Latest news with #RunforSomething
UPI
5 days ago
- Politics
- UPI
Bernie Sanders backs two progressives in NYC Democratic primaries
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, speaks during a press conference on March 6, 2025. Sanders will support a pair of progressive candidates running in Democratic primaries against more established candidates. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo June 17 (UPI) -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has thrown support to a pair of progressive candidates running in Democratic primaries against more established candidates. Sanders is expected to officially endorse Zohran Mamdani in the party's mayoral primary in New York City on Tuesday. A Brooklyn native, Sanders joins Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. in support of Mamdani, a left-wing Democrat who must compete against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary. Current mayor Eric Adams is running for reelection as an independent. "Our nation faces a fundamental choice: Will we continue with a corporate-dominated politics driven by billionaires or will we build a grass-roots movement fueled by everyday people, committed to fighting oligarchy, authoritarianism and kleptocracy?" Mr. Sanders has said about Mamdani. "The New York City Democratic primary presents a clear choice as to the path forward," he added. Sanders has also announced his support for Michigan state Rep. Donavan McKinney, who seeks to unseat current Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich. "As a Member of Congress, Donavan will fight to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, fully fund our public schools, invest in public housing and support Medicare for all," said Sanders of McKinney. "A former union leader, he has dedicated his life to standing with working people, and is ready to lead the struggle against Donald Trump, the oligarchy, and the corporate interests who prioritize profits over people." McKinney, who also has the support of Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., said in a statement that "Senator Sanders has long been a progressive champion for working class Americans, and I am honored to receive his endorsement." Sanders had also announced in May he had partnered with the Run for Something young candidate recruitment organization, which posted to X in May that "His message is clear-run for office-and we're here to make sure new leaders have the tools to win."
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Opinion - Jasmine Crockett can bring the Democratic Party back from the brink
It's hard to walk a mile in America's political-media industrial complex these days without someone asking me about Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Whenever I write about the future of the Democratic Party (often), my inbox inevitably fills with enthusiastic Democrats urging me to watch compilations of Crockett's most viral comments, some of which boast view counts in the millions. The TV-ready former public defender exploded onto the national scene this year as one of Democrats' rawest and most watchable communicators. Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg went so far as to declare her the future of the Democratic Party. On Sunday, Fox News anchor Trey Gowdy devoted an entire segment to denouncing her rise to prominence. At a moment when voters are increasingly tuning out politicians, Crockett is still breaking through. Democrats are about to blow millions of dollars on an almost certainly futile effort to build a 'liberal Joe Rogan' when they should be studying how Crockett's unlikely path to Washington shaped her hugely popular message. As one of the few party figures who can speak with authenticity to the millions of voters who lost faith in the Democratic Party after 2024, Crockett should be playing a lead role in reshaping the party's 2026 message. Do Democrats see what they have? Crockett's brashness may strike some Beltway stiffs as rude or disrespectful, but it's actually a powerful reflection of the alienation millions of Democratic voters feel, including the 7 percent of Black men and nearly 10 percent of nonwhite young people who gave up on the party after the last election. To those voters, Crockett's passion doesn't look disrespectful — it looks appropriate to a moment where most Americans are paying more for everything from groceries to medicine while Donald Trump's Department of Justice tears away civil rights protections root and branch. 'We have transitioned into a space where authenticity is valued so much more than people being proper or polite,' Crockett told Roll Call in January. 'If my raw emotions get the better of me, most people take it just as that, and are happy to know there's somebody who's here because she is very passionate about the work and really believes in it.' One reason institutional Democrats struggle to understand Crockett is because she came to politics not through political triangulation but by channeling the party's simmering grassroots discontent. Instead of traditional party channels, Crockett partnered with candidate recruitment organization Run for Something for her first state political campaign in 2020. That her campaign evolved outside the Texas Democratic Party's political ecosystem still rankles some Texas Democrats. When I tweeted about working on this article, two state party insiders reached out to share their concerns about Crockett's effectiveness. If recent candidate recruitment data from Run for Something is any indication, rank-and-file Democrats don't share those insiders' concerns. Amanda Litman, founder and president of Run For Something, tells me that 'Crockett's name has come up organically in conversation with candidates and potential candidates,' adding that Crockett's 'energy for the work' has played a role in convincing more political novices to run for office in their communities. After months honing her populist message, Crockett is riding high on a political moment she helped mainstream. A new Demand Progress survey found that nearly six in 10 Democrats preferred populist economic arguments over more traditional centrist proposals. That's obvious enough on the ground, where over 30,000 Coloradans packed a populist rally earlier this year hosted by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Even moderate Democrats are trying out their own economic populist talking points. Crockett's fluency in the language of populist frustration allows her voice to carry in spaces and among communities where conventional Democratic talking points are normally filtered out. For Litman, the perfect candidate for our modern political era is one who isn't so concerned about being perfect. 'Voters are no longer looking for candidates who embody the perfect politician or those who play with the same old political playbook — they want someone who understands the stakes through lived experience,' Litman said. 'Crockett embodies all of this. She clearly knows who she is and what she believes.' Now Crockett and the Democrats who have rallied around her have an even more challenging goal: reminding go-along, get-along Democrats that they used to believe in things, too. Crockett has built a powerful national brand by telling Democrats that it's OK to pick a fight when that fight is worth having. Millions of voters agree. Max Burns is a veteran Democratic strategist and founder of Third Degree Strategies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Jasmine Crockett can bring the Democratic Party back from the brink
It's hard to walk a mile in America's political-media industrial complex these days without someone asking me about Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Whenever I write about the future of the Democratic Party (often), my inbox inevitably fills with enthusiastic Democrats urging me to watch compilations of Crockett's most viral comments, some of which boast view counts in the millions. The TV-ready former public defender exploded onto the national scene this year as one of Democrats' rawest and most watchable communicators. Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg went so far as to declare her the future of the Democratic Party. On Sunday, Fox News anchor Trey Gowdy devoted an entire segment to denouncing her rise to prominence. At a moment when voters are increasingly tuning out politicians, Crockett is still breaking through. Democrats are about to blow millions of dollars on an almost certainly futile effort to build a 'liberal Joe Rogan' when they should be studying how Crockett's unlikely path to Washington shaped her hugely popular message. As one of the few party figures who can speak with authenticity to the millions of voters who lost faith in the Democratic Party after 2024, Crockett should be playing a lead role in reshaping the party's 2026 message. Do Democrats see what they have? Crockett's brashness may strike some Beltway stiffs as rude or disrespectful, but it's actually a powerful reflection of the alienation millions of Democratic voters feel, including the 7 percent of Black men and nearly 10 percent of nonwhite young people who gave up on the party after the last election. To those voters, Crockett's passion doesn't look disrespectful — it looks appropriate to a moment where most Americans are paying more for everything from groceries to medicine while Donald Trump's Department of Justice tears away civil rights protections root and branch. 'We have transitioned into a space where authenticity is valued so much more than people being proper or polite,' Crockett told Roll Call in January. 'If my raw emotions get the better of me, most people take it just as that, and are happy to know there's somebody who's here because she is very passionate about the work and really believes in it.' One reason institutional Democrats struggle to understand Crockett is because she came to politics not through political triangulation but by channeling the party's simmering grassroots discontent. Instead of traditional party channels, Crockett partnered with candidate recruitment organization Run for Something for her first state political campaign in 2020. That her campaign evolved outside the Texas Democratic Party's political ecosystem still rankles some Texas Democrats. When I tweeted about working on this article, two state party insiders reached out to share their concerns about Crockett's effectiveness. If recent candidate recruitment data from Run for Something is any indication, rank-and-file Democrats don't share those insiders' concerns. Amanda Litman, founder and president of Run For Something, tells me that 'Crockett's name has come up organically in conversation with candidates and potential candidates,' adding that Crockett's 'energy for the work' has played a role in convincing more political novices to run for office in their communities. Now, after months honing her populist message, the political moment appears to have caught Crockett at the ideal moment. A new Demand Progress survey found that nearly six in 10 Democrats preferred populist economic arguments over more traditional centrist proposals. That's obvious enough on the ground, where over 30,000 Coloradans packed a populist rally earlier this year hosted by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Even moderate Democrats are trying out their own economic populist talking points. Crockett's fluency in the language of populist frustration allows her voice to carry in spaces and among communities where conventional Democratic talking points are normally filtered out. For Litman, the perfect candidate for our modern political era is one who isn't so concerned about being perfect. 'Voters are no longer looking for candidates who embody the perfect politician or those who play with the same old political playbook — they want someone who understands the stakes through lived experience,' Litman said. 'Crockett embodies all of this. She clearly knows who she is and what she believes.' Now Crockett and the Democrats who have rallied around her have an even more challenging goal: reminding go-along, get-along Democrats that they used to believe in things, too. Crockett has built a powerful national brand by telling Democrats that it's OK to pick a fight when that fight is worth having. Millions of voters agree. Max Burns is a veteran Democratic strategist and founder of Third Degree Strategies.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Run for Something co-founder: ‘Democrats' reliance on seniority is our downfall'
Amanda Litman spent the past decade building a way for more younger people to run for office. Now, as the Democratic party debates its ageing leaders after the former president's decline led to a bruising loss in 2024, a groundswell of younger Democrats are working to remake the party by challenging incumbents and calling out Democratic leaders who fail to push back against Trump. It's a moment Litman has been waiting for. Litman co-founded Run for Something, an organization that recruits and trains progressives age 40 and under to seek elected office, the day Trump was inaugurated in 2017. Since then, the group has sought to dismantle the gerontocracy, helping to elect more than 1,500 people across 49 states. More than 200,000 people have signed up to explore a run for office, more than 40,000 of whom have signed up since Trump won last November. 'The Democratic party's reliance on seniority is really our downfall,' she told the Guardian. 'Imagine how hard it is to tell your grandparents that it's time for them to stop driving. This is the same: how do you tell someone they're no longer fit to do the thing that they've been doing for decades, but maybe feel called to and derive all their self-esteem and their sense of identity from?' These conversations are 'really hard', but it's vital to have them now, and in the open, because Democrats are seeing the consequences of avoiding the issue for too long, she said. Those younger leaders also have a distaste for institutionsand are more eager to tear it down or propose alternative ways to rebuild the government. Younger leaders are 'very open about what change could look like, and that can be really scary to the people who've been building these institutions for the last 10, 20, 30 years,' Litman said. Three older Democrats have died in office just this year. After the most recent death, Virginia Democrat Gerry Connolly, Litman wrote on social media that 'older Democrats need to retire now and go out on their own terms. Let us celebrate your legacy! Don't let your leadership end in a primary loss or worse, real grief.' Her new book, 'When We're in Charge: The Next Generation's Guide to Leadership,' details how millennials and Gen Z leaders can remake their workplaces and become the kinds of leaders they've always wanted. It's not explicitly about politics, though some people in elected office or other political work are interviewed. 'When we make workplaces better, we give people back their time to do more politics outside of it, like being a better citizen,' she said. 'It's really hard to imagine going to a protest or volunteering for a candidate if you are working around the clock, and you get home from your nine to five and you're just drained. Part of the reason why I want to push this conversation outside of politics is because I think the more we can make work not suck, the better everything else cannot suck too.' She advocates for separating your work from your personhood and bringing your authentic self to work, albeit a modified version she calls 'responsible authenticity'. The same lessons she found across workplaces apply to politicians, she writes and points to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York congresswoman, as someone who strikes the right balance of showing her humanity but maintaining boundaries. 'The members of Congress I spoke to brought up the same kinds of challenges as the lawyers, as the faith leaders, as the business executives and media folks,' she said. 'They all talked about loneliness. They all talked about vulnerability. They talked about the challenges of wanting to be authentic but not wanting to let everyone into all your shit.' As Democrats debate how to rebuild their side of the aisle, Litman expects to see more primaries, something the party has often sought to avoid at the national level, often believing they're a waste of resources. Primaries are more common in the state and local races Run for Something works on, and the group has at times endorsed more than one person in a primary. Primaries are 'clarifying', Litman said. 'Politics, like everything else, is something you get better at with practice. Primaries are how you get better.' Those primaries aren't simply a progressive vs. centrist surge right now, she said. It's more about who is showing they have the fight in them to stand up to the Trump administration, more about who has 'the skills and the stomach'. Beyond primaries, the left should be having open conversations about who needs to retire - Litman said a retirement, with an open race, is much more preferable than unseating an incumbent, which can get messy. 'If we really think that this is a crisis, we need leaders who are going to act like it and be able to communicate that,' she said. 'I'm not sure that Senator [Chuck] Schumer and other older members of Congress are most well-suited to do that. That's not a personal failing. It's just we got to send our best.'
CNBC
22-05-2025
- General
- CNBC
Millennial founder's best career advice for Gen Z: 'You don't get what you don't ask for'
Amanda Litman was just 26 when she co-founded Run For Something, a political organization that recruits and supports young, diverse candidates running for down-ballot office, in 2017. As Run for Something grew, Litman found that in order to become the kind of leader she wanted to be — compassionate, transparent, effective and accountable — she would have to look outside traditional models of leadership. Millennials and Gen Z are more diverse than previous generations, "so our leadership quite literally looks different," she says. "The models that worked for the old white men of the last three centuries don't necessarily make sense for us." In the eight years she's served as president of Run for Something, Litman, 35, has watched fellow millennial and Gen Z leaders make fundamental changes to workplace culture as they rise to top positions. Litman drew on her own experiences, as well as interviews with other millennial and Gen Z leaders like Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel, comedian and producer Ilana Glazer, and activist David Hogg, for her new book "When We're In Charge: The Next Generation's Guide to Leadership." Here's her advice for the latest crop of leaders. According to Litman, the best professional advice she's ever received is "You don't get what you don't ask for." This advice rings true no matter where you are on the career ladder, she says. For leaders, clarity is crucial when setting expectations for employees. "You have a responsibility to make it clear what you are expecting, what you need, what you want out of people, and you want to make it as easy as possible for them to satisfy your demands," she says. On the other end, Litman encourages early-career professionals to put themselves out there: "If you want help from someone, if you want time on someone's calendar, if you want to have coffee with that person you've never had a chance to interact with, you need to ask for it." "The worst thing that happens is someone says no," she says. "The best thing that happens is they say yes, and you don't know what doors might open for you." Litman is heartened to see emerging leaders taking charge and making changes in the workplace. One crucial difference she notices between today's leaders and previous generations is that the younger generation of leaders is particularly focused on creating a healthy, supportive work culture. The Gen Z leaders Litman spoke to "really thought about the well-being of their teams," she says. "They thought about how to bring a sort of joy to the work in a way that I found really refreshing." Though Gen Z is often stereotyped in the workforce as lazy, unreliable, or difficult, Litman pushes back against those perceptions. "I think Gen Z wants a better balance between work and life, because they have seen how work can let you down," she says. "The career ladders that we thought we could climb no longer exist. The institutions that you thought you'd be able to work for are going through rolling layoffs. So why make your whole life about your job?" She advises Gen Z leaders to "take what works and leave what doesn't" when developing their leadership philosophies. "Don't assume that the way things were done yesterday has to be the way they're done tomorrow. You should know how things were done yesterday, but that doesn't dictate the future. You actually have a lot of agency over what could happen," she says. ,
