NewDEAL Leaders Reelection, Many Ascend to Higher Office

NewDEAL Leaders Sweep Reelections as Many Ascend to Higher Office

Winners include at least seven taking higher office, including three in Congress and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom; major races in Georgia and Utah remain too close to call

Washington, D.C. – From coast to coast and in every region of the country, NewDEAL Leaders triumphed in federal, state, and local contests Tuesday, including at least three Congressional Districts, as well as statewide offices in California and Wisconsin. In all, at least eight members of NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders) will rise to higher office, while all 50 have won their reelection races. The winners, who represent 25 states, include Governor-elect Gavin Newsom, Jennifer Wexton, who flipped a Virginia Congressional seat, and Lieutenant Governor-elect Mandela Barnes on the ticket with Wisconsin Governor-elect Tony Evers.

In addition, NewDEAL Leaders in major races that remain too close to call include: Stacey Abrams (Georgia Governor), Ben McAdams (Utah Fourth Congressional District), and Aaron Ford (Nevada Attorney General).

The results, which follow a 98 percent win rate in the challenging 2016 election cycle, further emphasize the ability of NewDEAL’s pro-growth progressive network of state and local Democrats to excel in diverse communities nationwide and to help shape the future of their Party. Led by Honorary Co-Chairs U.S. Senator Mark Warner and former Delaware Governor Jack Markell, the network is made up of 160 of the most innovative elected leaders, chosen from among more than 1000 nominations.

While running on some different platforms and issues, the NewDEAL candidates were united by pro-growth, forward-looking ideas for expanding economic opportunity and by a pragmatic, results-driven approach to governing.

NewDEAL Leaders Elevated to Higher Office

Gavin Newsom – Governor of California – (current Lt. Gov. and NewDEAL Vice Chair)

Greg Stanton – U.S. House, Arizona-09 – (former Mayor of Phoenix)

Joe Morelle – U.S. House, New York-25 – (current Assembly Majority Leader)

Jennifer Wexton – U.S. House, Virginia-10 – (current State Senator)

Mandela Barnes – Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor – (former Assemblymember)

Brittany Pettersen – Colorado State Senate – (current State Rep.)

Angela Alsobrooks – County Executive, Prince George’s, MD – (current State Attorney)

“Congratulations to all of the NewDEAL Leaders who earned their victories across the country by having the pro-growth economic vision, unifying messages, and leadership ability required to lead our communities, states, and country at this challenging time in our politics,” said NewDEAL Executive Director Debbie Cox Bultan. “These leaders represent the future-oriented wing of the Democratic Party — the wing advocating for solutions that match the challenges we face today  in embracing and adapting to the realities of the post-globalization economy.

“They remain focused on the common values that can bring people together and we are proud to see so many of them advance to higher office where they will continue to fight for expanding opportunity and rebuilding trust in government. In addition, we’re proud of the at least three new NewDEAL members of Congress who join the growing New Democrat Coalition and others in offering the pragmatic approach to governance that our country sorely needs.

About NewDEAL

The NewDEAL brings together leaders focused on expanding opportunity, helping them develop and spread innovative ideas to spur economic growth that is broadly-earned and sustainable, while making government work better. Most importantly, the organization facilitates the exchange of ideas among its members and connects them with other pro-growth progressive political, policy, and private sector leaders.

One of the organization’s signature events, the Annual NewDEAL Leaders Conference, will take place November 28-30 in Washington, DC. About 70 NewDEAL Leaders will join other innovators from the public and private sectors to address lessons learned from the midterm elections and to discuss a forward-looking agenda for state and local Democrats to address the future of work and climate change, and rebuild trust in government.

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Fall 2018 Class of NewDEAL Leaders Announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 2018
Contact: Jonathon Dworkin, 202-660-1340 x5

New Class of Nation’s Top Pro-Growth Progressive Leaders Announced

Diverse set of state and local leaders join organization of innovative, rising Democrats

Washington, D.C. – Eleven leaders from nine states have been chosen to join the NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders), a selective national network of state and local leaders working to enact pro-growth progressive solutions in a wide array of communities. Members of the 150-plus-person network of rising Democrats have been chosen from among more than 1000 nominations.

The diverse new class of leaders, listed below, were recognized for their unwavering commitment to expanding opportunity, as they work to move their communities forward in the new economy and reject the idea that policymakers can or should want to turn the clock back to a prior era. These leaders’ work will help build on policy agendas NewDEAL develops for state and local officials, including the upcoming release of recommendations from the organization’s Future of Work Policy Group, as well as The Way Forward, an agenda that addresses the most pressing issues facing Americans in the digital age.

The new class of NewDEAL Leaders includes:

Chaz Beasley, State Representative, Charlotte, NC
Wesley Bishop, State Senator, New Orleans, LA
John Cranley, Mayor, Cincinnati, OH
Justin Fairfax, Lieutenant Governor, Virginia
Amir Farokhi, City Councilmember, Atlanta, GA
Margaret Good, State Representative, Sarasota, FL
Derek Green, City Councilmember, Philadelphia, PA
Nirva LaFortune, City Councilmember, Providence, RI
Daniele Monroe-Moreno, State Assemblymember, North Las Vegas, NV
Laura Register, School Board Member, Grady County, GA
Kathy Tran, State Delegate, Fairfax, VA

Fall 2018 NewDEAL Leader class“While much of the political world is focused on how the balance of power in D.C. will shift in a couple of weeks, we must also remember the tremendous impact that innovative state and local officials have on enacting policies that meet the demands of a changing world and expand opportunity for all,” said Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and former Delaware Governor Jack Markell, Honorary Co-Chairs of NewDEAL. “Supporting the rising leaders in the NewDEAL has never been more important. We look forward to promoting the work of this excellent new class of leaders as they join a network of officials with a proven track record of winning and governing successfully in diverse communities.”

The NewDEAL brings together leaders focused on expanding opportunity, helping them develop and spread innovative ideas to spur economic growth that is broadly-earned and sustainable. Most importantly, the organization facilitates the exchange of ideas among its members and connects them with other pro-growth progressive political, policy, and private sector leaders.

 One of the organization’s signature events, the Annual NewDEAL Leaders Conference, will take place November 28-30 in Washington, DC. About 70 NewDEAL Leaders will join other innovators from the public and private sectors to address lessons learned from the midterm elections and to discuss a forward-looking agenda for state and local Democrats to tackle the future of work and climate change, and rebuild trust in government.

NewDEAL Leaders have found broad support for their work, with 98 percent of members winning elections in 2016 and 2017, across red, blue, and purple states, including many elected to higher office. Four members were elevated to statewide office, including in the swing states of Pennsylvania and North Carolina. More than 25 leaders have run for higher office in 2018, including for Governor (such as Andrew Gillum in Florida and Stacey Abrams in Georgia) and Congress (such as Paul Davis in Kansas, Ben McAdams in Utah, Greg Stanton in Arizona, Clarke Tucker in Arkansas, and Jennifer Wexton in Virginia)

Today’s announcement brings the total number of NewDEAL members to 166 leaders from 46 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Learn more about the NewDEAL by visiting https://newdealleaders.org/leaders.

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An Honorable Profession: Liz Brown is Offering Hope for the Future of Politics

For Immediate Release:                                                   

September 27, 2018                                                             

Contact: Jonathon Dworkin (NewDEAL), 202-660-1340 x5, jonathon@newdealleaders.org

An Honorable Profession: Elizabeth Brown Featured in Episode #2 of podcast offering hope for future of politics

Washington, D.C. – Amidst an increasingly toxic political environment, the NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders) has launched a podcast to showcase inspiring stories and positive outlooks on governing among rising leaders outside Washington.

Hosted by County Supervisor, former Mayor, and author Ryan Coonerty (Santa Cruz, CA), the second episode of An Honorable Profession, features Columbus Councilmember Elizabeth Brown, a champion of paid family leave, women’s health care, and immigrants’ rights. The podcast was founded to counter the rampant cynicism and policy failures that have dominated people’s perception of politics today by elevating voices of optimistic, dedicated and innovative leaders like Brown.

Listeners can subscribe to An Honorable Profession on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, or Stitcher, The first episode featured Jason Kander, the former Missouri Secretary of State, founder of Let America Vote, and candidate for mayor of Kansas City.

In this edition, Brown talks about her first run for office, a fast-paced 85 day race that started 70 days before her first child was due, as well as her work on a breakthrough paid family leave policy for city workers and her response to the Trump Administration’s hardline immigration stance. While acknowledging that it can be easy to lose hope in today’s political environment, she discusses why she remains passionate about public service.

“The great thing about serving in office and why I encourage anyone with an inkling to do it to take a shot and run is that really at it’s baseline it’s about constituent services and understanding real people,” said Brown, who was elected in November of 2015 to the Columbus City Council and is executive director of the Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network. “No law is just words on a paper in black and white. It’s always about the people who are affected on the other end of that.”

An understanding of the people affected by public policy was clear in Brown’s successful effort to establish a legal defense fund to provide services to immigrants and their families.

“After Trump took office and changed the enforcement priorities for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, we heard a lot of stories of fear from immigrant families,” said Brown. “Immigration isn’t quote unquote a local issue. Those rules are written at the federal level and enforced at the federal level, but it became incumbent on us to think about the impact [of] immigrants and refugees on Columbus… [Immigration cases are] one of the few legal proceeding where you can be jailed, behind bars, see a judge, get sentenced, and never have a lawyer – technically have access to a lawyer but there’s no guarantee you get one.”

Brown also speaks candidly about obstacles facing women interested in running for office, including as a new mom serving on City Council, and her future in public service.

About NewDEAL

Co-chaired by U.S. Senator Mark Warner (VA) and former Delaware Governor Jack Markell, the NewDEAL is a network of 158 pro-growth progressive state and local officeholders in 46 states, and was founded to support innovative, rising leaders in developing and spreading policies that spur economic growth that is broadly-earned and sustainable. In addition to facilitating the exchange of ideas among its members along with other political, policy, and private sector leaders, NewDEAL promotes a pro-growth progressive policy agenda to address the nation’s biggest issues. NewDEAL Leaders have found broad support for their work, with 98 percent of members winning elections in 2016 and 2017, across red, blue, and purple states, including ten elected to higher office. Four members were elevated to statewide office, including in the swing states of Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

About Ryan Coonerty

Elected to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in 2014, Ryan is a two-time former Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz. He is also an entrepreneur, author, and educator. He is the cofounder of NextSpace Coworking + Innovation (now owned by Pacific Workplaces), a lecturer on law and government at UC Santa Cruz, and co-author of The Rise of the Naked Economy – How to Benefit from the Changing Workplace (Macmillan, 2013) and wrote Etched in Stone – Enduring Words from our National Monuments (National Geographic, 2007). Ryan was selected by the Aspen Institute to be a Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership as one of “the nation’s most promising young elected officials,” a “Community Hero” by the Red Cross of Santa Cruz County and “Advocate of the Year” by the United Way of Santa Cruz County.

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Jonathon Dworkin

Director of Policy and Communications | The NewDEAL
202.660.1340 ext. 5
www.newdealleaders.org | @newDEALleaders
—
for a podcast that will restore your faith in government

Making Politics Honorable Again: New Podcast Debuts with Jason Kander as First Guest

For Immediate Release:

September 18, 2018

Contact: Jonathon Dworkin (NewDEAL), 202-660-1340 x5, jonathon@newdealleaders.org

Making Politics Honorable Again: New Podcast Debuts with Jason Kander as First Guest

Washington, D.C. – Amidst an increasingly toxic political environment, the NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders) has launched a podcast to showcase inspiring stories and positive outlooks on governing among rising leaders outside Washington.

County Supervisor, former Mayor, and author Ryan Coonerty (Santa Cruz, CA) hosts An Honorable Profession, which debuts with guest Jason Kander, who talks about how to enact a progressive agenda, what has motivated him as a national figure to run for local office in Kansas City, his efforts to make voting easier across the country, and advice for people running for the first time. The podcast aims to counter the rampant cynicism and policy failures that have dominated people’s perception of politics today by elevating voices of optimistic, dedicated and innovative leaders.

Listeners can subscribe to An Honorable Profession on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, or Stitcher.

“These people could be doing virtually anything they want professionally, yet they’ve chosen a career in public service,” said Coonerty. “They are dedicated to returning politics to, in the words of Bobby Kennedy, an honorable profession.”

Kander, a former Army Captain, was the first millennial in the country to be elected to statewide office as Missouri’s Secretary of State and was chosen to be a NewDEAL Leader. Since contesting a surprisingly close U.S. Senate race in Missouri in 2016, he has started the organization Let America Vote to fight voter suppression nationally, and the Democratic National Committee has appointed him chair of the Commission to Protect American Democracy from the Trump Administration. Politico has called him “the hottest star in Democratic politics.”

“For people who might want to run for office or otherwise get involved, or for those who just need a reason for optimism about the future, we want to share the personal stories of some of the most talented leaders in the country,” said NewDEAL Executive Director Debbie Cox Bultan. “Ryan is the perfect person to deliver these stories as not only a distinguished local official, but also a successful entrepreneur, educator, and thought leader on the most pressing issues facing our country. We look forward to hearing from his guests, including current and former NewDEAL Leaders, about ways to rebuild trust in government and restore sanity in politics in an insane era.”

About NewDEAL

Co-chaired by U.S. Senator Mark Warner (VA) and former Delaware Governor Jack Markell, the NewDEAL is a network of 155 pro-growth progressive state and local officeholders in 46 states, and was founded to support innovative, rising leaders in developing and spreading policies that spur economic growth that is broadly-earned and sustainable. In addition to facilitating the exchange of ideas among its members along with other political, policy, and private sector leaders, NewDEAL promotes a pro-growth progressive policy agenda to address the nation’s biggest issues. NewDEAL Leaders have found broad support for their work, with 98 percent of members winning elections in 2016 and 2017, across red, blue, and purple states, including ten elected to higher office. Four members were elevated to statewide office, including in the swing states of Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

About Ryan Coonerty

Elected to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in 2014, Ryan is a two-time former Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz. He is also an entrepreneur, author, and educator. He is the cofounder of NextSpace Coworking + Innovation (now owned by Pacific Workplaces), a lecturer on law and government at UC Santa Cruz, and co-author of The Rise of the Naked Economy – How to Benefit from the Changing Workplace (Macmillan, 2013) and wrote Etched in Stone – Enduring Words from our National Monuments (National Geographic, 2007). Ryan was selected by the Aspen Institute to be a Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership as one of “the nation’s most promising young elected officials,” a “Community Hero” by the Red Cross of Santa Cruz County and “Advocate of the Year” by the United Way of Santa Cruz County.

 

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Ben McAdams: Mayor, Dad and Candidate for Congress

NewDEAL Founder Helen Milby on The Takeaway with Amy Walter

U.S. Sen. Warner to Keynote Seattle Convening of Rising State & Local Democrats

For Immediate Release:
May 18, 2018
Contact: Jonathon Dworkin (NewDEAL), 202-660-1340 x5, jonathon@newdealleaders.org

NewDEAL Ideas Summit to address future of trade, climate change, and education in Trump era

 

U.S. Senator Mark Warner, an honorary co-chair of NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders) will provide keynote remarks at the NewDEAL Ideas Summit (May 29 – 30) in Seattle, where rising pro-growth progressive leaders from across the country will gather to address how to approach the biggest public policy issues facing the country. Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee and a leader on tech policy, will focus his comments on how the country must adapt to prepare Americans for the future of work. A former technology entrepreneur who co-founded Nextel, Warner has led the debate on and proposed policy solutions for expanding opportunity for workers and businesses in the new economy.

With Democrats seeking to boost their influence in state and local governments this November, the two-day Ideas Summit, hosted by Lt. Governor and NewDEAL member Cyrus Habib, will address how Democrats should approach the biggest public policy issues to improve the quality of life of Americans across the country. About 30 of these state and local officials, along will other innovators from the public and private sectors, will address key issues on which progress is being threatened by the Trump Administration, including trade, climate change, and education.

Warner’s address will be preceded by a panel on the Future of Trade amid controversial policy decisions by President Trump, including tariffs that could affect Washington State industries. The panel will feature Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01). Agenda highlights are pasted below.

About NewDEAL

Co-chaired by U.S. Senator Mark Warner (VA) and former Delaware Governor Jack Markell, the NewDEAL is a network of 158 pro-growth progressive state and local officeholders in 46 states, and was founded to support innovative, rising leaders in developing and spreading policies that spur economic growth that is broadly-earned and sustainable. In addition to facilitating the exchange of ideas among its members and with other political, policy, and private sector leaders, NewDEAL promotes a pro-growth progressive policy agenda to address the nation’s biggest issues.

Conference Agenda

**Events take place at the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, 1301 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101**

Tuesday, May 29

12:00 p.m. Opening Session Remarks
NewDEAL Leader Washington Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib
Nick Hanauer, Co-Founder, Second Avenue Partners

1:00 p.m. The Future of Trade
Speakers include: Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01); Damien Levie, Head of Trade and Agriculture at the Embassy of the European Union; Lori Otto Punke, President of the Washington Council on International Trade; Ben Shobert, Managing Director of Rubicon Strategy Group; and NewDEAL Alumna Marilyn Strickland, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce President and CEO

2:00 p.m. Keynote Remarks by U.S. Senator Mark Warner

2:30 p.m. Battling Climate Change in the Trump Era
Speakers include: Anne Slaughter Andrew, Social Entrepreneur/Consultant; Brian Janous, General Manager of Energy Strategy at Microsoft; NewDEAL Leader Washington State Senator Kevin Ranker; Spencer Reeder, Director of Climate & Energy at Vulcan; and Prodipto Roy, Program Manager, Buildings & Industry at ClimateWorks

Wednesday, May 30

10:00 a.m. Adapting Education & Skills for the 21st Century
A presentation by former Ambassador Suzi LeVine and Eric LeVine
Followed by panel to include: Broderick Johnson, Path Forward Coalition and Greg Nelson, The Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative

1:15 p.m. Closing Session

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