Jamie Eldridge

MA-StateSen: I’m digging those Elizabeth Warren shirts!

The latest addition to Sanders Democrats is Jamie Eldridge, running for the Massachusetts Senate in the Middlesex/Worcester district.

Website: jamieeldridge.com

Facebook: facebook.com/SenatorJamieEldridge

From his website:

This coming 2015-2016 legislative session, I plan to continue to fight to combat inequality, protect the environment, invest in infrastructure, increase state education aid, create jobs, reform our criminal justice system, combat climate change, improve government transparency, strengthen the social safety net, expand access to quality health care, reform our campaign finance system, reduce poverty and fight corporate special interests.

Advocacy for Those in Need Prior to his election as State Representative, Jamie worked as a public interest attorney with Merrimack Valley Legal Services in Lowell, a non-profit organization that provides free legal services to the poor and the elderly. As a public interest lawyer, he also worked to help low-income residents with issues of housing, Social Security, disability, and unemployment. Jamie received a National Equal Justice Works fellowship to help low- and moderate-income people buy their first homes, start a business, or create a non-profit to create change in their neighborhoods.

For real Progressive change to take place in this country, we can’t just elect a new President and Congress. We will also need people like Jamie to occupy majorities in state legislative chambers so that Bernie’s programs like Medicare for All, equal pay for women, and tuition-free public college aren’t resisted at the state level. We all saw what various GOP-ran state governments did to hinder the Affordable Care Act. Let’s prevent that from happening with our next POTUS.

Bill Perkins

NY-13: Perkins sponsored a City Council resolution in 2003 opposing the Iraq War.

Have you heard people say “Bernie’s plans can’t get through Congress”? Electing people like Bill Perkins to Congress is how we will fix that. Bill is running in New York’s 13th district.

Website: www.billperkins.org

Facebook: facebook.com/senatorbillperkins

From his website:

Elected in 2006, Bill Perkins now serves as State Senator representing the 30th District, and was one of the first NYS elected officials to support Barack Obama for President. The District includes Harlem, the Upper West Side and Washington Heights and was previously represented by former NYS Secretary of State Basil Paterson, former State Comptroller Carl McCall and former Governor David Paterson. [...] Bill Perkins was an early, vigorous opponent of the War in Iraq. He introduced and passed an anti-war resolution - one of the first in the nation -- in the City Council and led the fight to pass a resolution to protect our civil liberties and rights by mandating that the Patriot Act not infringe upon the fundamental rights and liberties of New Yorkers. When peaceful demonstrators rallying during the Republican National Convention were wrongly arrested, held in unsafe conditions and denied basic rights, Bill Perkins was the first to hold hearings and expose the abuses. And Bill didn't stop there. He's stood tall for free speech and equity, opposed racial, ethnic and religious profiling, sponsored landmark Legislation to protect the rights of the gay, lesbian and transgender community and he led the fight for the Living Wage Bill to provide a minimum wage that was also a living wage.

Stephanie Piddock

CT-05: Stephanie Piddock is running to fight economic inequality and homelessness.

Website: stephaniepiddock.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/...

Unlike the last two candidates I highlighted, Stephanie Piddock is NOT an elected official. In fact, this is Stephanie’s first run for public office!

That doesn’t mean Stephanie is jumping in without any political experience:

After the birth of her third child, Stephanie relocated her family to Chester County, Pennsylvania, in 1997. Later, in 2000, she and family relocated back to Connecticut. There, she became involved with the local charity No Vet Left Behind, which serviced homeless veterans. Subsequently, Connecticut is the first state to end chronic veteran homelessness. On September 17, 2011, Occupy Wall Street was born and Stephanie was called to action. [...] Since her days of living in Vermont, Stephanie has been a Bernie Sanders supporter. As soon as he announced his campaign, Stephanie became involved as 5th District coordinator for his grassroots Connecticut campaign. She has since resigned after announcing her congressional run. A growing desire to dedicate her public and professional life to leading the pursuit of justice became her passion. Her online and community efforts, while impactful and vibrant, simply are no longer enough. She seeks bigger challenges and a larger sphere of influence.

From a DC News Junkie report:

On platform, Piddock’s primary focus, she said, is homelessness and hunger. She speaks about ineffective political representation and economic inequality but gets passionate when the subject of homelessness comes up. When writing about the issue, she begins to use exclamation points. “I’m fired up by the fact that we don’t view homelessness and a lack of decent food and healthcare as a national emergency,” she said. “The fact that government isn’t responding to this national humanitarian crisis shocks me! People are forced to live in the woods behind me; I leave them donations, and while donations are important, being a full participant in society with safety and well-being cannot evolve from donations.” - See more at: stephaniepiddock.com/...

Last but not least for today. I just had to share this incredible story:

John Fetterman

PA-Sen: Not your average politician.

John Fetterman is running for US Senate in Pennsylvania.

Website: johnfetterman.com

Facebook: facebook.com/JohnFettermanPA

From his website:

At 23, John joined up with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and his life has never been the same since. John threw himself into the program, mentoring his ‘little’ - an 8 year-old boy who had recently lost his father to AIDS and whose mother was also battling the disease. Before she passed away, John promised that he would continue to look out for her son and make sure that he would graduate college. Fifteen years later, John’s and his ‘little’ had both held up their ends of the bargain, with his little’s graduation from Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, PA. But John wanted to do more. The disparity between his own life and that of his ‘little’ motivated him to quit his job and join AmeriCorps’ 2nd Year class. For two years, John served in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District, where he helped set up the first computer labs in the neighborhood and taught GED classes to young mothers and fathers. [...] In 2005, encouraged by his students and motivated to do more to address the inequality that he felt was holding Braddock back, John ran for mayor. He managed to win the crowded primary by a single vote. And he’s been hard at work ever since.

I absolutely LOVE how this guy is breaking all of the molds when it comes to federal politics. Your average Senate candidate isn’t going to be sporting a gnarly beard, much less multiple tattoos! Yes, this guy is running for US Senate, not auditioning for a role on American Chopper!

Something that I think repels many people from getting into politics is the notion that only certain types of people can run for office. You know the types: suit-clad, clean-shaven, lawyers or business owners (or pastors if you live in the deep south). I want to see more “John Fetterman”s make runs for office so that we can get people who don’t sport the “typical” political look or have the “typical” political resume/background to run for office. This diversity is only going to make our nation stronger as a greater range of voices are heard in Washington.

Also, this guy broke through his primary by a single vote to eventually become Mayor of Braddock, PA. Tell that to the people who say “my vote doesn’t matter.”

This is just a small sampling of the diverse slate of candidates that are proud to support Bernie Sanders. If you like what are reading, please check out the candidates’ websites and leave them a few bucks. Your money will go to good use, especially in the local races where those funds will cover essential purchases like mailers and ink cartridges.

If you looked at the full list of Sanders Democrats on Google Docs, you may have noticed the North Carolina line is blank. I’ll have plenty to say about that very soon… until then have a great MLK day :)