Hi all -
Somehow it’s already the end of June!
A quick recap of last week’s elections — some of our winners:
Brian Romero, a renter and son of immigrants who experienced homelessness as a child, related his own experiences to voters in the district and secured the nomination for New York State Assembly, District 34.
Christian Celeste Tate, an anti-poverty organizer, unseated incumbent Assemblyman Erik Dilan for New York State Assembly District 54.
David Orkin, an immigrant workers’ rights attorney and union organizer, defeated incumbent Jenifer Rajkumar for New York State Assembly District 38.
Eli Northrup, a policy advocate and public defender who has dedicated his career to equity, criminal justice reform, and social justice, won his primary race for New York State Assembly District 69.
Samantha Kattan, a tenant organizer and daughter of immigrants who ran on affordability and stronger tenant protections, won the nomination for State Assembly District 37. This seat is currently held by Claire Valdez.
In Maryland, first-time candidate Amar Mukunda defeated the State Senate Majority Leader, a Democratic incumbent who’d been in office for 20+ years. This is a big deal — generational change coming at the state level.
GA Rep. Ruwa Romman won the Gwinnett County-based state Senate special election. You absolutely must read this profile of her in The 19th.
And further up the ballot: Claire Valdez, a RFS alum, a State Assembly Member, renter, and union member with lived experience working low-wage jobs, won the Democratic primary for New York’s 7th Congressional District, defeating Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso to replace retiring Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez.
Over all, we had 12 RFS endorsed candidates win their primaries and move on to the general, including some true longshot races. We are so proud of how things are moving and the incredible leaders we’re elevating.
You make their journeys possible. Thanks.
In RFS community updates:
MI Rep. Dylan Wegela helped kill the planned ICE detention center in Romulus, his district. The feds backed off after sustained community and legislative pressure.
IN Sen. Fady Qaddoura raised alarms in committee about the costs of state ICE detention contracts and pushed for more transparency on what Indiana is actually spending to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
PA Reps. Amanda Cappelletti and Lindsey Williams proposed legislation to keep ICE away from sensitive spaces — schools, churches, hospitals — in Pennsylvania. The bill would put clear limits on where federal immigration enforcement can operate.
Gainesville City Commissioner Bryan Eastman (FL) got the commission to formally consider an anti-ICE cooperation petition, warning that Gainesville is "uniquely susceptible" to overreach. He also wrote a piece in Florida Politics on what it actually looks like when the state takes over local government — a must-read for anyone in a preemption fight.
Jackie McGuire, candidate for Marana City Council in Arizona, is leading the fight against a data center construction in her town — she’s an AI and cyber security professional; she knows of what she speaks.
PA Lehigh County Commissioner Jon Irons pushed through a measure banning ICE from staging immigration operations on county-owned property.
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb blocked a council vote to renew the city's Flock surveillance camera contract — after community members showed up and demanded their voices actually be heard on public safety decisions. He's also opening applications to the new police oversight commission.
CT Rep. Nick Menapace is making noise on housing — first writing about intergenerational infrastructure investment and then going on offense on housing solutions, calling out local leaders who talk a big game but won't act.
MN Minneapolis Council Member Aurin Chowdhury helped pass a five-month moratorium on new data center development in Minneapolis as the city figures out the energy and zoning implications.
NY Sen. Kristen Gonzalez helped pass a statewide data center moratorium through the New York legislature — it now awaits Governor Hochul's signature.
PA Rep. Rick Krajewski helped advance two bills protecting parental rights, including for incarcerated parents facing family separation.
Washtenaw County Attorney Eli Savit was profiled as he runs for Attorney General of Michigan.
PA Rep. Emily Kinkead helped advance overdose aid protections through the House after a student death brought the issue back into focus.
NC Rep. DeAndrea Salvador joined the Democratic push to lower utility costs while the state budget drags on past deadline.
DE Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay launched a period product drive at Legislative Hall.
LA City Councilmember Ysabel Jurado was on the ground after a cold storage facility fire in Boyle Heights, demanding air quality accountability for her district and making sure residents got real answers about what was in the smoke.
In our latest collab with Important, Not Important: A conversation with Junior Ezeonu about flipping Texas blue.
CA Assemblymember Alex Lee wrote an op-ed in the East Bay Times making the case for taxing Silicon Valley billionaires — from his own district.
WI Rep. Alex Joers published an op-ed on Wisconsin's childcare crisis with other legislative dads.
CO Jefferson County Clerk Amanda Gonzalez pushed back against proposed federal rules that would complicate mail-in voting in states like Colorado — and got the Denver Post editorial board's endorsement in her race for secretary of state.
OK City Councilmember JoBeth Hamon was part of the OKC leadership team that opened the city's new Diversion Hub — a facility designed to give people tools to navigate the criminal justice system rather than just cycling back through it.
Republicans in Texas are coming after Travis County DA Jose Garza for how his office worked with immigration officials. It’s all bullshit.
In related reading & watching: I was on CNN NewsNight last week to talk about a whole mess of things. In particular, we got into a discussion about the future of the Democratic Party — watch this quick clip and let me know what you think…
This week is Run for Something’s summer rest period — we’re taking a beat and prepping for the long road ahead to the November election.
Have a wonderful July 4th — may we celebrate the potential of America (and work our asses off to fix it.)
- Amanda
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