The Boston Violinist: We need more progressive, working-class leaders to center our communities and values in Congress.

Thursday, January 16, 2025

We need more progressive, working-class leaders to center our communities and values in Congress.

Harris,

Justice Democrats stood with me when I first ran for Congress in 2018, when I was up for re-election in 2020, 2022, and 2024, and when I was censured by House colleagues for leading the call for a ceasefire and lasting peace in Palestine as the only Palestinian-American member of Congress.

AIPAC — and its network of right-wing megadonor-funded super PACs — promised to do everything in their power to unseat me last November, and thanks to this people-powered movement, they failed miserably. But they did defeat a number of other pro-Palestine progressives in Democratic primaries, spending over $100 million to do so. That kind of money makes it even harder for working-class candidates to run for office.

So I'm asking you: Will you make a grassroots donation to fuel Justice Democrats' 2026 Candidate Recruitment fund?

During my time in Congress, I've faced attacks from far-right Republicans and from corporate, establishment Democrats. Instead of fighting for the people we were elected to serve, they're trying to undermine progressive leaders for demanding the changes that our communities need in order to thrive.

Too many members of both parties have been bought off by billionaires and corporate interests. That's why I've introduced legislation to stop politicians from profiting from war and to take on corporate influence in politics. Many of my colleagues are directly profiting when they vote to support the weapons industry or the fossil fuel industry, which is unacceptable. Instead of listening to their constituents, many members of Congress are trying to criminalize people exercising their right to protest and free speech.

As the proud daughter of a UAW member and Ford assembly line worker, I've witnessed firsthand the difference between politicians who ignore everyday people and don't understand the urgency of the crises our communities face vs. the working-class leaders who understand their neighbors' struggles and are actually fighting for the transformative changes our communities need. Everyone deserves government representatives who truly represent them, but many of my colleagues in Congress are millionaires and want to preserve the unjust status quo. The American people see this and are losing faith in the Democratic Party, which partly explains the massive drop in Democratic voter turnout last November.

That's why it's so important for Justice Democrats to build the resources needed to recruit, support, and elect as many working-class candidates as possible between now and Democratic primaries early next year.

Please pitch in $5 or whatever you can to help Justice Democrats reach their $100,000 Candidate Recruitment goal by February 1.

Contribute $5

As billionaire spending in elections keeps growing, our progressive and working-class movement depends on grassroots donations from everyday people — rather than big checks from corporate PACs.

Thanks for anything you can give to help us transform the Democratic Party for the better and recenter our focus on the people.

In solidarity,

Rashida

Photo of Rashida Tlaib