE’s brilliantly qualified nominee last year and then changing Senate rules to ram through Trump’s nominee and now plans to abuse Senate rules again to enact a “tax bill” which will be a gigantic tax cut for the wealthiest Americans.

Sanders and Perez unite Democrats against the secretive swampland that Trump Republicans have brought to Washington with secret presidential tax returns, secret White House visitor logs, shameless and pervasive conflicts of interest, a major scandal involving Russia undermining American democracy to support Trump for president, a war on women now attacking Planned Parenthood, a sellout of workers with retreats on trade and the most radical trickle-down economics in history, a war against the Earth attacking environmental standards, a war against the poor through barbaric program cuts, and a president who moved from extreme isolationism to bellicose threats of war he seems ready to fight without allies, strategies, or plans.

The Sanders-Perez call for Democratic unity is exactly the right cause at exactly the right time.

Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), then-chief deputy majority whip of the House. He holds an LL.M. in international financial law from the London School of Economics. He can be read on The Hill’s Contributors blog and reached at brentbbi@webtv.net.