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NewDEAL Announces Fall Class of Top State and Local Leaders

News Category: Media

NewDEAL Announces Fall Class of Top State and Local Leaders

By Dan McCue, The Well News

WASHINGTON — NewDEAL, a center-left network of Democratic state and local elected officials, has announced its new class of 15 “forward-thinking” inductees.

With their induction, the new members will bring the total membership of NewDEAL to 214, culled from more than 2,000 nominations across 49 states.

In addition to the invitation to join a selective national network of like-minded officials, membership also ensures that the individual leaders will receive support and ample promotion for their efforts to develop sound policy and govern effectively.

The new class of NewDEAL leaders includes:

Kesha Hodge Washington, Councilmember, Phoenix, Arizona.
Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson, Councilmember, Santa Cruz, California.
Lindsey Daugherty, Representative, Colorado.
Jena Griswold, Secretary of State, Colorado.
James Maroney, Senator, Connecticut.
Jason Esteves, Senator, Georgia.
Juliana Stratton, Lieutenant Governor, Illinois.
Emma Kerr-Carpenter, Representative, Montana.
Jayme Davis, Representative, North Dakota.
Dontavius Jarrells, Representative, Ohio.
Rachael Heisler, City Controller, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Derek Slaughter, Mayor, Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Xay Khamsyvoravong, Mayor, Newport, Rhode Island.
John Bucy, Representative, Texas.
Mike Doenges, Mayor, Rutland, Vermont.

According to a press release announcing their membership, each elected official was selected for their “unwavering commitment to pragmatic governance.”

“Their work aims to move their communities forward in the changing economy and offer practical solutions on the scale required to address the country’s biggest challenges,” it added.

NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan amplified that statement by saying, “this new class of NewDEAL leaders understands that we cannot take American democracy or our hard-fought-for freedoms for granted.”

“They also understand that supporting the future of our democracy and our country is not only about the electoral process but also the work by leaders in the trenches every day to make government work better,” Bultan continued.

“Each state and local elected official selected for this class has shown passion, determination and effectiveness in getting results for their communities,” she said. “They are on the front lines of not only strengthening and protecting democracy and freedom but also ensuring that government meets modern challenges with common sense and efficacy.”

NewDEAL alumni have included Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, former Georgia Rep. Stacey Abrams, and several members of Congress.

More than 20 NewDEALers have risen to higher office since 2020, adding to the more than one in four members who have done so over the organization’s history.

NewDEAL’s honorary co-chairs are Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Rep. Marilyn Strickland, D-Wash.

The NewDEAL will hold its next event, the 14th Annual Leaders Conference, Nov. 20-22 in Washington, D.C.