Recruit Populist Working Class Candidates for Congress

In 2006, Democrats won control of both the US House and US Senate (for a variety of reasons).

Democrats need to return to the roots of why they have been a successful party: because they proudly represent the working class. That is why they need to run more working class candidates across the country everywhere in 2026.

Democrats need to run more candidates in the mold of Dan Osborn, Jon Tester, Sherrod Brown, and Bob Casey Jr. People who have their own brands, have common values, and are rooted in their communities for long periods of time. It may not always work, but it is far better than the current alternative to take everything for granted.

Sure, some Democrats may be more pro-life, pro-gun, or more traditional family values than others in certain areas. Others may still hold socially liberal causes as well. What matters more in candidates recruitment in areas taken for granted for too long is that they embrace economic populism long associated with the Democratic Party, whether it is taking on corporate greed and power, being in solidarity with workers and labor, assisting small businesses, pursuing universal healthcare, fully funding public education, tackling the climate crisis with green-collar industries, pushing for fair trade, cracking down on agribusiness monopolies, rebuilding Rural America, embracing bottom-up industrial strategies, investing in affordable housing, infrastructure, and transportation, protecting the social safety net from conservative austerity, holding Big Tech accountable, banning stock trading, and supporting veterans and soldiers.

Just to give some possible examples of Democratic campaign recruits for 2026 (although there are other working class candidates, known or unknown, who can be recruited instead):

Maine-Chloe Maxmin (or Chellie Pingree)

North Carolina-Roy Cooper (or Jessica Holmes)

Ohio-Sherrod Brown (or Tim Ryan)

Iowa-JD Scholten (or Josh Turek)

Florida-Carlos Guillermo Smith (or Fentrice Driskell)

Texas-James Talarico (or Cristina Tztintzun Ramirez)

Montana-Jon Tester (or Brian Schweitzer)

South Carolina-Justin Bamberg (or Mia McLeod)

Alabama-Bob Vance (or Sue Cobb)

Mississippi-Scott Colom (or Brandon Presley)

Louisiana-John Bel Edwards (or Shaun Wilson)

Arkansas-Bill Halter (or Pat O'Brien)

Tennessee-Robert Cooper (or Lee Harris)

Kentucky-Adam Edelen (or Andy Beshear)

West Virginia-Jeff Kessler (or Stephen Smith)

South Dakota-Billie Sutton (or Stephanie Sandlin)

Alaska-Mary Peltola (or Valerie Davidson)

Kansas-Laura Kelly (or Chris Mann)

Nebraska-Dan Osborn (or Scott Kleeb)

NY-01: Lukas Ventouras

NY-17: Liz Whitmer Gereghty

NJ-02: Lisa Orndorf

NJ-07: Sue Altman

PA-01 Bob Harvie

PA-08 Bridget Kosierowski

PA-10 Janelle Stelson

PA-16 Ryan Bizzarro

PA-14 Brandon Neuman

OH-06 Lou Gentile

OH-14 Michele Lepore Hagan

OH-10 Jyl Hall

OH-15 Crystal Lett

IN-02: Ryan Dvorak

IN-08: Ryan Hatfield

IN-09: Julie Berry

IN-05: Glenda Ritz

MI-10 Andy Levin

MI-04 Sean McCann

MI-01 Scott Dianda

IL-12 Jerry Costello III

MO-06: Steve Danner

MO-08: Ryan McKenna

IA-03: Sarah Trone Garriott

IA-01: Christina Bohannan

IA-02: Anesa Kajtazovic

WI-03: Rebecca Cooke

WI-01: Randy Bryce

WI-07: Dr. Gillian Battino

MN-01: Jeanne Poppe

MN-08: Tony Lourey

MN-07: Heather Keeler

NE-02: Heath Mello

VA-02 Kelly Convirs-Fowler

NC-11: Lois Queen

SC-01: Leon Stavrinakis

SC-05: Mike Fanning

FL-27: Kristen Rosen Gonzalez

FL-28: Gloria Romero Roses

TX-15 Bobby Pulido

TX-23 Roland Gutierrez

AZ-06: JoAnna Mendoza

AZ-02: Wenona Benally

AZ-08: Bernadette Greene Placentia

CO-08: Manny Rutinel

CO-03: Sol Sandoval

CA-22: Randy Villegas

MT-01: Russell Cleveland

AK-AL: Tom Begich

If you support this effort, sign this petition and find ways to get involved in recruiting more working class candidates in the Democratic Party for 2026.